To Swap or not to Swap... Thoughts on Tackling the Climate Crisis in 2020.

For the last couple of months of 2019 I have really been battling with the idea of carrying on with championing all the small swaps I’m so passionate about. I’ve watched the Zero Waste movement at times come under scrutiny, which in many cases was quiet rightly so. If you follow anyone like @dora_bota_ or @sarahstarrs_ they have both talked about why they are moving away from the small swaps and zero waste ideas because the climate emergency is so much important. They are of course completely and utterly right. In both their writings they thanked the zero waste movement and said they will continue with a low waste lifestyles but will move on to campaigning for the big changes needed in our governments. In many ways I am too.

But here’s where I have come a cropper. I read something recently about how to teach your readers new things. To start by thinking ‘where was I three years ago?’ What would I have loved to have read or be advised on 3 years ago. This line of thinking took me right back to my first thoughts on waste and landfills. To the idea that I couldn’t bring myself to use disposable nappies, then on to changing my period care and our shopping habits.

That lead to eating less meat, understanding the enormous impact of fast fashion, boycotting the high street all together, even protesting with Extinction Rebellion. This all took time, time I now understand we do not have.

The problem is, I know I get lost in my own bubble, thinking everyone is on the same page as me. I talk to my Mum and other Extinction Rebellion members, I follow like minded people on Instagram, and I listen to all the right podcasts. There does seems to be more talk in the media of climate change, more documentaries. People like Greta championing the most important of causes. More sustainable brands popping up and more Netflix films on the human impact of our behaviors….

But then there’s an election and I remember that we are not there at all. That we are on a complete loosing battle.

We now have an openly racist, misogynistic Prime Minister who called the passionate professionals I know, doctors, nurses, scientist, “crusty, hippies” just because they were protesting for something bigger than us all. The government we now unfortunately have have a very loose ambition of carbon emissions, aiming for net zero at the last possible minute on that all important tipping point.

It makes me want to campaign more and shout from the roof tops. To make people understand that the evidence is there. By the time my daughter is my age the town grew up in, the place I love with all my heart will be more under water than not.

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A pinnable image captioned “Tackling climate change in 2020. Can your small swaps really help fight the climate emergency.” A background of children climbing a tree with a blue sky background.

I have noticed the more passionate I get the more people shut down. Maybe they don’t care or maybe they are just not ready to take on the enormity of the idea that our climate is breaking down. It is, after all a huge idea to take on. The idea that one day soon we will be living in what seems like a Gerard Butler movie. In fact, watch the news, its already happening and that IS hard to comprehend.

PLans for the Future.

So I went back to that Me of three years ago and remembered how I got here. I then thought perhaps that’s how I get them there too.

Yes okay we really don’t have time for that, but nor do we have time for people to panic and shut down in front of me the minute I start talking.

And so, although I will carry on supporting Extinction Rebellion and campaigning in other ways I have decided to carry on my with small swaps in the hope it will inspire in the long run.

If nothing else, one day when/if we come through this climate emergency we know we cannot carry on the way we once did, so those swaps will be the everyday norm for our children.

Or lest we hope.

What eco-friendly swaps can you make in your life today to help.

Quit Fast Fashion.

This is a subject I am very very passionate about. Not only does the fast fashion industry have an enormous impact on our environment it is also a huge human rights problem. I’ve written about why I’m boycotting the high street and plead for you do to the same here. We need to move to more a sustainable way of shopping. It doesn’t mean we can’t love our clothes and be passionate about fashion. In fact I would argue very much the opposite. Creating a sustainable capsule wardrobe you love will not only simplify your life and help you cherish your clothes, it help you sleep easy in the knowledge nothing in your wardrobe came at a cost to someone else’s life.

Consider your food shopping

We buy a large about of our shopping from Abel and Cole these days. Riverford are another great organic company that deliver to your door. Of course buying organic like this can be more expensive and is a privilege but I work around it in a number of ways.

Planning our meals. Abel and Cole can seem more money for some veg but you do get a descent about of each thing. To save us money I work different meals around using some of the same ingredients in the same week or bulk cook meals and freeze portions. This saves us both time and money.
Use less. I used to pack a meal full of mozzarella for example, but when you think about it it isn’t really needed. Putting less of an ingredient such as mozzarella cuts down on the dairy we buy and means I can justify paying a little more for organic mozzarella.
Cutting down on your meat and dairy intake. We had been doing this for quite a while anyway. Luckily we really enjoy cooking and experimenting with different recipes. By bulking out on the veg and eating less animal products we can able to save money in some areas and put that into buying better.

Shop with ethical companies.

Knowing what your buying and where it came from is the number one step. Buying from small ethical companies means your supporting a small business. When it comes to food and flowers etc buying local is a great start. When is comes to clothes the internet is your new best friend. Find companies you love, follow them, invest in the brand. This type of relationship with a company will making shopping a joy and much more personal experience.

Think everything reusable.

Reusable period care, wipes, kitchen cloths, nappies, you name it you can get a reusable version to reduce your waste in every way, save money and be completely satisfied.

The plastic of course sucks. Reducing what I sent to landfill was my first goal. But I now know that its the single use part of our world that is having the most damage. Anything that is made to be used once and then thrown away is not a sustainable way for us to live. Everything has a carbon footprint so by having hundreds of the same product we only use once you can see why we have a problem.

Each small swap may seem insignificant but by changing our mindset and influencing others we can have a real impact of this Earth and maybe one day reverse this Climate Emergency.

Hannah x