One silver lining to the current lockdown status is now everyone has time to look into becoming more eco-friendly! Keeping reading to see how you too can implement SusCo’s environmental initiatives into your daily lives.
Here are a few of the Sustainability Council’s recommendations to the community during the lockdown:
Switch over to eco-friendly alternatives.
Masks have a significant impact on reducing the spread of COVID-19, but the traditional disposal ones are also extremely wasteful. Fabric masks, on the other hand, save the environment and your money, as they are reusable. Metal water bottles also help to reduce single-use plastic, and using cloth napkins and hand towels instead of kitchen paper minimizes paper waste at home.
Buy food from local businesses.
With small businesses struggling due to Covid-19, now is a better time than ever to help and support them. In addition, these kinds of shops are more likely to be sustainable and transparent about their practices. Another great place to purchase food is at farmer’s markets, as they sell fresh and organic produce grown locally. The Queen’s Park Farmer’s Market, which is about a half-hour walk away from ASL, is open every Sunday. You just have to wear a mask! There are a variety of markets around London too if you don’t live nearby the school. Remember, it’s easy to buy in bulk, but it leaves stores lacking essential goods. Try to be mindful of what you already have at home and only purchase what you need in order to reduce food waste.
Try the green diet for a week.
The green diet does not require you to eliminate any particular animal product from your diet, rather that you shift your thinking towards a more conscious way of eating. Plant-based foods become the main meal whereas meat is thought of as the accompaniment. Even one week of this diet or cooking vegan one night per week is enough to make an impact on your carbon footprint.
One great way to get motivated for cooking green is to grow your own fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Check out Camden Garden Centre for gardening materials. They are an organization working locally to reverse youth unemployment.
Reduce your energy and water consumption.
As we are using our devices more now that we all work from home, it is important not to leave your laptop plugged in all day, and wait until the battery is low first. In addition, try not to leave the lights on after you leave the room and consider leaving them off during the day in general. Rather than running the dishwasher every night, try waiting until it is full, and the same applies to laundry. You’ll save both water and electricity this way.
Stay educated and aware of environmental issues.
Everyone is guilty of binge-watching one show or another right now in lockdown, so make time to stay up to date on the environment. Our Planet, Cowspiracy, Minimalism, and A Plastic Ocean are all documentaries pertaining to various environmental issues and are available on Netflix. Another interesting one on Amazon Prime is called The True Cost, which dives into the harmful effects of the fast fashion industry.
Pressing issues such as climate change and global warming are not going to improve if we don’t make a change; and with everything that’s going on in the world right now, there couldn’t be a better time to become more sustainable. That is why SusCo is challenging every ASL family to become more eco-friendly during the lockdown and join us in saving the planet!