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Why do we need to take action?
To achieve a sustainable future, we need climate action across all levels of society. One part of this complex puzzle is individual action: sometimes it's easy to think our actions might not have a big impact, but when they're combined, they can be a powerful catalyst for change.
We've been thinking about the actions we can take in our day-to-day lives to reduce our environmental impact and we wanted to share our ideas with you!
5 Steps to reduce your environmental impact
1. Eat Smart
The global food system has a huge impact on the planet's health (and ours). Did you know that on average it takes 3000 litres of water to produce the daily food needs of one (!) person? From carbon emissions, to water use, habitat degradation and biodiversity loss, there are a lot of associated issues and we can do something about it.
Tackling food waste, eating local and seasonal produce, reducing your meat and dairy intake and growing your own food at home are just a few ways you can take action.
2. Make your home work with nature
Our homes can be a huge source of waste, we also have a lot of choices to make when it comes to choosing household items like furniture, appliances and cleaning products (some of which can be damaging to the environment and to our health.) Choose environmentally friendly cleaning products and sustainably made home furnishings wherever possible and select energy efficient appliances. You can avoid throwaway culture by practicing reduce, reuse, repair, recycle with your household items.
3. Make your garden friendly to wildlife
Urban gardens provide important habitats for birds and insects. However, using harsh chemicals like pesticides and minimising plant growth doesn't make for a hospitable environment. If you want to make your garden friendly for bees and other pollinators, we've got you covered. Use natural methods to deter pests and try organic fertilisers, plant flowers year round for the pollinators and consider keeping a wildflower patch. If you've got a balcony garden, check out our top tips for getting the most out of it here.
4. Think ahead when you're on the move
When we're out and about it can become more difficult to make the most sustainable choices. A bit of preparation goes a long way in helping you avoid single-use materials and wasteful habits. You could take your own water bottle, reusable coffee cup, pre-prepare food and take reusable cutlery when you know you'll need them, to avoid lots of single-use plastic and non-recyclable materials.
5. Keep learning
Read, listen, watch and discuss. This is the best way we can be informed about issues with the food system and the environment and demand change. Over lockdown, our team took the opportunity to read up on some key topics around sustainability, wilding and the global food system. Be sure to check out our Insta page for reading recommendations and please share yours too.
That's it!
So those are some of the ways in which you can take climate action in your daily life. We hope you spotted a few that you might try out if you haven't already. We''d love to hear what you're doing to reduce your environmental impact, let us know in the comments or tag us on Instagram!
Square Mile Farms bring vertical, urban farming to city dwellers in their homes and in the workplace. We aim to bring people closer to food production and help to create a culture of healthy, sustainable living.
Find out more about our offering and get in touch here with any queries. Sign up to our newsletter for tips on a healthy lifestyle and a round-up of relevant news and join our online Urban Growing Community for advice on growing at home and much more!
Further reading:
UN FAO, Water