The Easiest Way to Make at Least One Positive Sustainable Change Every Month - The Gloss Magazine

The Easiest Way to Make at Least One Positive Sustainable Change Every Month

Keep a climate calendar …

JANUARY

Buy activewear made from recycled waste materials (try TALA or Girlfriend Collective). Adopt a climatarian diet, cutting down/out red meat and dairy and choosing seasonal, local produce with a low climate footprint. Join an environmental group like Friends of the Earth, Extinction Rebellion or even your local Tidy Towns to take direct action in your local area. Email your TDs! Write, call, stop them in the street and ask them for accountability in the climate crisis.

@BUMBLEBEEFARM_

FEBRUARY

Avoid imported flowers for Valentine’s Day (about 80 per cent of roses come from South America or Africa where farming uses vast amounts of water) and opt instead for seasonally grown, sustainable flowers from Irish producers via The Flower Farmers of Ireland website. Return empty cosmetic bottles at stores that accept all brands such as L’Occitane and Origins (at Arnotts). Wipe bottles clean before returning. Finally, consider replacing cosmetics with non-plastic packaging alternatives by buying from brands such as Lush, the Body Shop and Burt’s Bees who use metal, reusable or refillable containers.

MARCH

Make your own spring cleaning products! Fill empty spray bottles with homemade detergents: vinegar, lemon rind and rosemary makes for a nontoxic, natural, and effective all-purpose cleaner. Save the bees by planting a wildflower patch in your garden – even a window box or herb pots can work wonders for these vital pollinators.

APRIL

At Easter, buy chocolate from bean-to-bar companies to ensure low-wastage, ethical production and a reduced carbon footprint. Do your laundry more efficiently with a machine that precisely doses detergent, softener and water for each load. An i-DOS Automatic Dosing washing machine from Bosch saves up to ten litres of water per cycle. Save up to 8,500 litres of water annually by using a dishwasher which utilises about a quarter of the amount used by washing dishes under running water.

MAY

Change your coffee and tea-making habits by cutting out milk and only boiling as much water as you need. Organise a clothes swap with friends for the impending summer season. Experiment with planet-friendly period options such as menstrual cups, period underwear or eco tampons and save some of the 11,000 non-recyclable tampons or pads each woman uses in her lifetime.

JUNE

Beg, borrow or buy recycled garden furniture instead of buying new. Fly no more! 80 per cent of a holiday’s carbon footprint comes from flying. Have a guilt-free holiday adventure by choosing a train, ferry or even a humble bicycle as your mode of transportation. Recycle end-of-year school uniforms, bags, books, and more on Skoolstuff.ie, which is also a great place to buy next year’s essentials as well as Communion dresses, kids costumes and more!

JULY

Reduce plastic consumption using apps such as CUSP and heeding campaigns like Plastic Free July. Switch to bamboo toothbrushes. Use a reusable cup and if picnicking, think real china or bamboo!

AUGUST

Audit your beauty routine and opt for cruelty-free, refillable make-up options. Stores like Reuzi and Little Green Shop are great places to start. Email your TDs again! It works, creating accountability and interest!

SEPTEMBER

Reduce the carbon footprint of your internet usage by minimising mindless scrolling, unsubscribing from unnecessary emails and refraining from googling everything. Take part in Second Hand September: use apps such as Good on You and Impact Index to make conscientious decisions if buying new. As the autumn routine is re-established, reduce food and packaging waste by batch cooking and bulk-buying from waste-free stores.

OCTOBER

Donate to a climate cause you care about – grassroots organisations and indigenous communities all over the world need funding for vital climate work. Layer up instead of light up: be energy smart in your home and workspaces by only heating and lighting rooms as needed. Wear cosy knits, hug a hot water bottle, use energy-saving lightbulbs. Switch your pension plan to an ethically managed fund that is investing in climate-positive projects.

NOVEMBER

Give up domestic fires by replacing coal with candles or, if needs must, using seasoned wood in fuel-efficient stoves. Call, email, and Tweet your TDs ahead of this month’s critical COP27 Climate Conference. As Christmas approaches, download the Too Good To Go app to save on festive food waste.

DECEMBER

Convert to DIY present-wrapping or discard wrapping altogether. For presents, focus on gifting experiences over things – you know the drill. Choose a live Christmas tree over an artificial one; make sure it is locally grown. A potted tree can be replanted in your garden. Recycle or compost your tree!

She is the queen of no makeup makeup and even manages to make a smokey eye look subtle. When everyone else was going for heavy contour and laminated eyebrows, she continued to promote enhancing your natural features with simple tricks and smart product placement. If you have seen any of her videos, you will notice how little product she actually uses. Even Victoria Beckham commented how surprised she was when she went to remove her makeup after a shoot with Lisa on how little product was applied.

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