10 easy steps

What can we do? The answer is simple; change our ways.

At Another Way, we believe in the power of ten; If one person spreads a message to ten people on one day, and the next day those ten people told ten more each, then in only ten days, the whole world hears the message. If all seven billion of us made one difference, imagine how many problems could be solved.

Here’s our starter for ten: ten steps that we can take to collectively make significant positive change in our environment.

1. Change your search engine

A very easy change you can make is to use Ecosia as your search engine of choice. The money from advertising revenue is used to plant trees for every search you make. To date, Ecosia has planted over 55 million trees.

2. Refuse single-use plastics

Make sure you have a reusable bag, container and coffee cup on you at all times so you’re never caught out. Avoid plastic straws, plastic cutlery and go for plastic-free cotton buds.

3. Eat more plant-based food

Plants can be healthy, delicious and fun, as long as you are aware of the nutrition you need. Cutting down the amount of meat and dairy we use is essential to make animal agriculture sustainable for our planet and to avoid the negative impact it is having on ecology, climate change, deforestation, water pollution and soil degradation.

4. Buy loose food without packaging

Many small local shops will allow you to take your own containers and bags to refill. Instead of supermarkets try the greengrocers, butchers, deli and of course Another Weigh.

5. Buy less

Consumerism has its impact on the planet. Think about whether you need everything you buy and if you do, whether you can get it second-hand or make it yourself or buy a more sustainable version.

6. Avoid all cosmetics containing squalene

This is derived from shark liver and around 63 million sharks are slaughtered every year to keep up with demand. Sharks are a vital part of a healthy ocean.

7. Invest in renewable energy and electric vehicles

To combat climate change, we must move away from fossil fuels quickly and the current inaction shows that consumers must demand this first.

8. Reduce food waste

Food waste not only wastes the carbon footprint required to produce, process, package and transport the foods in the first place but also decomposes in landfill to produce methane- the most potent greenhouse gas.

9. Do not eat trawled or unsustainable fish

This includes prawns and scallops. Cod and tuna are extremely overexploited and should be avoided. Use the MCS’s good fish guide as a rough source of information but whether any fish is sustainable is a dubious matter…

10. Avoid palm oil!

Palm oil is a major cause of rainforest deforestation, leading to habitat loss, soil degradation and climate change. Beware, it is in everything, from soap to Nutella.