It’s the start of a new year and new beginnings. What better time to make a change in your lifestyle that will bring a meaningful difference to our environment.
Here are some simple ways you can be more green in 2025.
Buy Local
Its estimated that UK supermarkets create about 800,000 tonnes of plastic every year.
Whilst eliminating plastic completely from our lives is nigh on impossible, there are simple ways you can significantly reduce the amount of plastic you use.
Sourcing fruit and veg from your local market or grocery store will often come with much less packaging and will also help to support the local economy.
It’s also important that we ensure that plastic is disposed of correctly, and that as much of it is recycled as possible.
Plastic bottles are the only plastics that Brighton & Hove and many other local authorities currently recycle.
Switch to a renewable energy supplier
Not all of us can install solar panels on our homes, but we can choose renewable energy for our homes and businesses.
Switching to a renewable energy supplier is one of the easiest ways to make a huge contribution towards a sustainable planet. In most cases you can make a big saving on your monthly energy bills as well.
Get the details of a recent bill from your existing supplier and head over to a comparison site like Uswitch to see what offers are available.
Change Your Diet
Studies show that consumption of animal products is one of the biggest drivers of climate change.
Documentaries such as Cowspiracy make it abundantly clear how agriculture is responsible for a huge proportion of greenhouse gas emissions, more than the combined exhaust from all transportation.
Cutting down on meat and dairy will make a huge difference in your personal carbon footprint and you can start straight away. What’s on the menu tonight?
Join your local community energy group, or start one of your own.
At BHESCo we believe that the best way to address the global climate crisis is by taking action in your local community.
By joining your local community energy group you can help bring affordable clean energy to buildings across your town or city, which could include schools, community centres, leisure centres, anywhere really!
Whether you are able to contribute financially towards the development of new energy projects or if you want to volunteer your skills and time, there is plenty of opportunity for you to make a big difference.
Find out if there is an active community energy group in your area using the Community Energy England map.
If there isn’t an active group in your town, maybe you can be the catalyst to set one up? You could start by creating a new facebook group or hosting a film screening to get people excited about the possibilities of local community energy.
Cycle to work or take public transport
Schemes such as the Cycle To Work give commuters the chance to get a brand new bike whilst spreading the cost over 12 months and making savings through tax incentives.
Cycling produces no carbon emissions and will help improve your fitness and wellbeing.
The Sustrans website has plenty of information on cycling routes across the country as well as helpful tips on how to be safe on the road.
If cycling isn’t for you then why not consider public transport a couple of days a week or walking to work.
In Brighton and Hove you cant do better than using the famous Big Lemon Bus Company, which is the first bus company in the UK to power their buses using solar panels. In partnership with the Brighton Peace & Environment Centre (BPEC) they are running coaches to the Glastonbury Festival.
Have you got any good ideas on how to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle?
Please share your thoughts in the comments section below…
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