There’s nothing we can buy that will help the planet. But there’s a lot we can do to help. We spend so much time taking care of ourselves daily that we often forget to care for our planet. Here are 5 ways you can support our planet and bring us closer to a better and greener future in under 15 minutes. Add them to your daily routine and create new, greener habits.

Pick up trash and throw it in the bin

A commonly overlooked action is to pick up the trash you see when outside. On your next walk or commute, pick up the litter on the street and throw it away in the nearest trash bin. It might seem like a frivolous action, but if every person picked up just 1 piece of trash a day, there would be over 300 million fewer pieces of litter. Set a timer and see how many pieces of litter you can pick up daily, contributing to a greener and less polluted future. 

Go paperless

It has become so easy to go paperless nowadays. With the creation of e-readers, you can take as many books as you’d like without causing a strain on our planet. Paper production causes deforestation, air pollution and general waste problems while using enormous amounts of water and energy. This year, swap your paper books, gift cards and notebooks for their electronic versions and help save around 26% of the waste in landfills. 

Unplug appliances

I always asked myself if unplugging electronics while not using them helps the planet. I then learned that everything you leave plugged in draws energy from an outlet, even when unused. Take a few minutes to unplug appliances and electronics when not in use, help yourself save money, and emit less CO2 into our atmosphere. 

Unsubscribe from junk emails

Can you believe spam emails pollute our environment?! According to The Carbon Foot of Everything, a book by Barners Lee, an email has a footprint that ranges from 0.03g to 26g of CO2 emissions. Have you counted the number of spam emails in your inboxes? In 2022, nearly 49% of emails worldwide were identified as spam, with 80% of emails never opened. Start deleting your spam emails or those that don’t interest you, and quickly reduce your daily carbon footprint.

Research and stay updated

Research doesn’t have to be boring, long or tedious. The app Smart News can be a great ally if you want to keep updated with world news but don’t have much time to research. The best thing is that you can select the topics and publishers that interest you. Another way to keep updated with the newest environmental news is by reading trustworthy websites such as Grist, The Daily Climate, The Ecologist, and Science Daily. Podcasts can also be a great option to get informed on the go; Sustainably Defined, The Green Dreamer, and Warm Regards are good ones to start. You can always count on us to give you the best accessible sustainability tips!

What tips are you implementing to your daily routine? Share it with your friends and let’s work together for a greener tomorrow.