4 simple sustainable promises you can make in 2023

4 simple sustainable promises you can make in 2023
How 2023 can be your most sustainable year yet.

What were your resolutions this year? Did you have any? Or were you struggling to make specific commitments?

Here in the MiNDFOOD office, we are continuing our quest to becoming greener, more sustainable and environmentally-minded in any way we can.

Here are some promises you can make that will do more than just improve your own personal wellbeing – they can help combat climate change by reducing waste, your carbon footprint and encourage recycling.

Stop buying ‘fast fashion’

Fast fashion, or fad, poor-quality clothing, is the second most polluting industry in the world with the Australian Bureau of Statistics estimating that 500,000 tonnes of leather and textiles become landfill each year – that’s approximately 23kg for each person.

With the majority of clothing now being made from cheap, synthetic fibres, especially ones derived from petroleum, the landfill that occurs as a result of this wastage is contributing to the build-up of non-degradable materials in the earth that lead to the production of methane and carbon dioxide.

So what can we do? Become more conscious of what you wear, learn basic repair skills to keep your treasured items alive for longer, invest in long-term pieces and most importantly – shop with ethical practices in mind and be wary of companies that don’t treat their workers fairly.

Get a BPA free re-usable water filter bottle

For those of us who are lucky enough to live in countries with great quality drinking water, BPA filled plastic water bottles should be used sparingly.

It is estimated that a whopping 370 million plastic water bottles end up in landfill each year – in Australia alone. Our use of bottled water generates over 60,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions every year and many of the water bottles that don’t make it to the landfill, make it into our waterways and oceans.

Start by investing in a quality reusable and sustainable water bottle.

Go meat free (at least once a week)

By making an effort to reduce your weekly consumption of red meat you are doing yourself – and the environment – a huge favour.

Currently, agriculture contributes to 15 per cent of all global warming emissions, half of which come from livestock.

Of livestock, beef’s environmental impact draws that of other meat like chicken or port.

The cattle industry requires 28 times more land to produce than their smaller cousins, 11 times more water and gives off 5 times the amount of emissions.

Considering experts are predicting we will need to be feeding an extra 2 billion people by 2050, the large amounts of grain and water needed to raise cattle is concerning to most.

To start with, try making at least one day a week meat-free and go from there. The less red meat we all consume, the better off we will all be in the future.

Be conscious of your waste

Consumers throw out, on average, 1/3 of their weekly grocery buys. To avoid adding to this number, we suggest always writing grocery lists, and sticking to them. Check your fridge and cupboards before making the list, decide what you’re going to be eating for the week, and utilise anything in the freezer that you can.

Whilst in the supermarket, avoid purchasing anything that isn’t on the list, unless you plan on eating it with one of your meals for the week.

Regularly clean your cupboards and fridge so you are aware of their contents – to stop you buying multiple items, time and time again.

Most importantly, do your best to use up any extra food. Just because it might not be fresh or hard enough for a salad, doesn’t mean it won’t be perfect for a smoothie, soup or one of our favourites – pie.

Use up old vegetables in frittatas or stews, and make use of overripe fruit in your favourite jams, pies or breads. Have your bananas gotten too ripe? That’s the absolute best time to use them in banana bread or cake for ultimate flavour. Alternatively, if they are too soft for your liking, peel and freeze, for future use.

What changes are you making in your home?

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