Locking down the Environment

By Beth Colmer, Account Director at Publicasity

Today marks the 50^th anniversary of Earth Day. Celebrated on 22^nd April every year since 1970, Earth Day aims to mobilise the world in a collective bid for environmental reform normally marked by protests (more than a billion people usually take part in marches and petitions). This year is, of course, a little different and lockdown has meant history is being made with the world’s first Digital Earth Day. It has also caused environmental side effects which a few months ago, environmentalists could only dream of.

New research has found that almost three quarters of Brits think social distancing has had a positive impact on the planet, with two in five saying they plan to live more eco-friendly lives when lockdown is lifted. So how do we make a start whilst in lockdown?

1. Recycle - Continue to recycle your plastics, cardboard, paper and cans as only 2% of dry recycling collections have been affected by the lockdown. If you’ve used this time to clear out your garage and have big bulky products as a result, store them away until the recycling centres re-open.
2. Avoid over-buying - It’s so tempting right now with more time on our hands but over-buying leads to more waste which leads to more landfill.
3. Try not to overuse your electrics - Energy levels will of course go up at this time given we’re all at home, but try to remember to turn off lights, laptops etc. when you’re not using them. Not only will this save a load of money for your household, it will also reduce your energy consumption and lower your carbon footprint (and bills).
4. Eat less meat - Scientists have said eating less meat is the single most effective way an individual can reduce their impact on the planet. In fact, consuming 4lbs of beef has the equivalent impact of flying by plane from New York to London.
5. Reduce water use - Cutting our showers down by even a few minutes and washing dishes by hand can drastically reduce your energy usage.