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Sustainable Living

Do you know your carbon footprint?

Everyone has an environmental footprint. It comes from all the things you do that has an impact on our planet such as the energy you use, the things you buy and the food you eat. By making changes to our lives, like switching to more sustainable everyday habits, we can reduce our environmental footprint and the damage we do to our planet. The average UK footprint for 2022 was 9.5 tonnes.

The past few years have shown us how connected we all are. Individual actions might seem small but, collectively, they can make all the difference in the world. Visit WWF UK to find our your carbon footprint and learn how to improve it.

Food and Climate Change

The food we eat and where we get it from can have a major impact on our carbon footprint. Globally, we waste around 25 to 30% of all food produced, and food and farming systems cause 80% of biodiversity loss and one third of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Food Waste

Throwing away uneaten food costs the average UK family more than £700 a year. There is also a huge environmental impact caused by food going to waste. To combat the climate emergency and help protect our environment, we all need to reduce the food we waste. Our top tips to reduce food waste and save you money:

  1. Check your fridge temperature - the ideal fridge temperature is between 1-4°C.
  2. Use a shopping list - write a weekly meal plan and only buy what you need. Make sure you check your cupboards, fridge and freezer before going shopping.
  3. Use your freezer - freezing food can extend its lifespan and stop it going to waste.
  4. Measure your food portions - only make what you need.
  5. Get to know your labels - ‘use by’ relates to food safety, whereas ‘best before’ relates to quality. You can eat food after its best before date if you think it’s still fresh, but you shouldn’t eat food after its use by date

For more hacks, tips and guidance to make the most of your food at home visit Love Food Hate Waste.

Buy locally and seasonally

Introducing more locally grown and seasonal foods into your diet has lots of benefits for you, your community and our environment:

  • Food that has travelled across the world to get to your plate has a much higher impact on our environment. More energy is needed to transport, refrigerate and store it and often, more packaging is needed to keep it fresh. By eating local, seasonal foods you can help reduce the environmental costs associated with your food.
  • The longer food spends in storage and transit, the higher the chance of it spoiling and becoming waste. Buying locally and in season can help reduce the risk of food becoming waste before it gets to the shelves.
  • Local produce is more likely to be ripened on the farm before being harvested and delivered. This food is fresher, tastes better and is more nutritious. Although local food can be more expensive, buying in season means you’re getting it at peak supply when it’s at its cheapest.
  • When you buy locally produced food, the money you spend stays in your local area, supporting local farmers and communities.
Grow your own

Growing your own fruit and vegetables in your home, allotment or community garden is one of the easiest ways to reduce emissions caused by transporting produce across the country and overseas. By growing your own produce you will reduce the amount of plastic you are using and you also have complete control over how your food is grown, including what pesticides you use. Look into natural products and fertilisers which can help your plants thrive without resorting to synthetic ingredients, which may damage the environment. Learn more about growing a wildlife friendly vegetable garden here.

Be a conscious consumer

  • Say no to plastic- try and eliminate plastic from your purchases. An easy swap is choosing unpackaged fruit and vegetables at a supermarket, instead of options wrapped in plastic.
  • Buy less- instead of shopping and buying everything you think you need immediately, wait before you buy and ask a few questions: Do I really need it? Can I rent or borrow it? Is there a used or pre-loved option available? Is there a more eco-friendly alternative?
  • Look at labels- When a product is certified by a trusted organisation, it means you can be confident it has met strict guidelines for safety, environmental or social concerns. Some examples include the FSC (Forestry Stewardship Council) logo on wood and paper products, the MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) logo on fish, the Rainforest Alliance logo on products sourced from the rainforest, the RSPO (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil) logo on products containing palm oil and the Fairtrade logo on products that have been ethically sourced or made.
  • Buy local- by buying locally, you're avoiding unnecessary transportation and supporting businesses in your local community.
  • Quality over quantity- although buying quality items that are meant to last may get pricey, the items will last much longer than cheaper alternatives and hopefully save you money in the long term. Learn how to properly take care of your purchases. If we can learn how to fix and mend what is broken, we will not need to buy a replacement.