In the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, mother nature is finally starting to breathe a little easier again. Indeed, it could be argued that this has been the major benefit of coronavirus pandemic. But with lockdown restrictions now easing, it might prove tempting to lapse back into old, environmentally destructive ways. So, to help combat this, we’ve compiled a few simple lifestyle changes to ensure the planet continues to heal.
1. Go organic and shop local
You might have to pay a little more for the privilege, but by shopping and eating locally and organically you’ll soon start to notice not only the taste difference but the positive difference in your overall health
The concept of safe food using organic waste generated compost is getting traction.
With the UK now considering lowering its standards when it comes to importing food, with the dreaded chlorinated chicken now on the table in trade deals with the US, keeping it fresh, organic and local has never been more important.
2. Travel by train
We understand that travel by public transport hasn’t exactly been actively encouraged in recent months but sooner or later the world will return to some semblance of normality and when that happens, train travel is comfortably one of the least damaging forms of transportation.
Of course, we would always recommend walking or cycling if at-all possible, but we realise this won’t always be a realistic option. So, rather than firing up the car and spending a good hour wading through rush hour traffic every morning on your way to work, why not switch up your commute? This is particularly relevant in London, where trains from East Croydon to Norwood Junction are running constantly and provide faster and cleaner transport.
3. Go paperless
It’s never been easier to lead a completely paperless life thanks to the digitisation of most sectors and data. You’d be surprised how much paper it’s possible to get through if you’re not careful. The vast majority of services, however, now give you the option to go paperless.
It’s often as simple as logging on to your bank accounts or your energy provider accounts and ticking a box. You can also help the cause a little further by ensuring you recycle all the paper and card you have already used and only printing off hard copies of documents when it’s 100% necessary.
4. Avoid bottled water
Green living doesn’t always have to be difficult. Sometimes it can even save you money! There is absolutely no legitimate reason to continue buying bottled water in this day and age. Plastic is a blight on our environment like no other and bottled water creates more plastic than almost any other product on earth.
A water filter is a cheap and elegant way to filter out any of the potential chemicals and contaminants that might make your tap water seem like a less attractive option. And think of all the money you’ll save too! Oh, and while you’re at it, ditching plastic bags is something you should really be looking into, as currently, only around 3% of the world’s plastic bags are being recycled!
