You may have heard the phrase “COP26” bandied about on the news for the last few weeks and you’ll know it’s all about the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference with “COP” meaning “conference of the parties.” This October/November between the 31st October and the 12th November was the 26th annual summit of the conference.
With these conferences, every country has agreed to work together to limit climate change and limit global warming below the 2-degree rise that will be devasting for the planet. But with world leaders putting legislation in place to make changes happen and countries doing their part, what can you do to help?
One way is to switch to more sustainable beauty practices. Find out more.
Find more plastic-free or recycled plastic alternatives to your favourite products
Each day (yes day), the average Brit creates 46 pounds (0.21 kilograms) of plastic waste per person. That’s the size of the average six-year-old! Popped in the bin daily and thought of where that trash mountain goes: in our oceans, in landfills, polluting nations far from ours.
It can seem like everything is packed in plastic these days from our apples at the supermarket to every single product in our beauty kits or in the shower. From shampoos to foundation to toothpaste to deodorants and beyond, plastic is ubiquitous and often, these special types of plastic are not recyclable.
You can do your part by seeking companies with more eco-friendly messages. From toilet paper wrapped in recycled paper (not plastic such as The Cheeky Panda, What Gives a Crap, and Cloud Paper) to shampoo bars (think Lush, Earth-Kind, and Greenfrog) to refillable soaps and cleaning fluids to plastic-free moisturising creams, toothpaste, deodorants, and more, you can find virtually anything now in a plastic-free or low-plastic/recycled plastic alternative.
Just as one example, there have been several plastic-free deodorant companies popping up. Plastic deodorant containers create 15 million pounds of plastic waste each year. Some popular companies are Wild which creates a product more like a typical deodorant in a roll-up metal container with deodorant refills. Earth Conscious, Science, Your Nature, and Sintra Naturals are natural vegan deodorant brands in cardboard and metal containers. You’ll have to explore and see which option is the best for you, so you can be eco-conscious yet still smell fresh.
Going green is not always the most convenient choice but consumer pressure will change company behaviours. It’ll take a global effort, but every bit helps and if your favourite product isn’t going plastic-free or reduced plastic, it’s on the consumer to demand companies make changes to do their part too.
Eat less meat: go veggie and vegan
Whether it’s the odd meatless Monday, only eating meat or fish for your evening meal, going full-on vegetarian or vegan (check out our blog here all about how to go vegan), or just being more mindful to reduce your usual meat and fish consumption.
With humans demanding more meat each year, cattle and livestock farmers are having to clear land to find places to raise the animals to cater for the meat industry. Meat takes up most of our farmland, often causes deforestation, yet accounts only for about 18 per cent of our calorie consumption. You may think that fish is a healthy alternative, but with overfishing in the oceans, it’s best to limit fish consumption too. If we continue as we are, experts predict the oceans will be fishless by 2048.
But it’s not all doom and gloom. By eating just that little bit less meat and fish, you will be doing your part for the environment. Plus, with the popularity of vegetarianism and veganism, there are some delicious restaurants, cafes, and street food vendors that serve up some tasty veggie and vegan dishes plus there are numerous popular cookbooks out there to help make your meat-free days a delicious treat.
Ditch the razor: go eco with hair removal
60.7 million razors and blade products were sold in the UK in 2017, which means all of that waste also made its way into our landfills. Razors with unrecycled metal and plastic are just one of the many non-eco-friendly products and yet no one loves to shave!
One way you can go green for the planet is to remove any unwanted hair permanently so that you can say no to yet one more disposable plastic product. With our Hair Removal Laser 4X, in just 12 weeks you can reduce your hair by up to 70% and in just a little while longer you can say goodbye to your razor forever.
What could be more eco-friendly than that? Plus, no matter where you are, whether you’re travelling or just on the go day today, you’ll save hours of your life (and water) by not having the bind of shaving away that unwanted hair. With the average British woman spending 72 days of her life shaving, you’ll have time to focus on things that matter – like other ways you can help save the planet.
The takeaways
It’ll take a collective effort to help achieve our 2030 climate goals, but we can all do our part by considering one way we can be more eco-friendly each month. Which sustainable practice will you adopt first? Let us know on social media.
