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This week has marked the 50th Earth Day; the largest international climate movement and annual demonstration of worldwide support for environmental protection. So far 2020 has brought its fair share of worrying events, not just with COVID-19 but with intense storms, flooding and bushfires - all reminding us what's at stake if we don't commit to making changes fast. With the next 50 years looking increasingly uncertain, this year environmental action and greater care for both people and the planet feel more urgent than ever. ⠀
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The theme this year is Climate Action - "While Earth Day may be going digital, our goal remains the same: to mobilise the world to take the most meaningful actions to make a difference. To seize all the tools and actions that we have, big and small, to change our lives and change our world, not for one day, but forever." - @earthdaynetwork⠀
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This month we will be publishing Yak to Basics: The Doing Better Report 2019, our first report which measures our ethical and sustainability practices, environmental impacts and pledges on how we will improve on them for 2020. It's so important that we all hold ourselves and each other accountable on how we can all do better for both people and the planet. It's not always easy and it can be a long process but by being open, honest and learning from each other is always a good start! As usual, transparency is key!
Often, it can be daunting to know where to start – making lifestyle changes isn’t easy and it can take time to develop the right habit. Especially so in the middle of a worldwide pandemic. Let’s be ambitious with our goals for a better future, but it’s also important to be kind to each other and ourselves. It’s not about a handful of people being perfect (who is?!) but many making small consistent changes that will eventually make a big difference to the world we all share.
So, this week we invited our community on Instagram to make a green pledge and tell us about it - an act however small or big that they could commit to this week for the benefit of the Earth.
And here they are! Thank you for all your wonderful pledges – we hope they inspire many more to do the same. Earth day is every day, and as Greta Thunberg said, no one is too small to make a difference. 💚
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Earth Day Green Pledges:
On attitude…
- To never stop educating myself on this topic and how we can all continue to do better
- To actively choose to lower my impact and use my privilege to create better conditions for others
- To practice gratitude – being grateful for what we have and what the earth gives us, even on difficult days
- To take more time to research the change makers and give them my support vocally.
On fashion…
- To be more considered with my purchases and apply the 30-wear pledge for all new clothes – will I wear it a minimum of 30x?
- To stop buying fast fashion and support eco-friendly and sustainable independent brands
- To buy more vintage and second-hand fashion from charity shops, car boot sales, Depop
- To get more creative with my existing wardrobe – how many different ways can I restyle my favourite piece of clothing?
- To learn how to sew so that I can mend my own clothes
- To look after my clothes better – develop better washing, mending and storing habits – loved clothes last!
- To switch from buying cotton to organic cotton
- To say goodbye to throwaway fashion and resell or swap unwanted clothes – they can be someone else’s new treasure!
- To do my research better when shopping from brands; who made my clothes, what is in my clothes and what is their impact.
In the home…
- To shop more from local food produce stores
- To go zero waste for 1 month of the year
- To continue to reduce the amount of waste the household makes
- To never buy a plastic bottle of water again
- To use less plastic containers
- To switch from dairy milk to oat milk
- To eat less meat and to ensure sure it’s locally sourced meat
- To go fully vegan
- To start using tea leaves instead of tea bags
- To switch from plastic wraps to beeswax wraps all the way
- Try to make my weekly shop as plastic free as possible – from bringing my own refillable jars to choosing packaging free foods
- To start my own little garden!
- To plant more plants
- To start composting my food waste
- To switch to a green energy provider
- To hang clothes to dry and retire the tumble dryer
Outside of the home…
- To ditch driving, cycle and walk where possible
- To get involved with solo litter picking challenges – if we can’t go on a group beach clean, we can do it solo!
- Use a reusable coffee cup
On personal hygiene…
- To use reusable, makeup remover pads rather than disposable wipes or cotton pads
- To wash hair with shampoo bars rather than shampoo in plastic bottles
- To reduce aerosol use
- To shower more than bathe. And when I do, take shorter showers!
- To use organic or reusable period products
- To save water by use a cup when teeth brushing, instead of letting the water run!