We should all do something, not only politicians, companies and organisations but also individuals. Some do more and some do less. But I think it’s important that we as individuals and households do something and that we gradually do more. Add a sustainability activity every week and get on with it! That’s if we all do that, try to be a little better, that’s how we’ll manage to be sustainable. Then of course it depends on your own circumstances, what stage of life you are in, what assets you have, etc. I share here some different areas that I as a private person can do something in, maybe it can inspire you to do something in some area.
I will also delve into several of these areas and give tips, talk to people who have experience and share my own experiences. I hope you can find something that is fun and good for you and your situation and finances.
Mat.
After all, one of the most important things for us as individuals is food. We all have to eat, and here you can actually do more things to be more sustainable than not.
Eat vegetarian!
Reducing meat consumption is important, but it can also be difficult for many. I’ve been eating meat all my life. And then I have many vegetarians in my family. Being surrounded by “veggies” has of course helped me to reduce the amount of meat I eat. Maybe just eat meat 5 times a week instead of 7. If you make that reduction, it’s an improvement of almost 29% in that area. Two days a week when you don’t eat red meat. If you find it difficult, you can perhaps replace the red meat with chicken or fish. Both of these raw materials are better than red meat from a climate perspective. I have done both, reduced my meat eating and eat more chicken. There hasn’t been much fish. I’m not very fond of fish. So I reduced the red meat and ate more chicken. In the end, I went vegetarian only. But I still eat cheese from time to time.
If you cut down on meat, it’s a good idea to eat more peas and beans instead. You need the proteins found in legumes.If you’re wondering if you’re getting all the nutrients and such, I can recommend the Swedish Food Administration’s site. Here is a link to their website for vegetarians.
I stopped eating meat in February 2022. Sometimes I take meat substitutes like quorn or soy variants that resemble meat. Most of the time it goes very well.
Don’t throw away food
Don’t cook more food than you eat. It’s actually good for both your wallet and the environment. In our part of the world, we actually throw away a lot of food. Freeze, take to work or give to any pets. The fact that we throw away a lot of food in our part of the world contributes to production that produces CO2 emissions and a bad carbon footprint. There are more apps designed to reduce food waste. I will write about these in another post. We have started using one of these apps, ToGoodToGoo is the name of it and a review will be coming soon..
Eat less sweets, soft drinks and snacks!
Eating less sweets and snacks is good for your body and the environment. I tend to sin here, I don’t eat a lot of sweets and soft drinks but I like peanuts which is not good. That’s my lesson. On the other hand, I hardly ever drink soft drinks.
Less dairy products.
Cut down on dairy products – their production process is not so good as cows emit methane gas. Dairies also use a lot of water, although in Sweden today this is often a detail that the industry has taken care of and that much of the water it needs is purified and reused. I cheat in this area eat cheese, like cheese, enjoy cheese.
Buy local and seasonal produce.
It’s not always easy, but it can be done. The closer the food is grown or prepared, the better as there is less transport. In any case, we try to shop seasonally. In many cities and towns there are also local producers such as REKO rings. It’s not cheaper because it’s locally produced, but it often supports local producers, which is good for the local economy. Check Facebook to connect with local producers near you or follow the link above to see what’s available in your area.
Housing and energy.
How we live has a big impact on the carbon footprint we make. This is largely due to our energy consumption, but also to the surface area we have, the material of which the house is made, etc. The biggest single factor is probably the energy consumption related to heating .But also how much household electricity we use for lighting, fridge, freezer, dishwasher, washing machine and cooker. Energy use also includes hot water if we shower or bathe and the temperature we are used to.
The larger the surface area of our homes, the more energy may be needed to heat them. In the home, there are many opportunities to save energy by reducing the use of the above items. What temperature we have, whether we leave appliances on standby, whether we take a bath instead of a shower. Do we have white goods and other“equipment” that are energy efficient? Those living in owner-occupied houses have the greatest opportunity to reduce energy use, while those living in rented accommodation have the least.
Transport travellers.
How we move affects our impact on the environment. Here it is a matter of using as few internal combustion engines as possible, the best is to walk or cycle. Or to use electric vehicles. After that, hybrids or hybrids with recyclable fuels could be considered. Public transport is often better than private transport. Renting an eco-friendly car is better than owning one. The reason for this is that more people share the resources used for transport, even if it’s an environmentally friendly car that you rent, for example.
Consumption.
We consume far too much. Sweden and the Swedes are a bad example here – it is rather that our consumption would make us take out the “pillow of shame” and hide our faces in it. We Swedes consume in a totally unsustainable way. If everyone consumed like us, we would need more Earths. And our share of the planet’s resources per capita per year was already spent in March. We consume the equivalent of about 9 tonnes of CO2 per year. The target for 2030 is 4 tonnes of CO2, so we have a long way to go! It’s about buying smaller items, clothes, and household products. But travel and accommodation are also included in this figure.
