COP26 Tips to reduce your own impact

In the wake of the COP26 event in Glasgow this year, I’ve decided to compile the 26 tips I’ve been sharing on my Instagram account. Here you’ll find some easy and actionable tips to reduce your impact on the environment.

1. Turn off standby lights

Such a simple tip you can start right now. Take a look around your house, do you see any lights on your devices? Go find the source and switch it off.

2. Switch to plant-based milk

Again another easy swap, just avoid using regular milk and opt for Oat, almond, soy etc. I personally love almond milk in my smoothies and oat milk on my cereal, and in a coffee.

3. Check your energy supplier tariff

Check your energy supplier. Are you on a green tariff? If not, check if your supplier offers one. If not, switch as there are now many companies offered great tariffs for this.

4. Say no to takeaway cups! Bring your own from home

Again another you can start today, most people I know have a coffee cup with a lid or a thermos they can use. When you get coffee to take away from any coffee shop bring this and ask for them to fill it. One thing I find is also try and get coffee from a local shop, not a chain. Lots of coffee shops also offer a discount if you bring a reusable cup. Win Win!

5. Go veggie/ Vegan for the day

This one is really important, as the Western world has developed we have become more addicted to meat and used to having it as part of every meal. Do you know where this meat comes from? Is it heavily processed? You can say the same about vegetables, yes, but there is a large amount of evidence which shows how the meat industry is causing deforestation. Not to mention the food miles to deliver it to your plate. The least impactful thing to do is eat in season and farmed as close to you as possible. This is never going to be easy. Instead start with having vegan or veggie meals a couple of days a week (you’ll be saving money and the planet).

If you want to eat meat, opt for better quality and locally sourced, there is going to be space for meat in the future. We just need to change our relationship with it.

6. Join a litter pick, understand where waste ends up

This is one I love, go check out if there are any local litter picks near you. I use Planet Patrol, or Goodgym for mine. But if you can’t find one of those, there will be some on facebook. If that all fails, why not start your own?

7. Watch the documentary Cowspiracy

It is not an easy watch but worth doing. Make sure you mentally prepare for this. This offers an insight into the meat industry and can give you a perspective and a clear "why" for choosing to not eat meat.

8. Check your home insulation

Look at how efficient your home is, are you able to improve anything over the summer so that you require less heating in the winter? Yes there will be a cost to improve, but you’ll be saving in the long term.

9. Switch your search engine to Ecosia

An easy change, make the search engine Ecosia your default browser. They plant a tree for every search. Search results are getting much better through it. Plus with more people using it, it should only grow. Check out the projects they're currently supporting.

10. Avoid buying new clothes, shop in your own wardrobe

Another great one, look into your wardrobe, wear those clothes you’ve had out of rotation and find joy in them again. If you’re looking for something else, shop in your charity stores, or attend a vintage event.

11. Check your local council's climate commitments

It is your right to know what the local policies are around you, also asking these questions will change the manifesto of the politicians, should they notice a shift in people asking about climate initiatives. Go on your local council's website and find out.

12. Join Goodgym and help out on an allotment

Goodgym is amazing, they promote such a positive community near you. Have you tried it yet? You’ll improve your fitness and make some great friends doing it.

13. Switch to eco-friendly laundry products

Doing this, it will feel like nothing has changed. I have mine on a subscription, meaning I don’t need to worry about running out etc. Smol who I use offer some great options now. Laundry has never smelled better ;)

14. Time your showers, aim for < 5 minutes

This is hard, I know. The idea behind it is to maybe time yourself and understand how much time you spend. Are you able to reduce this? You’ll not only be using less water, but also saving money on your bills in the long term.

15. Watch the documentary Seaspiracy

Same as with Cowspiracy, make sure you’re prepared for it, it will be sobering for you.

16. Download and start using TreeApp

I love this app! Every day I open it and plant my tree. You watch a 30 sec advert for it to be planted. The best thing about the ads is that they’re for climate conscious companies. It's been a great source for inspiration for how I change my lifestyle.

17. Switch to an eco-friendly deodorant

I have been using Wild deodorant for about 18 months now, and it is great. I will be doing a blog post about them in the new year. There are also some alternatives available. Check your local zero waste store, they’ll sell them or be able to offer some options for you. The reason I love using Wild is that it comes to my house, it comes in a really cool aluminium case, and they offer a wide range of great scents.

18. Watch an episode of Our Planet

If you’re like me you’ll have already done this, I am an absolute nerd for these shows. They capture the environment so well. It is also an amazing way of learning about our diverse world, from plant matter to living matter. The BBC have made a winner here, please watch all the series and understand the changes being observed in our climate.

19. Join your local library

Do you know where your local library is? If not, find out and join it. You’ll be able to have access to many books without the requirement of buying them, the best thing is that the books will reach many people and not just sit on your shelf once you’ve finished it.

Maybe see if they’ll accept donations of books, if you have any old ones then give them to the library. They’re such great locations to work from, read in and get a coffee. We should bring back the library into our routines for socialising and relaxing.

20. Shop second hand for any gadgets you’re after

I love doing this, you’ll find great deals and give a second life to some tech. Most of my devices are second hand, or I’ve kept them for a long time. I get my camera lenses second hand also, which might be a risk with the lens being scratched, but you can go to a local camera shop and inspect them before you buy.

21. Switch your lighting to LED

Next time your lights go out, literally not figuratively. Swap the bulbs for LED’s. Whilst you’re at it, make them smart. There is a great company called Accio who sell some really beautiful smart lighting. They also focus on sustainability, which is another reason to love the company and brand.

22. Avoid Black Friday and any other major discounting holiday

It is now the week of Black Friday, do you need that impulse buy? Probably not. I have been guilty of getting excited by seeing things for cheap. When in reality I do not need them. If you’re looking for something you’ve been wanting for a while then by all means grab yourself a bargain, but try to avoid those impulse buys.

23. Plan a vacation by train

Slow travel by train is amazing, I have taken many Eurostar trips onto mainland Europe and it is just so convenient to have available. The connections on mainland Europe via train are also incredible. In the States however, it depends on where you are based. Maybe a road trip would be easier. I am hoping we as a society start to enjoy the journey more and not just rush to the destination. Build the journey into your holiday and enjoy it.

24. Avoid buying products with plastic packaging

Not as easy as it sounds, if you start thinking consciously about what you buy and what it is packaged in, you can see that so much of it is in plastic, and single use at that.

Try and make an effort to look for products which do not have any plastic as the packaging, or at least no single use plastic. Then if you go that step further, you can get zero waste packaging, either by shopping at a zero waste store, or being picky in the supermarket. You could also shop at a green grocer, should you want meat, go to your local butcher. You’re more likely to be able to avoid packaging this way.

25. Use reusable or recycling wrapping for gifts

I love doing this - we use so much waste when giving people gifts, why not use a reusable fabric to wrap the gifts in? You can find some really funky patterns which will make the moment more special. You can make this out of old clothes or table cloths etc. Get creative, I am sure you’ll enjoy this.

26. Talk to your friends/family about what you’ve experienced

Probably the most important tip I can offer, just talk to people! Share your ideas, struggles, and most importantly wins. The more we all start making a culture out of using less, the better the world will be. So let's all get chatting to everyone about how they can do small changes to reduce their impact, and in most cases save some money.