Is your inbox always full? Uh-oh! As the public awareness grows of how we humans negatively affect the planet, the "blame game" has never been more intense. But is judging and blaming each others’ habits really the best way forward? While it might be hard to admit, we all have habits that harm the planet in one way or another. So instead of focusing on what others do wrong, it might be time to focus on things that we can do right, and look for ways in which to contribute that suits our individual lifestyle.
We're all different people with different ways of living. Some things that one person is willing to give up might be completely different from what another person is willing to give up. While it might be relatively easy for one person to give up driving, flying, and eating meat, giving up those particular things might present an insurmountable challenge for someone else. There are, however, plenty of other things that a person can do to decrease their environmental footprint.
We have listed five things most people don't even think about that affects our planet negatively. Which one would you be willing to give up and which one is a big no-no?
1 - STRESS
Yep, you read that right - Stress is an environmental hazard. When we are stressed, we tend to make more short-sighted decisions - such as taking the car rather than the bus to work, picking up fast-food in favour of cooking something more environmentally-friendly at home, or buying loads of things we don’t really need. Stress is also the bad guy behind excessive travelling, as the reason so many of us chose to jet off for the weekend is - you guessed it - to get a break from the stress in our everyday lives.
2 - A FULL INBOX
That's right! E-mail takes up a lot of server space, and servers require huge amounts of electricity to run. By sticking to an “inbox-zero”-approach, you will save on server-storage and electricity. A study by ICF International and McAfee revealed that storing 1GB of e-mail consumes 32.1 kWh a year. How crazy is that?
3 - FLUSHING THE TOILET
Do you flush every time you use the toilet? Most of us do–even if we live alone. While this might be far down on the list of adjustments you’re willing to make to decrease your environmental footprint, the fact is that by tweaking your flushing habits, you could save gallons of water. Did you know, for example, that peeing in the shower is actually more hygienic, and better for the environment, than using the toilet?
4 - DRINKING COFFEE
If you're a coffee lover, the idea of giving up coffee might be another one of those adjustments you’re simply not willing to make. Unfortunately, the coffee trade isn’t easy on our planet. Not only does it cause deforestation, but the process of turning the fruit of the coffea plant into ready-to-brew, ground coffee, also produces a lot of waste.
5 - BUYING NEW JEANS
It might surprise you to learn that the production of Jeans, a staple item in pretty much everyone’s closet, has a huge environmental impact, as they require tons of water and chemicals to produce. To produce a single pair requires approximately 2,900 gallons - or about seventy bathtubs - of water! So instead of buying a new pair of jeans, consider getting them second hand, or through clothes-swapping with someone else.
What did you think about this list? Share your thoughts by sharing!
