We are all completely reliant on earth for our survival if we destroy this planet we do not currently have another planet in which we can just pack our bags and relocate to; Change starts with us; doing small changes in our lifestyles each day to be more sustainable might not seem like it will make a big difference, but if you inspire others by making changes and others around the world do the same, it will make a big difference in the long-term. It starts with one person; look at Greta Thunberg; she began a one-person mission to reverse climate change by aiming her speeches at the leaders of countries and inspired other young people in Europe and beyond to contemplate the carbon footprint we have been contributing to in the masses and to advocate for future generations. As Mahatma Gandhi says, “Be the change you wish to see in the world”.
2. “With increasing fervour since the 1980s, sustainability has been the
watchword of scientists, environmental activists, and indeed all those
concerned about the complex, fragile systems on the sphere we inhabit. It
has shaped debates about business, design, and our lifestyles”. Jamais
Cascio
In the 21st century, sustainability is still one of the most significant
dilemmas faced, as the world is still using up more resources than the
planet can produce. The earth is a source of produce for resources we rely
heavily upon, such as food and water, but this is becoming more limited.
The planet can only deal with a specific amount of greenhouse gas
emissions to stay healthy. One of the biggest aggravators of environmental
degradation is the substantial rate at which humans consume resources, as
the manufacture of goods has risen; this has been caused by the economic
growth of wealthy economies increasing wealth in the developing world.
Although the developed countries hold a significant responsibility for the
damage being done to the earth, citizens in the developing countries are the
most impacted. 2
3. Furthermore, because of climate change, natural disasters have increased
significantly in the last 50 years, although the number of deaths linked to
natural disasters has decreased. The world is dissolving around us, such as
the North pole, because of some of humanity’s choices. Polar ice caps are
melting at an alarming rate, while global warming is causing climate
change. The Arctic Sea ice decreases at a rate of around 13% per decade,
but in the last 30 years, the ‘oldest, thickest ice in the Arctic has
deteriorated at an astonishing rate of 95%. If emissions continue to climb
without anything being done, the Arctic could be without ice by summer
2040. And that which takes place in the Arctic affects the world, such as
sea loss. The Arctic and the Antarctic also affect our temperatures, with the
Artic impacting our food as the rise in heatwaves and unstable weather
instigated by ice loss has substantial impact on crops and the global food
systems we rely on, which could mean increase in prices for us and
increased instability when it comes to food and financial stability for the
most vulnerable such as those who are on low incomes or in developing
countries.
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4. How can we be more sustainable and support the environment?
Use reusable bags
Reusable bags are a sustainable alternative to the use of plastic bags, so make
sure to take one along with you, to help the planet and to save money on
paying for plastic bags
Use energy-saving lightbulbs
Some lightbulbs are energy efficient such as CFL and LED bulbs to use up
less energy than regular incandescent bulbs
Consume less meat
Meat is determinantal to the environment. The Amazon rainforest has
suffered catastrophically because of meat production. Meat production also
contributes to increased carbon emissions and has been linked to climate
change, deforestation, and forest fires.
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5. Avoid facial wipes
The use of facial wipes contributes to paper waste, so why not use a facial
cleanser alongside a reusable damp cloth, does the same job and preserves
the planet at the same time some my call this a win-win
Recycle as much as possible
Look out for items that are recyclable when purchasing items in the shops
or online by looking at the labelling on the item or description on the site
Ditch the teabags for a loose-leaf tea in a strainer alternative
The packaging on teabags contains plastic, so using loose tea bags in a
loose strainer is an efficient way of being more eco-friendly without giving
up on tea
Grow your own produce if you can
Growing your own produce can be done by planting vegetables in your
garden or growing them on your windowsill if you do not have a garden
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6. Look for green options when travelling
If you’re absolutely dedicated to the sustainable lifestyle and want to apply
this to each and every part of your life, you could also stay in hotels that
back sustainability by recycling or composting waste and using renewable
energy. Ecolodges are one option because they have been designed with
sustainability in mind as they were intended to have a negligible impact on
the environment.
Purchase from sustainable beauty brands
Purchasing beauty products for non-toxic makeup brands and other beauty
products that are vegan, organic, or non-Gm products are recommended
for more sustainable living as sustainable makeup brands products do not
contain the harmful “chemicals, parabens, phthalates or genetically
modified ingredients” according to eco-friendly habits.
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7. Check if you have any items which you can refill
The next time something finishes in your house, check if you could get a
refill as brands are increasingly making refills to lessen the amount of
packaging being used. A penny saved is a penny earned as you will save
money buying refills as they are not as expensive as purchasing a
replacement.
Replace or change air filters
Air heaters and conditioners use up a lot of your energy, and when their
filters get dirty, the energy used is even more. Therefore, cleaning or
replacing filters are needed to save on energy.
How could the businesses incorporate sustainability into the work
environment?
Businesses could incorporate sustainability in the workplace by reducing
their carbon footprint through decreasing the use of raw materials usage
and waste.
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8. We are all completely reliant on earth for our survival if we destroy this
planet we do not currently have another planet in which we can just pack
our bags and relocate to; Change starts with us; doing small changes in our
lifestyles each day to be more sustainable might not seem like it will make
a big difference, but if you inspire others by making changes and others
around the world do the same, it will make a big difference in the long-
term. It starts with one person; look at Greta Thunberg; she began a one-
person mission to reverse climate change by aiming her speeches at the
leaders of countries and inspired other young people in Europe and beyond
to contemplate the carbon footprint we have been contributing to in the
masses and to advocate for future generations. As Mahatma Gandhi says,
“Be the change you wish to see in the world”.
They could also teach employees about sustainability and what they could
do to benefit the planet, encouraging employees to re-use and recycle the
resources to save energy.
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9. Intellisaving and what they are doing to join the sustainability
initiative?
Intellisaving is a platform that supports Cash savings and its end-to-end
lifecycle. It also has an app for saving that allows users to integrate their
saving and interest-bearing accounts into one single platform, making it
easier to track and manage accounts, so you don’t have to track your
accounts on various platforms making it more time and technology efficient.
Intellisaving also has other features such as a personalised portfolio that
works as a financial profile with information such as returns, types of
accounts, and amounts invested per account, having all the information
related to your Savings accounts on your personalised portfolio makes it
easier and more efficient.
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10. Intellisaving is also preoccupied with contributing to making the planet
more sustainable as they care about the wellbeing of our planet; as a result,
they encourage users to not use paper statements by having one app that
displays and tracks all their saving and interest-bearing balances and
transactions through electronic integration so that they can contribute to
less paper being produced. The platform is the best app for finance
management as it lets you browse the best available Savings products in
market and add them to your watchlist for a time when you are ready to
start your saving journey. There are many other benefits and please refer to
www.intellisaving.com for further details. As part of the Intellisaving
initiative, we will continue to look at ways to be more sustainable as an
organisation and continue to encourage users to go paperless.
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11. THANK YOU
Registered Office
INTELLISAVING LIMITED (No: 12827813)
20-22 Wenlock Road, London,
United Kingdom, N1 7GU
E-mail us at: support@intellisaving.com
For more visit: https://www.intellisaving.com
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