12:58:19
Since starting work at PECT I’ve found myself subconsciously changing a lot of the “bad habits” I’ve picked up over the years. Take my waste streams for example; before I would bung every bit of organic waste into a plastic bag and throw it down the trash chute, whereas now I single out my teabags, banana peels and even the odd bit of paper and create my own compost, which I plan to use on plants for my balcony or donate to my mum’s back garden. I’m also more aware of my energy consumption and make a conscious effort to turn off plugs at the wall socket, especially my mobile phone charger and computer.
Perhaps the greatest changes I’ve gone through in recent weeks have been to my diet. No longer do I feast on supermarket own-brand noodles, loaves of bleached-white bread and tinned food such as baked beans and spaghetti shapes, now I tuck into fresh vegetable-filled wraps, couscous, salads, humous and other healthy delights. Gone is the cheap pasta I used to eat by the bucketload with thick wedges of butter and cheese melted in, give me a bowl of brown pasta or rice with a nice home-made sauce any day! Rather than snacking on packs of heavily salted potato crisp and corn junk I try to scoff a banana, plum or peach. Not only is it more wholesome but it has made positive changes to my mood and general well-being. I feel more energetic and optimistic!
Of course it’s not just what you eat but where it comes from. Consuming cheap fruit and vegetables is better than forgoing them entirely for junk, but it does well to pay attention to the source of your food. One important factor to consider is the chemicals used in the raising of crops; there is far too much genetic modification and crop spraying about these days. Mass-produced walls of chemically-altered produce are rife, with rows of uncanny apples and identical pears lining our supermarket shelves. And the worst thing is they lose much of their taste in the process.
The best fruit and vegetables are sourced locally, with tried-and-tested methods of growing proving to be the most wholesome. Not just does this ensure your favourite foods are tasty and organic but buying locally vastly reduces “food miles”, which is the distance food generally travels before it reaches the consumer. Did you know food travels between 1,500 – 2,500 miles before landing on your plate? Imagine all that fuel burning a hole in our atmosphere, horrible! Another negative aspect of cheap food is the packaging. Not just is there generally too much of it but the materials used are often non-recyclable, meaning the only option is to add to landfill. The only cure for these problems is sensible shopping and consideration for our actions on a global scale.
These examples show that little changes can make big differences, and that one positive action tends to follow another. It’s not just in our personal lives, this philosophy works on a business-scale too. Take Investors in the Environment for example, who help companies take steps towards their green accreditation. They offer free seminars on a regular basis on a plethora of ecological subjects, from water efficiency, waste stream management and more. These are all small steps which can make massive differences if properly implemented, saving energy, money and reducing carbon footprints.
So what small positive changes can you make in your life?
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