What’s In This Spring: Sustainability Hacks
What’s In this Spring?
Out: Single-use plastic.
In: Metal straws. Americans use about 500 million plastic straws each day (nearly 2 straws per person daily, we still have a lot of work to do. If we don’t act now, by the year 2050 there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish. Say goodbye to single-use plastic and hello to metal or paper straws (or to going strawless, if you’re up for it). We guarantee it will also be a conversation starter amongst friends and colleagues.
Out: Overspending on your electricity bill.
In: Turning off the lights. While it can seem obvious, we sometimes forget – turn out the lights when leaving a room. Pro-tip: leave a sticky note next to your light switch to break a bad habit. And while you’re at, make the transition to LED bulbs, which use 85 percent less energy than traditional bulbs.
Out: Shopping empty-handed.
In: BYOB. Each year, an estimated 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags are consumed worldwide and wind up in our oceans, forests and deserts which hurts wildlife. It is now so easy to do better. Reusable bags come in all shapes, colors, and designs, so take your pick and skip the plastic.
Out: Excessive temps.
In: Dialing it down. When doing your laundry, make the green choice and lower your water temperature. Your clothes won’t notice the difference, but the planet will. Roughly 75 percent of the energy required to do a load of laundry goes into heating the water. Adjusting the temperature is a small sacrifice with massive benefits and it’s extremely crucial to reducing our carbon footprint.
Out: Driving.
In: Micro-mobility. Changing the way you get around is one of the easiest ways for a triple win – save the planet, time, and money. National Household Travel Survey found that more than 45% of all trips in the U.S. are 3 miles or under–a distance easily covered on a Bird. Whether you’re biking, Birding, taking public transit, or walking (or all four), every replaced car trip makes a difference. Even small reductions in car trips can have a big impact on urban air quality and climate change.
These every day small changes can help better our environment and reduce your carbon footprint.
Let’s make a difference, together!
-The Bird Editorial Team
