December is the month when people take time to reflect on the past year and look ahead to the new year. A new year is often accompanied by good intentions. What if we broadened our New Year's resolutions this year and focused on improving not only our own lives, but that of our planet? These 3 good and sustainable intentions make the world a bit better!
Simple tips to start with sustainability
In recent years a lot has been written about sustainability and how you can contribute to a better future. There is a lot of information available and this makes it difficult to determine what to tackle first. The first tip we give you: start with the small things that have the biggest impact.
1. Adjust your diet step by step
Meat is responsible for about 40% of the greenhouse gases released during the production of the food of an average Dutch person. Meat has a major impact on the climate because an average of five kilograms of vegetable feed is needed to produce one kilogram of meat. It is clear that eating meat is bad for the environment, but how do you start cutting back? Here are some tips to get you started.
If you find it difficult to eliminate meat completely from your diet, start by adjusting one meal per day. Do not have a ham or salami sandwich during lunch, but opt for peanut butter or hummus. As delicious as! Or try replacing beef or pork in casseroles for dinner. Use meat substitutes in pasta or bami, for example. Not eating beef for a day saves the same amount of water as not taking a shower for a month! Another option is to eat completely vegetarian one day a week. There are so many meat substitutes these days, there is bound to be something for you! Would you like to know more about sustainable, smart and healthy food? Read it in our blog.
2. Switch to a sustainable bank
Start the year green and switch to a sustainable bank now. Because, have you ever thought about what your bank invests money in? By choosing a sustainable bank, you are not only doing yourself a favor, but you are also contributing to a better environment. Your money is no longer used for activities that harm people and nature, but rather for projects that contribute to a better future.
Did you know that the three largest banks in our country are the least environmentally friendly banks? ING, ABN AMRO and Rabobank, among other things, contribute to the deforestation of the rainforest by investing in palm oil production, which leads to a decline in biodiversity. It makes sense to switch to another bank because you then opt for a policy that is more in line with your values. Do you want to switch? Then you are in the right place with the following three banks: Triodos, ASN Bank and SNS Bank. Switching to a sustainable bank is easier than you think!
3. Buy less things
When it comes to environmental impact, buying stuff is number 1. All our purchases, such as clothing, vehicles and even magazine subscriptions, have an impact on the environment. The ecological impact of production includes collecting raw materials, making the products and transporting them. The production of our stuff therefore involves the use of scarce raw materials, CO2 emissions, water use, nitrogen pollution and land use (especially in the clothing industry). In addition, there are also social aspects such as poor working conditions and child labor that play a role.
It is of course a big change not to buy new stuff all at once and sometimes it just has to be done. But next time, ask yourself if you really need the new device or item of clothing. In many cases it is better for the environment to have appliances repaired, for example, because then no new raw materials are needed to produce something new.
If you can't resist buying something new, make sure it's sustainable products. At TakeAware you will find a wide range of products that contribute to a circular economy, where waste gets a second life! We offer disposables made of various sustainable materials such as wood, sugar cane and bamboo. Curious about our offer? Take a look at our coffee cups, plates and paper bags. Recently we also offer reusable products that can be used again and again and are 100% recyclable.