We may only be in the first quarter of the year, but have you kept up with your new year’s resolution? Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone!
In fact, research has revealed that one in ten of us has vowed to become more sustainable in 2021, in ways such as recycling more household waste, saving energy at home and opting for products with less plastic packaging.
It also seems that the pandemic has inspired us to become more sustainable, with 62% of us saying that we’ve spent more time outdoors during lockdown and enjoying the nature that we had once ignored in our old busy day to day lives, inspiring us to look after the planet more and become more environmentally friendly.
Yet, there are so many different ways to be more sustainable, how can we ensure that we achieve our goals?
Make sure to read on below for some of our top ways to be more sustainable throughout 2021, written in collaboration with Summit Energies, leading providers of air source heat pumps Gloucestershire.
1. Use Less Plastic Packaging and Opt for Re-fillable Tubs
With the number of food refill shops growing across the UK, cutting down on the amount of single use plastic packaging you use is much easier than you may think! In fact, some supermarkets are also trialling refill schemes.
All it involves is taking your own reusable containers and filling them with the staples you need, such as rice and pasta.
2. Opt for Walking or Cycling Instead of Driving
Avoid jumping in the car on shorter journeys and instead try walking and cycling. This is a great way to boost your fitness, reduce your carbon footprint and also simply just take in the beautiful nature around you.
3. Choose Cleaner Sources of Energy
It is important to understand where the energy that you use at home comes from and with improvements in technology, it’s becoming easier to opt for more sustainable sources of energy for your home.
Whether you opt for a new energy efficient boiler, solar panels or an air source heat pump system, you can relax in the peace of mind that you are heating your home in the most sustainable way possible.
4. Switch to a Smart Metre
A smart metre will allow you to track your energy usage and it will automatically submit your meter readings to your energy supplier for you. Complete with an in-home display that tells you exactly how much energy you are using and how much it costs, a smart metre will allow you to understand how your home uses electricity and whether you need to cut down.
5. Recycle More
It’s become more and more commonplace in homes across the UK to recycle as much as possible. However, you can recycle more by knowing exactly what can and can’t be recycled and looking for other ways you can recycle your household waste.
Don’t forget about your food waste either! Put it in a compost bin and your garden will thank you by the time spring comes around!
We hope that the above tips have given you some inspiration as to how 2021 can be a more sustainable year for both you and your family, without it feeling like a task.
