but trust us, you really can!

This week is Great Big Green Week. It’s the UK’s biggest ever celebration of community action to tackle climate change and protect nature.

Every day we all make choices in our lives that affect the environment, climate and other species. There are so many small and simple things we can do, which combined would have a significant impact on reducing our environmental footprint, leave more room for wild animals and plants, and protect our planet for futures to come.

• Mindful shopping. Everything we buy has an environmental footprint, from the materials used to create it, to the pollution transmitted during manufacturing and the packaging that ends up in landfills. Go plastic free, select unwrapped produce from the supermarket or shop, use re-usable bags when shopping and ditch single use water bottles (here at Southern Green we have our own branded bags for life and water bottles!). Pay attention to labels and look for sustainably sourced products. Palm oil is the most commonly used vegetable oil in the world and is in up to 50% of the packaged products we buy from supermarkets. Sadly, it has a devastating effect on the deforestation of some of the world’s most biodiverse forests, destroying the habitat of already endangered species like the Orangutan, pygmy elephant and Sumatran rhinos. Palm oil can be produced more sustainably, and Fair Trade certified goods not only support companies dedicated to sustainable production, they also pay labourers a fair wage. Buy organic products wherever possible, it costs a little more but keeps harmful pesticides out of our land and water, which protects farm workers, wildlife and in turn your own family and finally, be conscious of food waste.

• Go vege if even just for a day! #meatfreemonday Meat production is one of the most environmentally destructive industries on the planet due to the massive amounts of water use, pollution, greenhouse gas emissions and habitat destruction. Cattle are the number one agricultural source of greenhouse gases worldwide. Each year a single cow will produce 220 pounds of methane! Methane from cows is shorter lived than carbon dioxide, but is a shocking 28 time more potent in warming our atmosphere. Substituting one meat meal a week for a vegetarian alternative may seem like a pointless exercise, but over a year that is 52 meat free days, 104 in two years and 156 in three. It all adds up.

• Drive less, travel green. Changing driving habits can dramatically reduce our carbon footprint. Walk, bike, carshare or use public transport where possible. Hybrid or fully electric cars use less energy, therefore meaning fewer emissions, but ensuring your car is serviced regularly and tyre pressures are checked, could also improve the fuel efficiency of petrol and diesel cars.
• Keep your home green – ensuring your home is also efficient reduces unnecessary energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions and the demand for non-renewable resources. Ensure your home is adequately insulated, turn the thermostat down by a degree or two, stop leaving electricals on standby and use energy efficient lightbulbs. In recent times, an efficient home has never been more important. Small things make a big difference, look after the pennies and they will soon turn into pounds!

Some of our staff recently visited @theedenproject and the emotive visit resulted in a life changing realisation about how just a few small changes, really can have a massive impact. Please keep an eye on our website for a blog dedicated to this visit and check out our plant ID to follow.