By Elly Savva Coyle

Amongst the fear-inducing conversations about the looming climate crisis and the uncertain fate of the planet, it is easy to feel overwhelmed. Next to the scale of the impact that the actions of governments and mass corporations can have, the individual can seem powerless ÔÇô which makes it tempting to shy away from the truth. However, facing up to reality and making changes is the only way to alter the path that we are on.

The truth is that you cannot single-handedly turn back the clock and stop the crisis, but so much more of an impact can be made if we all make small alterations to our lives. You should not feel guilty about what you are not able to do, but instead should feel positive about the decisions you are able to make. Mistakes will be made, emergency take-away coffees are sometimes essential, and not all of us can be perfect vegans.

I have looked at four easy ways that we can make sustainable changes to our lifestyles. These are not radical overhauls of our normal routines, but rather just small things that we can all be do imperfectly to help the planet:

1) SWITCHING TO REUSABLE PRODUCTS

One easy way of being kinder to the planet is by swapping single-use products for reusable ones. There is also a hidden bonus to this ÔÇô by making these swaps you will also help your bank balance, as you end up spending less money on products in the long-term!

Things You Can Swap:

• Coffee Cups ÔÇô Bamboo reusable ones are especially great, a lot of places offer a discount if you take your own cup too.
• Straws ÔÇô Investing in a metal straw instead only costs ┬ú2-┬ú3 and makes your drink extra-chilled!
  
• Water Bottles ÔÇô Metal water bottles have surged in popularity, as they are particularly durable and can keep your water cold for up to 24 hours.
• Wet Wipes ÔÇô Microfiber cloths can remove both eye and face make-up in one go and clean your face much better than wet wipes do. (If you do have to use a wet wipe make sure not to flush it, as even biodegradable ones can be damaging to marine life)
• Sanitary Products ÔÇô For more information on the benefits of switching to Mooncups, have a read of our previous article about moon cups. Now you can also purchase absorbent pants or reusable cloth pads if these would work better for you.

2) MAKING YOUR STYLE MORE SUSTAINABLE

Recently, a revolution has begun in the fashion industry as many people are waking up to the damage that the culture of fast fashion has created. OxfamÔÇÖs second-hand September pledge has been encouraging consumers to only buy second-hand items for 30 days. The charity claims that in just one month, the overall carbon footprint of new clothes purchased in the UK is bigger than flying a plane around the world 900 times. I spoke to Camille Stanley, founder of @thewhybuymovement about the initiative that she has created and why she made the transition to slow fashion.

Camille began her journey with a free online course ran by Fashion Revolution that taught her about the dark realities of the industry. Both the exploitation of workers (predominately females- which also makes this a feminist issue) and the environmental degradation behind the scenes caused her to rethink her shopping habits. For Camille, creating The Why Buy Movement was all about reminding herself about why she is making these changes and encouraging others to find their passion for sustainable style. On the magic of buying second-hand, Camille explained:

ÔÇ£Shopping second hand or ÔÇÿthriftingÔÇÖ is definitely not a new thingÔǪ but I always thought I just couldnÔÇÖt find anything of any goodÔǪ I think a lot of it is about putting the same energy you put into online shopping in the evening into taking the time to source some great gems from second-hand online and high street stores. Fashion is always coming back around so something that is in style now is likely to have been in style twenty years ago, and youÔÇÖre likely to find an original item in a charity shop and feel the excitement that you have found something a little more unique than what is in every high street store.ÔÇØ

3) CUTTING DOWN ON SINGLE-USE PLASTIC

The tide is turning for plastic, particularly as people are waking up to the waste we have created in our oceans. In the UK, Blue Planet IIÔÇÖs final episode signalled the start of a cultural change in how we interact with the material. Anybody who grew up watching the show will remember how the Ocean used to be portrayed as an exciting infinity, but today we are haunted by the images of destruction caused by man-made waste.

Cutting down on single-use plastic is a really easy thing to do. By simply choosing a can over a bottle, or picking loose fruit and vegetables instead of packaged ones, you are making a conscious choice to cut down on your usage. In Cardiff, we are really lucky to have Ripple Living ÔÇô a zero-waste store based in Roath. At Ripple, you bring in containers such as jars or Tupperware, fill them with what you need and then simply pay by weight. Here is an example of some jars I took to Ripple and filled with essentials:

Other reusable non-plastic alternatives to keep in mind include:

• Metal Razors
• Soap Bars
• Bamboo Toothbrushes

4) EATING MORE PLANT-BASED FOOD

Although some may find it easy to turn vegetarian or vegan overnight, many others have individual struggles with food and dietÔÇô so eliminating large food groups isnÔÇÖt necessarily an easy, sensible, or realistic choice for everyone. However, the truth is that our diets have become far too reliant on meat. According to the Worldwatch Institute, “per-capita meat consumption has more than doubled in the past half-century, even as global population has continued to increase. As a result, the overall demand for meat has increased five-fold.” It is simply impossible for the world to keep up with this level of demand.

What is exciting about living in 2019 is all the amazing plant-based alternatives we have on offer. With Beyond Meat burgers taking over the world, oat milk available in most cafes, and Ben & JerryÔÇÖs vegan ice cream, choosing plant-based options has never been so easy. Instead of thinking about eliminating things ÔÇô you could think about it as expanding your diet to include a huge variety of new flavours and experiences.

In Cardiff, check out Greazy Vegan for plant-based twists on kebabs, cheeseburgers, chicken strips and much more. Showing that meat isnÔÇÖt always necessary, even when enjoying your fast-food favourites.

---

Amongst all the bad news there is some good to be found ÔÇô renewable energy is being set up faster than ever, single-use plastic bag sales have dropped by around 86% since the introduction of the 5p charge, and Greta Thunberg has sailed across the Atlantic Ocean carbon-free to spread her message to America. On Friday 20^th September the global climate strike commences, with millions of people anticipated to join action across the globe and fight for a better future. By tackling this issue collectively and accepting our imperfections, we can all help to make a big impact on our planet.