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Top 5 resolutions which will make a difference!

16 January 2018

Blue Planet 2

 

Sustainability can be daunting (even the name is off-putting), so we’ve created a list of EASY and FUN Green New Year’s Resolutions for you to get started on- because let’s face it, the gym is never going to happen!

If like me, you watched BBC's 'Blue Planet 2' and were horrified by the amount of plastic floating in our oceans. We no longer live in a society where we can deny the impacts we, as humans are having on our planet. From unrecyclable coffee-cups and plastics to climate change and air pollution, sustainability is constantly in the news. But rather than getting overwhelmed by the problem, how can we make a difference and where do we begin?

Make a pledge!

By pledging to a green resolution, you’ll receive tips on how to help you complete your goal.

Because we want the whole of UCL making Green Resolutions, the department with the highest pledges will gain 10 points for Green Impact. Pledgers will be asked to click on their department before making their pledge.*


Switch to a Green Energy Supplier

renewable-energy

It takes just minutes but the benefits live on for years: switch to a green energy supplier by filling in one simple form, and your carbon emissions will plummet. Not only this, but green energy suppliers are more often than not cheaper than their more unsustainable rivals. Bulb, Good Energy, Ovo and Octopus Energy are just a few of the green energy suppliers now on the market.

Pledge to switch!

Avoid excessive packaging

zero waste

Plastic is everywhere. From the wristband placed around your wrist at birth to the mouse your hand is resting on right now, you can't get away from it. It's fantastic stuff... when used well.

We've developed a bit of an addiction lately though, using it like it's going out of fashion. From individually wrapping bananas to single-use carrier bags, our use of plastic has gone wild. And it's not without its consequences.

Luckily for us, there are hundreds of zero waste bloggers giving you their top tips on how to go waste free. Top tips include, buying a reusable water bottle, switching to a bamboo toothbrush and ditching straws.

Pledge to avoid excessive packaging!

Make meat a treat

vegang

Nothing beats a good succulent steak (except perhaps a kebab after a night out). But you can have too much of a good thing and that is a trap we humans are falling into with our increasingly carnivorous ways. Make meat a treat for a couple of months and you will improve your health, wallet and culinary expertise, not to mention your carbon footprint.

There are too many good vegetarian and vegan restaurants in London to not try this resolution. Why not try Mildreds in Kings Cross or experiment cooking with Deliciously Ella's vegetetarian blog. Trying new food can be exciting, Even Black Eyed Pees singer Will. I. Am has become Vegan this year!

Pledge to make meat a treat

Dress sustainably

sustainable fashion

We all like to be seen wearing the right thing, whether we follow the hipster style or bohemian chic. But do we know what we're really wearing?

When you look a little deeper into the throwaway culture of 'fast fashion' that has hit our streets, it's clear that we're bearing a lot more on our shoulders than just our latest shrug. From Patagonia to Vega, check out this article on ethical fashion brands. But don’t forget - buying from the charity shop is best!

Pledge to dress sustainably!

Don't boil over

tea

Whether you're a devo-tea of a builder's brew, coffee or hot chocolate, it's time to put your mettle to the kettle. We are a nation of tea addicts, there's no denying it. We glug down about 165 million cups of tea a day, and 70 million cups of coffee, yet 2/3 of us boil far more water than we need.Only boil what you need – any extra and you’re wasting time, money, and valuable energy.

Make the Tea time pledge and be in to win a seasonal selection of Pukka Herbs teas.