There are so many ways which you can be more sustainable and help the environment. Some are quite simple and easy-to-do and some a little more complicated but once you get used to them they will become a habit. In the long run, they will also save you money- what every student wants!
Single-use plastic is considered to be one of the most thrown away items throughout the world. The UN Environment recently reported that a mere nine per cent of the nine billion tonnes of plastic waste throughout the world has been recycled. Plastic mostly ends up in a landfill or in the oceans having drastic effects on the environment not to mention how harmful they are to the animals in our oceans. Unfortunately, plastics do not biodegrade they waste away into smaller plastic parts often regarded as microplastics.
There are many ways which you can contribute to helping slow down climate change and reducing the amount of waste in landfills.
Using reusable water bottles- investing in a good water bottle- whether it be plastic or metal will help the environment. All you have to do is keep filling it up with water or the beverage of your preference. Not only will it help reduce the amount of plastic waste it will also help your pocket. Throughout GCU and Glasgow, there are several facilities for filling up water bottles.
Are you a lover of hot drinks from places like Starbucks and Costa? Keep a KeepCup or Flask on hand and carry them about with you. Most coffee shops now actually add money if you wish to take drinks out, however, if you come equipped with your own cup suitable for taking drinks out in you may actually get a discount for doing so.
Image Credit- William Campbell (Head of Photograpphy)
Another thing you can do is invest in bamboo cutlery or wooden cutlery! At GCU we now have wooden cutlery throughout campus in place of plastic single-use!
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Think about how you shop- do you purchase items from charity shops or vintage stores or do you buy new items? Buying from charity shops or vintage stores or online platforms such as eBay and depop will help the environment as you are purchasing clothes that are new to you but means that they will not be binned.
Feel like you are bored with the clothes in your wardrobe? If you’re handy with a sewing machine why not transform your clothes into something new? Or even sell your clothes on eBay or Depop so that they aren’t just going into the bin or donate to a charity shop so someone else can enjoy them.
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Are you a frequent user of cotton pads for removing makeup? Get yourself some Bamboo Cotton Pads- these are readily available on Amazon or eBay for a steal and they are reusable and much better for the environment! Think about how many cotton pads you use on average a week and the cost it equates to!
Get yourself an Eco-Friendly Razor! Disposable Razors end up in landfills as they cannot be recycled which contributes to a lot of landfill waste which takes years to decompose. I suggest you get yourself a non-disposable “lifetime” razor and get a hard shaving soap which will last you much longer than your typical shaving cream or foam! These are available online and at many shops on the high street and you can get razors from eBay or Amazon for a small price and they are typically sold in bundles of hundreds which will actually last you for a long time!
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Make sure you- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!
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