In the midst of the current economic crisis, which undoubtedly brings worry and uncertainty for many families, it can seem tough to “find a bright side”. However, it also presents an opportunity for us to explore sustainable ways of living.
With prices rising everywhere , it's natural that we look for ways to live within our means. We likely want to spend less, find savings where we can, and avoid wastefulness or unnecessary expenditure. So every little thing we can do to reduce monthly costs is helpful. The good news is that many of the sustainably focused choices we can make will actually help reduce our running costs too. With that in mind, S2Z has put together this list of things we can do that will make us both greener and richer!
Be Unique, Stand Out and Feel Good
According to the report ‘Unfit, Unfair, Unfashionable’ by think tank Hot or Cool, estimates of global emissions from the fashion industry vary from 2% up to 10%1, but even conservative estimates are pretty damning. In Europe, fashion is the 4th largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions (after housing, transport and food) and it is also the second-biggest consumer of water in the world (after fruit & veg farming).2 Changing how we produce and use garments will have a real impact on our global net-zero ambitions.
Clearly, everyone just giving up spending on fashion is unrealistic, but there's an exciting alternative. Why not explore sustainable fashion? A quick web search will unveil a plethora of brands committed to sustainable practices, and leading fashion magazines often endorse their style credentials. Green can be cool! Green is the new orange is the new black!
Check out sites like Vinted or eBay for super styles at super prices. For the cost of postage, a pre-loved outfit could have a new lease of life on you! And charity shops (thrift shops) yield some amazing finds! Also try local Facebook selling groups. Have a look and see what you spot. Or arrange a clothes swap with friends. What could you swap rather than scrap?
Instead of throwing away worn-out clothes, consider repairing or reinventing them. By patching holes and reinforcing seams, you'll add a personal touch to your wardrobe while reducing waste. Watch some old Gok Wan programmes on catch-up TV! It's a creative way to express your unique style while feeling good about your environmental impact. And if all that sounds a bit beyond your sewing skills, find a local seamstress to do it for you!
Consider the 30Wears rule #30wearschallenge when you want to buy something. Will you wear it 30 times? If not, don’t buy it. Buy less, and wear things more! Let’s tell ‘fast fashion’ that it needs to slow down!
Minimise Food Waste
It is estimated that about one-third of all food produced in the world is lost or wasted. Industrialised countries are responsible for a significant portion of this waste. In the United States, it is estimated that between 30-40% of the food supply is wasted, equating to $1,500 of groceries for a four-person household each year.3 In the United Kingdom, around 9.5 million tonnes of food is wasted every year, with households accounting for the majority of this waste.4
Planning meals ahead and considering leftovers is a great approach, and a quick online search will throw up dozens of good meal planning websites or apps to help you be super efficient with your food spending. Plus, don’t forget, when it comes to ensuring sustainability and affordability, tinned food and frozen vegetables can be excellent options. Tinned food is convenient, has a long shelf life while retaining its quality, and it comes in easily recyclable packaging, while a packet of frozen veg retains its nutritional value and you can use it as and when needed.
Batch cooking and freezing measured portions for future meals is a great way to have homecooked food without having to start from scratch after a long day at work. And pasta or rice measures and scoops can help you not to over-estimate how much you need. Use up veggies that are getting past their best in frittatas or ‘bottom of the fridge’ soup – throw in some chorizo (or a vegetarian version) for great flavour.
By trying these sustainable alternatives, you can minimise food waste whilst saving money.
Cultivate a few of your own Crops
Growing your own vegetables is not only practical and cost-effective but also incredibly rewarding. It's a chance to experience the joy of tending to your own garden, filled with fresh produce and eco-friendly benefits.
If you have outdoor space, you could have a go at growing your own fruit or veg - nothing tastes better than something you grow yourself - plus just think of the packaging and transport CO2 savings you’ll be making. Obviously, certain crops grow better in certain conditions - so take time to figure out what will grow best, or wander down to an allotment and have a chat with some local experts! Depending on where you live, you might need a greenhouse, but look out for people giving them away for free if you disassemble and take them away.
Don't have a garden? Try growing radishes, tomatoes or a few salad leaves on your windowsill or in containers in your porch or on a balcony. Can you put your name on a waiting list for a local allotment? Don’t worry if you’re not a green-thumbed gardening pro, Gardeners World has some great practical advice on fruit and veg to grow that requires little maintenance.
Obviously, for many of us, it won’t be possible to feed the family from our garden or balcony, so this is likely to be a supplemental idea at best. And, yes, it takes time to learn techniques, to grow successfully and work out how to avoid failures, if you want to produce enough meaningful food to make a difference. But getting to net zero is about taking every small step you can and cutting down emissions wherever possible - so without stealing a well known supermarket slogan, every little. . .is good.
Conserve Energy … Save Money
Conserving energy not only benefits the planet but also your wallet. Being mindful of your energy consumption can lead to significant savings. Simple actions like:
- switching off lights when not in use - and moving to low energy bulbs when your current ones break
- turning the thermostat down a degree or two and putting on a jumper / hoodie
- fitting thermostatic controls to radiators so you aren’t heating rooms which aren’t being used
- unplugging appliances (rather than leaving them on standby)
- only boiling as much water as you need in the kettle
- making sure dishwashers and washing machines are fully loaded - and going for cooler wash cycles
- opting for public transportation or carpooling
All these can significantly reduce your energy usage. By conserving energy, you’ll not only lower your utility bills but also be contributing to a greener and healthier environment.
Consider Cost-Effective Sustainable Solutions
Installing solar panels on your roof may be beyond your budget (or simply not possible if you rent your property!) but there are always changes that we can make, even if they seem small.
Switching to LED lightbulbs may have a higher upfront cost, but their longer lifespan and lower running costs result in significant long-term savings.
Installing water butts (rainwater collectors) for garden irrigation requires an initial investment, but the years of using collected rainwater instead of tap water reduces expenses and conserves energy.
When you need to replace a household appliance such as a fridge or washing machine, look for the most energy efficient model – the latest offerings can be rated A+++.
Measures like these will be good for your bank balance and great for the planet!
By embracing sustainable practices and becoming more self-sufficient, even just baby steps and little by little, we can:
navigate economic challenges
reduce our reliance on external resources
build resilience in the face of future crises
contribute to a more environmentally-friendly future
How can Switch2Zero help you live life more sustainably?
It's a big ambition but our aim is to achieve net zero for everyone. Explore our build-your-own subscriptions to find out how we can help you and your family to protect the planet and achieve a more sustainable lifestyle.
And we also love to produce articles like this one – with suggestions for small changes which can have a big impact. When it comes to ‘saving the planet’, sustainable choices used to mean expensive choices. But increasingly this isn't the case anymore. Often it just means picking the right product, one which will help both with the future of the planet AND with reducing your cost-of-living outgoings. And ‘every little helps’ in times when some aspects of living – such as energy prices – are out of your control. A bit of research, and perhaps trying out a few of the suggestions in this article, could help you be both greener and richer – and what's not to love about that?
1 https://hotorcool.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Hot_or_Cool_1_5_fashion_report_.pdf
“Estimates of the global emissions from fashion vary from 2% (Sadowski, Perkins and McGarvey, 2021), to 4.8% (McKinsey & Company and GFA, 2020), to 8% (Quantis, 2018), and up to 10% (United Nations Climate Change, 2018). This uncertainty exists due to the lack of reliable data, industry transparency and peer-reviewed scientific research.”
3 https://fortune.com/2022/12/12/how-much-food-do-americans-waste-every-year-one-third/
4 https://wrap.org.uk/taking-action/food-drink/actions/action-on-food-waste
