Did you know that the 21st of September is Zero Emissions Day? This annual event focuses on helping businesses, organisations and individuals to explore ways of reducing their carbon footprints. By taking simple steps, together we can lower our emissions and help to create a greener future for our loved ones. To help you do this, we’ve put together a few suggestions that are easy to put in place.
Reduce your energy consumption
Let’s start with an easy one that will also save you money. Reducing your energy consumption can be achieved by making small changes that lead to a large cumulative effect. The classic advice is to turn off lights whenever you leave a room and switch off TVs and computers (rather than putting them to sleep). Additional steps include unplugging chargers when not in use, maximising natural light throughout your home, only filling the kettle as much as required, refraining from over-filling your fridge freezer, creating an optimised central heating schedule, and switching to LED bulbs. This is a super easy way to get involved in Zero Emissions Day and will help you to run a greener home.
Leave the car at home whenever possible
Rather than driving everywhere, try to take the bus more often or even cycle or walk if your destination isn’t too far away. Carpooling is also a good way to reduce your carbon footprint, so it’s worth seeing if any of your work colleagues fancy taking it in turns to drive a group of you to work each day. As for grocery shopping, it’s a good idea to buy regular essentials from a nearby store (an independently owned shop if possible), as this should result in you driving to the supermarket less often.
Give gifts in a sustainable way
Switching to plastic-free, recycled and recyclable gift wrap is a brilliant way to reduce your own carbon footprint and those of the people who are receiving the presents. We have a wide range of gift wrap available, plus we’re always interested in speaking to retailers and stockists who want to join our green revolution. If you’re interested in stocking our eco-friendly products, take a look at how to become a Hansel partner.
Eat more plants
Going vegetarian or vegan is a fantastic way to get involved in Zero Emissions Day and live a greener life, as the meat industry creates huge volumes of CO2. If you don’t fancy cutting out meat and fish altogether, try reducing the number of times you eat them each week. The less meat we collectively eat, the more environmentally friendly the UK will become.
Remember the three Rs
Reduce, reuse, recycle – this is the age-old phrase that still has a massive impact on how much carbon our homes and businesses are pumping into the air. Don’t forget that whilst recycling is excellent, it all starts with reducing how much we consume in the first place, followed by reusing or repurposing items so that their lifecycle is extended. When it gets to the point where something is no longer usable or can’t be given to a charity shop, make sure to either pop it in the recycling bin if suitable or recycle it another way (e.g. non-glossy paper and cardboard can be added to compost piles).
View our range of eco-friendly gift packaging
We’re dedicated to helping you live a more sustainable lifestyle in an easy and affordable way. For inspiration, take a look at our plastic-free recycled and recyclable gift wrapping products in our shop.
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