Tips to Living a More Environmentally Conscious Lifestyle

Tips to Living a More Environmentally Conscious Lifestyle

 

It’s easier now, more than ever to witness the devastating impact of climate change on our planet. As we become more aware of the human impact on our natural world, many of us recognize that we must do something. People are adopting more environmentally conscious lifestyles faster than ever.

The way we live our daily lives has a massive impact on the future of the planet. Adopting sustainable practices is essential in our rapidly evolving society. Thankfully, businesses and people around the world are starting to realize how crucial it is to be environmentally conscious.

The reality is, most people want to go green, but they don’t know where to start. Food supply systems, consumer behavior, and significant lifestyle changes are daunting undertakings. It’s hard to take the initial step. But once you start making these changes, you will get into a rhythm that works for you.

Being eco-conscious is subjective, and it means something different to everyone. This broad term describes many different behaviors and general rules of thumb. To help you get started, we’ve come up with a few ways that you can be more sustainable in daily life:

 

Consider a Plant-Based Diet

 

Switching from a meat-based diet to one that’s focused on whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, is one of the best lifestyle changes you can make. Not only will you significantly reduce your carbon footprint, but you will also be prioritizing your health! 

The meat industry is single-handedly responsible for major deforestation, pollution, water consumption, land use, and destruction of topsoil. One kilo of beef consumes almost 15,000 liters of water, while a kilo of wheat uses ten times less. 

The United Nations now urges individuals to eat a plant-based diet, which they claim is essential to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. By cutting down on your meat intake, you’ll be joining the global struggle against climate change. Fewer customers buying their product will send a clear message to the meat and dairy industries. 

 

Eat Local

 

Buying local produce that’s fresh and in season is another incredible move to being more sustainable. Support your local farmers’ market. Low-scale agriculture tends to be kinder to the planet and the environment. Buy apples from a neighboring farm, for example. Be sure to check your foods’ country of origin as well, to get an idea of how far things have come to get to you.

It’s equally as important to eat produce that’s in season. It requires a significant amount of energy to fake the weather conditions necessary to grow vegetables and fruits out of season. 

Eating local is better for your body and your soul. It’s an easy, eco-friendly habit to adopt. Enjoy sustainable gastronomy and visit farm-to-table restaurants in your area (when they open, of course). If you’re planning on hosting a big event in the future, like a wedding, ask the caterer to plan a menu based around seasonal ingredients!

 

Go Package Free

 

You’ve likely heard of the plastic-straw bans in the effort to save sea turtles. Plastic contributes not only to greenhouse gases, but it also takes years to biodegrade. Consuming less plastic is central to environmental consciousness. 

Now you can find many zero-waste shops where you can buy unpackaged foods. You bring your own containers and pay per-weight. If you do find yourself buying something with plastic packaging, reuse or recycle the container. 

 

Shop Sustainably

 

Fast fashion is one thing that every environmentally conscious individual has to kick to the curb. While this clothing consumption trend is convenient for consumers, it’s far from sustainable. Many of the items that you buy from ‘fast-fashion’ retailers will only last a year. 

These clothes are cheap, and they last for a season or so, which is why they’re so enticing for fashion-lovers. When it comes to ethical shopping, the price tags can be daunting. That said, an increasing number of brands are becoming greener in their production. 

Companies like Pact, Boden, Everlane, and Tentree are focused around ethical, sustainable, and affordable fashion. The products are made from quality materials so you can wear them for longer. Even if you have to spend a bit more than you’re used to, the investment will pay off in the long run. 

 

Save Energy and Travel Smart

 

When you’re at home, try to save energy by turning off the lights and being conscious of water consumption. Some energy-saving habits include turning off the tap when brushing your teeth, choosing to line-dry clothes, and driving less. 

If you live in a city with decent public transportation, you don’t need a car. If you have to run errands or take a road trip, it’s more economical and eco-friendly to rent a car. Check out Globe Car & Truck Rental in Montreal, and you’ll see that there are many options for small vehicles with better gas mileage. 

The distance that you drive is a massive implication of your carbon footprint. If you reduce the amount that you drive by 5,000 miles, you save more than a ton of CO2. 

 

Make The Change

 

The world is currently in a race against climate change. Every person has a role to play in the future of the natural world. By adopting small lifestyle changes, you can separate yourself from systems that are destroying forests and oceans around the world. 

 

Written by Ashley Lipman for The Blog Frog.

How working remotely lowers your environmental footprint

How working remotely lowers your environmental footprint

 

Earth Day 2020

 

2020 is shaping up to be a year for the history books, and after only a few months. The current narrative is engulfed by the ramifications of the novel coronavirus. Peoples’ lives have been upended in every corner of the world. Millions of jobs were lost overnight, entire industries have been forced to shut down indefinitely, and millions of medical professionals have put themselves at risk to help those in need. While messages of fear and uncertainty continue to occupy the media, there is a silver lining: the rapid improvement in the health of our planet from us working remotely.

