10 easy ways you can help protect our planet
1. Use ocean-friendly sunscreen
Over 14,000 tons of toxic sunscreen chemicals enter the ocean each year. Not only are these chemicals harmful to the ocean's marine life, they're also absorbed by corals and can cause bleaching. By wearing an ocean-friendly sunscreen you can stay protected against the sun's UV rays at the same time as reducing your impact on the environment.2. Say goodbye to chewing gum
Mainstream chewing gum is made from plastic and rubber, including the kinds of plastic that leach microplastics into our oceans. That’s why it doesn’t decompose and gets stuck on pavements - over 90% of UK pavements to be exact! Next time, choose a plant-based, biodegradable gum instead.
3. Clean up your inbox
Did you know that all those unread emails in your inbox are contributing to greenhouse gas emissions? Our emails are stored on cloud servers, which guzzle up lots of power, mostly from fossil fuels. It takes energy – and Co2 – to send every email and to store it, whether opened or unopened. Lower your email footprint by regularly deleting and unsubscribing from emails you no longer need, and don't forget about your junk folder!4. Plant a herb garden for the bees
Bees might be small but they are very important for the environment and ecosystem. Not only are they vital to the production of food through pollination, they also help support a huge variety of wildlife. So why not give them a helping hand and plant a tasty herb garden of chives, thyme and rosemary for bees to enjoy all year round? Find out how to with author Brendan Kearney here.
5. Switch to eco-friendly toilet roll
Worldwide, 42 million tons of toilet paper is used every year. That's enough toilet paper to go around the planet every 10 minutes! And it's having a serious impact on our environment. From deforestation and habitat loss, to water pollution and carbon emissions. Eco-friendly, recyclable versions up to 70 per cent less energy and don’t use virgin or plastic resources.6. Reduce your meat consumption
By cutting out meat just one day per week for a year can save the same amount of emissions as not driving your car for a month! Discover lots of free delicious vegan and vegetarian recipes, including Peach, Ricotta and Pistachio Toast, Mary Berry's Squash and Feta Salad, and Vegetable Enchiladas, over on our activity hub here.
7. Wise up to your washing machine
Washing machines account for 19 billion cubic metres (418 billion gallons) of water and 62 million tonnes of Co2 greenhouse gases every single year. But there are lots of small actions you can take to make this chore sustainable including washing a full load on a 30, using non-toxic detergents and drying your clothes naturally.8. Limit your phone time
There's never been a better case for reducing screen time! 25% of your phone’s overall carbon footprint comes from calls, messages, emails, and web searches, but most of its footprint comes from data usage. By turning your phone or iPad off for 1 day a month you can reduce your carbon emissions by 240g per year.
9. Refuse paper receipts
Did you know that paper receipts aren’t usually recyclable? Over 90% of paper receipts are coated in BPA (an industrial chemical used to make plastics), meaning that they cannot be recycled in the same way as regular uncoated paper. Shoppers in the UK go through 11.2 billion paper receipts a year, only to end up in landfill. Next time you're at the checkout, ask for a digital receipt.