Jess Fenech offers up her top tips on how to start small on being more sustainable.
BYO Cup
It’s one the most obvious and talked about options when we talk of being sustainable. As a country, Australia goes through an exorbidant amount (and this word is me being conservative) of coffee cups each year. The plastic lining stops the cups from being able to get recycled, so they all go into landfill. It can take a little while to get into the habit of packing a cup with you each day, but most of us carry some kind of bag to work or studies- we can easily pack our cup in there.
There are so many options available now, you’ve just got to find what works for you and your lifestyle. I know that I cannot be trusted with anything glass or ceramic (If i can break it, there’s no doubt I will!), so for me the original Keep Cup works perfectly. We also have Flow Athletic keep cups for sale at reception so grab one today! I would love a beautiful ceramic one…maybe one day, until then I will keep the one I can throw in my bag.
Separate your recyclables and rubbish
Again, this is just a matter of making this part of our daily routines. We all have the rubbish and recycling bins in our homes. Next to your rubbish bin in the kitchen (or bedroom), leave another bin, box or bag for all your recyclables. Start small, and start obvious – papers, glass and hard plastics can all be recycled. Give it a rinse so no food or liquid is left in there, and leave it in the box. When it’s time to take the bins out, you can make 2 easy trips.
Switch the lights off
As a kid my dad used to follow me around the house turning the lights off as soon as I left the room. I remember finding this annoying and would argue I’d be back in a minute and found myself in the dark a lot of the time! As I’ve gotten older I’ve noticed the amount of power we waste by leaving rooms unattended and lit up for long periods of time. Leave the room, turn the light off. Easy.
Dine in and slow down
Who else needs another excuse to slow down?! Let’s ditch the grab & go and take a minute to sit down, savour what we are putting in our mouths and approach mealtime with a more conscious mindset.
Choose wisely
Sometimes take away is really the only option, and there’s no point beating ourselves up about it. It’s about making the decisions that is best for you at the time. We are in a great place at the moment where businesses are really getting on board with offering sustainable packaging. If you’re in a food court or cafe strip, take a minute to see how your food is packaged and support the businesses that support the earth.