Who would have thought that on the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, the waters of Venice would be clear, oil would have momentarily become worthless, and the people of India would be able to see the peaks of the Himalayas for the first time in decades?

The social fabric on which we used to rely has, at least partially, unravelled. At the same time, working remotely has never been more widespread, and we’re healing our planet in the process.

Changes to the way we eat

 

There are 3 major contributors to our impact on the planet: food, water, and energy. None of them operate independently from one another. They are all critical components of the massive, complex system that we call home: our planet, Earth.

Our global food system is one of the heaviest sources of greenhouse gas emissions. It has a tremendous impact on the environment, yet it is only beginning to emerge in the global discussion on sustainability. Estimates of the food system’s contribution to greenhouse gas emissions range anywhere from 20% to 37%. We lose and/or waste a staggering third of all the food we produce. But cooking at home can help, and it is a trend we have seen skyrocketing as a result of the coronavirus lockdowns.

This is not to say that we should stop eating out at restaurants. We love to support the local culinary establishments. After all, it is one of, if not, the main reason many of us (used to) travel. But they need not be mutually exclusive. Cooking at home can affect our decisions around when, where, and why we eat out. In many ways, cooking at home allows us to appreciate just how much love and work goes into the food we eat out.

There are so many benefits to cooking your own food at home. Not only is it less expensive, it is often healthier, it creates less waste and more leftovers. Besides, you are probably a better chef than you imagine. Start with the basics and experiment. It’s one of those skills that you never forget and will always be useful.

Changing the way we eat is critical to a healthier planet in the future. As we look to one another for connection in the wake of the coronavirus, cooking for friends and family is one of the easiest and most fulfilling ways to come together and share, both a meal, and time together. We can change the landscape for the future of food, and in the process, the health of our planet. So keep up your home-cooking habit!

A Quickly-Changing Office Landscape

 

All of a sudden people were told to start working remotely. A policy that was the stuff of legends to many office workers only months ago has since become mandatory. It is quickly becoming the norm. Remote work was already on the rise before the coronavirus outbreak. The recent lockdown measures have since accelerated this trend and many of the changes are expected to be permanent.

Companies that are quick to adapt to this new reality are likely to find improvements to both their bottom line and employee productivity. At the same time, it is one of the cheapest ways for a company to reduce their carbon footprint. It’s a rare win-win-win situation, for employers, employees, and the environment.

Xerox has been employing remote workers for 30 years. They are a prime example of the environmental benefits that can be reaped from remote teams. More than 8,600 of their employees work remotely. In 2016 they reduced vehicle miles driven by an estimated 99 million, reduced gasoline consumption by 4.9 million gallons, and avoided more than 43,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions.
All these changes benefit the employees as well, by allowing them to save more money, and by providing a better work-life balance. In fact, a Global Analytics survey suggests that 24% of employees say they would take up to a 10% pay cut to benefit the environment.

Our buildings use a tremendous amount of energy to keep us comfortable while we toil away. Heating, cooling, and lighting need vast amounts of power. Add to that the carbon cost of putting a building together and you have a recipe for a lot of environmental stress. In 2017 the UN estimated that our buildings contributed to over 36% of our energy consumption. Companies have found many ways to reduce the carbon footprint of their office spaces. From improvements to how we build, to how we use energy, our office buildings continue to improve. But, perhaps the simplest way is to simply get rid of the office as we know it. Besides, ‘keeping the lights on’ won’t be so much of a worry.

Changes to How We Use Land

 

Whether you attribute the carbon footprint of a commute to the commuter or the company is up for debate. One thing is clear: less commuting is better for everyone. Commuters spend less time in traffic. They can spend more time with their friends and family. Their mental health improves. Cities experience less congestion, and thus pollution decreases. We have seen the drastic impact that traffic has on our cities in recent months. Cleaner air enables us to lead healthier, happier lives. It also reduces the burden on our health systems. Traffic accidents drop and our roadways need less maintenance. The list goes on.

Major cities around the world are becoming prohibitively expensive for many people. Naturally, people are finding ways to move to lower-cost places nearby. Working remotely is, of course, one of the best ways to change where you live, while keeping your job. It is one of the reasons it has become so popular. But there is another trend on the rise as well: the super-commuter. Defined as someone who travels more than 180 miles to get to work, super-commuting too, could see a rise in adoption once the ramifications of the coronavirus have normalized.

Face-to-face meetings are still important and many people swear by them. Will the remote workers of the future have to ‘super-commute’ for that especially important meeting? Will they factor these decisions into where they live?

Either way, the new work landscape will be much different in the future. People’s decisions about where they live will be less governed by where they work, and more so, by what they value in a city. Cities, and small towns alike, will have to adapt as they try to attract or retain citizens. Cities and towns will be inclined to adopt environmentally-friendly policies, so long as we value the environment in which we live.
We have seen the colossal changes that we need to make to restore our natural environment. But we know now that it is possible. Believing that our goals are achievable is half the battle. We have witnessed a global response to a global problem, and there will be more to come. When we look back on these moments, let us remember what we are capable of.

