*Easy Eco-Friendly Lifestyle Changes

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You may know, if you follow me on social media (especially instagram - @ofbeautyand), that I'm vegan and it's something I'm very passionate about as I feel as though it's not only a more compassionate and cruelty free lifestyle but it is also one of the biggest ways to reduce your impact on the planet.

I think most people have now switched to various eco-friendly alternatives such as using plant milk instead of cows milk, using re-useable containers instead of plastic bottles and recycling or reducing waste but I personally feel like that's only the tip of the problem and the minimum we could all do.

However, I know that not everyone can switch to greener alternatives instantly and if you can't be fully plastic free, you can't walk to work or you can't fully become vegetarian or vegan, at least everyone is trying to make more intelligent, compassionate and environmentally conscious choices.

Vegan and Vegetarian Alternatives

Naturally I had to mention vegan and vegetarian alternatives within this post especially as according to a study conducted by the University of Oxford 'veganism is the single biggest way to reduce our impact on the planet'. Also the World Health Organisation has classified red meat and processed meat as known carcinogens (meaning they can contribute to developing cancer, particularly stomach and bowel cancer) so reducing meat consumption is not only better for your health but it also reduces your impact on the plant.

"A global switch to diets that rely less on meat and more on fruit and vegetables could save up to 8 million lives by 2050, reduce greenhouse gas emissions by two thirds, and lead to healthcare-related savings. It could also avoid climate-related damages of $1.5 trillion (US)" - University of Oxford

Re-useable Containers + Straws

One of the first changes I made, apart from switching to a vegetarian diet at the age of 11/12, was to stop buying disposable plastic bottles of flavoured water. Now I have a few re-usable water bottles which I switch every few days. If you are like me and you struggle to drink enough water then buy a 1litre bottle so you only need to drink two bottles worth each day to consume enough.

Energy Saving Lighting 

The first change I think most people made years ago was to change from 'traditional' light bulbs to energy saving bulbs. My parents changed the main lightbulbs bulbs to energy saving options when I was a teenager (which sadly was quite a long time ago now). It's such an easy switch to make and even switching a few of the main bulbs can help. Also, switching off lights when you're not using them and opting for LED lights, for example, kitchen under cabinet lighting, can help too as LED lights can be up to 80% more efficient compared to fluorescent lights. We have LED lights under all of our kitchen wall cabinets and they are nicer and less harsh to use than the bright main ceiling lights.

Recycling, Composting + Reduce Waste

Last but not least is another easy change and again something that hopefully most of us have been doing for years - recycling. In Greater Manchester, we have bins for paper, plastic and 'green waste' which makes the process very easy but there are also numerous recycling centres that you can go to as well. Reducing waste by using kitchen leftovers, repairing items rather than buying new and making weekly meal plans are all simple ways to reduce your waste and help the environment. Also, if you can buy plastic free or bring your own containers to the grocery store that can help too - that's something I need to start doing more often.

Have you made any changes? Do you have any tips? 

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