10 Simple Ways to Live More Sustainably

What are the ways to reduce your carbon footprints?

• Inbox Detox
  
  The carbon footprint of one standard email, stored for a year, is equivalent to 10 grams of carbon dioxide – that's about the same as a plastic bag. 64 million unnecessary emails are sent every day in the UK, contributing to over 23,000 tonnes of carbon a year. Cutting out unnecessary emails won't just improve your carbon footprint – you'll be more popular around the office too!
  
  
• Ask Leaves
  
  Ecosia is the search engine that plants trees – 146 million of them, so far. Every time you look something up, the revenue generated from search ads goes towards regreening the planet. It's free, and easy to use. Just add the Ecosia extension to your web browser.
  
  
• A Meaty Issue
  
  The meat industry is one of the worst culprits when it comes to carbon emissions. It produces around 50kg of carbon for 100 grams of protein. Fish isn't off the hook either: discarded fishing nets make up 50% of the plastic in the ocean. If you want to keep your hands clean, you're better off saying no to fish fingers.
  
  
• Don’t be a Wasteman
  
  In the UK alone, food waste emits 25 million tonnes of CO2 equivalents a year – more than Kenya's total annual emissions. Globally, one-third of food goes to waste, resulting in billions of tonnes of carbon being released into the atmosphere. Composting food scraps stops them from going to landfill, where they release methane, a potent greenhouse gas.
  
  
• Clean Green
  
  The other main form of household waste is packaging. We should all be recycling as much as possible, but sidestepping single-use packaging altogether is even better. Some of the best hair and body wash products on the market are bars, rather than liquids in plastic bottles. Homethings and Ecover make it easy to refill their bottles, so you never have to throw one in the bin. Charrli Refill is like a milkman for body and home products – collect your empty, used jars and bottles, and bring you clean, full ones.
  
  
• Rewild Your Home
  
  If you have a front drive, or cut grass lawn, you can transform it into a pollinator-friendly paradise with native wildflowers and groundcover. Try out bird feeders, bug hotels and window boxes. RewildMyStreet.org has information, inspiration and products to get you started.
  
  
• Fashion Police
  
  Fashion is the second most polluting industry worldwide – second only to oil. Almost everything I wear now is second hand, and I love knowing that I got a high quality piece at a bargain price. Unfollow fashion brands and influencers on social media, so you aren't dragged into the endless trend cycle. Download the Depop, eBay and Vestiaire apps, and you'll see what I mean.
  
  
• Invest in the Future
  
  In 2021 alone, the world's top banks provided $742 billion in finance to the fossil fuel industry, according to a report. Changing your bank can thus influence global, systemic change, and send a powerful message that banks can't continue like this without losing customers.
  
  
• Save Your Energy
  
  We're in an energy crisis, and many of you can help by switching to a renewable energy source for your home. Sites like BigCleanSwitch.org can help you compare green energy suppliers, so that you can switch to the one that's right for you. If you have the space and resources, you could even generate your own energy.
  
  
• Love Train
  
  Short-haul flights emit more CO2, mile for mile, than long-haul ones, and are pretty unnecessary. But do you really need to fly from London to Paris, when the train is a much calmer, more charming experience? And by the time you've gone through security and passport control, waited to board, and done it all again in reverse on the other side – have you really even saved that much time?
  
  So, challenge yourself to cut out short-haul flights. Fall in love with train travel again, and be safe in the knowledge that your bags will never get lost in transit.