As of this writing 106 countries have formally stated their commitment to enhancing their national climate commitments by the end of the year. Our planet needs our help. Staying at home might, once again, be a simple and effective solution.

How exciting.

JRD

If you want to learn more about how to effectively work from anywhere, be sure to subscribe for our updates and check out our resources. We are always available to answer your questions about working remotely.

Eco Friendly, Sustainable Travel Tips: Reducing Your Impact

April is Earth Month and our team has been discussing sustainable travel and ways to reduce our environmental impact. Being a distributed team, our work is all done online, so we save thousands of trees each year by not printing or buying office supplies. Further, we encourage, and share, eco friendly tips and behaviours with the team, such as cutting out single-use plastic and using reusable coffee cups and water bottles.

Still, our team travels often and knows air travel emits a large amount of carbon dioxide (currently 2% of carbon dioxide emissions globally). This is why we focus on ways to reduce our overall carbon footprint, while still being able to experience new places.

So as Earth Month comes to an end, we wanted to share some of the thing we discussed to help make travel more sustainable, year round.

Here’s our tips for sustainable travel

 

1. Stay in apartments vs hotels

Hotels are most often not an eco-friendly option. From single-use plastic toiletries filling the bathroom, to the daily cleaning of the sheets, towels, etc.. Plus the coffee, tea, mini bar restocks and plastic straws galore – you get the picture. Staying in local apartments eliminates these excess single-use and one off items. It gives you the opportunity to cook, instead of living off take out, do your laundry when the sheets and towels are actually dirty, and eliminate the endlessly replaced travel-sized plastic madness in the bathroom. It also gives you a much more local feel, like you’re actually living in and experiencing the city vs being a tourist.

2. Slow down

When planning a trip somewhere new, we’re often inclined to fit in as many cities as possible. While that might seem great for your bucketlist, it’s not great for your energy levels – or the environment. By staying in one place longer, you’re reducing the number of flights, trains, cars etc. that you’re taking, and will actually get to enjoy a place. Further, you’ll have a more local experience, meet new people, and not burn yourself out from all the travel. We recommend a month or more in each city, to really get a feel for it. Taking direct flights to your destination is another good way to reduce your carbon footprint.

3. Do as the locals do

When traveling, sometimes your first instinct is to grab a tourist map, find the closest cup of coffee to-go and hit the town. However, if you take a minute to find a local place, then sit down for a coffee and snack, and watch the daily life. Ask locals for recommendations, skip the tourist buses and really get a feel for the city – at Behere we connect you with a local host so you get all their amazing tips!

sustainable travel4. Bring your reusables

We’ve all seen it – people dumping full plastic water bottles at airport security, then buying another for twice the price on the other side. Luckily for you, if you bring your empty reusable bottle through, you can refill it on once in the terminal, saving money and the environment. Plus, you’ll have the bottle for the rest of your travels. If you want to bring travel sized products, find some eco friendly sized products here.  And don’t forget the reusable shopping bag! They fold up small, can be used to store loose items in your suitcase, and come in handy for market trips.

5. Shop local

Use the aforementioned reusable bag for good and hit the market! Opt to skip the grocery store, instead shopping at the local markets for fruit, veg, eggs, cheese, bread etc. In Europe, it’s easy to find cheap, fresh produce and delicious freshly baked bread that aren’t wrapped in plastic. Bonus – it’s better for you to shop at the markets as the food is fresher and healthier!

6. Pack and shop smart

It’s easy to overpack, throwing way more things than needed in our suitcases. This means you wind up with a heavier bag, and every kilo counts when flying. That and all the unworn clothes will still get tossed in the laundry and it creates an unnecessary amount of lugging your things around. If you want to do some shopping on your travels too, plan in advance as most souvenirs end up in the garbage. So pack smart and shop smart. Bring what you need, think of what you want to buy before – and don’t buy it if you don’t need it!

7. Plastic-free picnics and no takeaway

When you need a pick me up while traveling, opt to dine-in instead of taking it go and always say “no” to plastic straws. If you can, bring your own cutlery, and cup or for picnics cook at home and pack food in reusable jars and containers.

8. Plant trees or donate to environmental initiatives

Doing all these things are great, but in order to really offset your carbon footprint from traveling look to give back to the environment. I grew up watching and helping my father and grandfather plant trees and gardens, and it’s something I continue to prioritize. Whether you take time to plant a tree, or donate to organizations that help the oceans or our planet, find a way to give back to this beautiful planet.

These are just some of the ways you can travel more sustainably. We’d love to hear your thoughts and tips, let us know in the comments. At Behere, we’re committed to helping you travel in a way that is conscious and respectful of local cultures, people, economies and the environment. And if you’re ready to plan your next trip, in a more sustainable way, get started below!


meesen brownWritten by Meesen Brown, CEO of Behere.
Meesen is the cofounder and CEO of Behere. She’s an avid traveler, speaker, dual citizen, healthy snack lover and is always looking for ways to reduce her carbon footprint. She spends most her time in New York, Barcelona or Toronto.