A sustainable alternative?

Resolutions. And there’s nothing wrong with taking this opportunity to tweak our goals or how we’ve been approaching them.

I gave up making New Years Resolutions some years ago. I swapped them for New Years Challenges. Where I select a bunch of skills or activities or targets, I want to meet. So not ‘lose weight’ in a generic sense, but simply ‘increase my bench press/deadlift/squats by five pounds a week’, for example. For me this works to lose more weight than I ever did when setting a target of ‘lost five kilograms’ – and it achieves it because of the ‘form is a function of fitness’ and it gives me a clear, measurable and achievable target. And if I don’t achieve five pounds added each week, it’s fine – I usually achieve at least five pounds a week even when on a fitness plateau and it gets me to the gym regularly.

So, what’s this got to do with active commuting?

Well, often New Years Resolutions boil down to three general hopes:

• Lose weight
• Save money
• Be happier

And active commuting is a way that we can achieve all three with one activity. Work smart, not harder.

First off, what is active commuting? Well, it’s commuting (going from home to work and back again) in an ‘active’ manner, in terms of physical activity as opposed to sitting in a vehicle. Examples of active commuting can be walking, jogging and cycling. Or even swimming and rowing!

It’s true that Bermuda’s roadways, built to accommodate horse and carriages, are not ideal for introducing bicycle lanes. However, the Railway Trail does provide an excellent corridor for active commuting for walkers, joggers and cyclists. What’s more, it also provides some amazing scenery. And with the fantastic work by the Friends of the Bermuda Railway the trail is even more connected than ever and provides almost an uninterrupted transport corridor the length of the island.

2017 research[1]found that active commuting correlates directly with lower risks of early death, with cycling coming on top with 40% reductions of early death from cardiovascular, cancer and all cause mortality. We know that physical activity reduces health issues related to obesity, type two diabetes and various cancers, so it makes sense that adding active commuting is going to equate to a healthier populace. And – from a New Year’s Resolution focus this covers the triad of losing weight, saving money (reduced health costs) and being happier (being healthy in general but also stress reduction). And beyond the benefits for the individual, it also leads to cost savings for the island’s healthcare costs, while increasing overall productivity. And some more info about being happier comes from 2015 research[2] that showed that cycling was the least stressful way to commute to work (compared to car or public transit).

Not every workplace of course has showers or places to store one’s cycles safely, however that doesn’t mean you have to rule out active cycling. It’s in employers’ best interests to have healthy and non-stressed employees, so speak with your workplace and see what arrangements can be made. And lobby the City of Hamilton and the Government to improve infrastructure to support this too.

And don’t worry about launching straight into active commuting five days a week. Ease into it. Remember what I said about aiming to just add five pounds to my lifts a week? That’s called ‘progressive overload’ and it works as well for active commuting as it does for weight lifting. Indeed, when I started hitting the weights the first few weeks was just me going to the gym and having a coffee and reading the paper – I did that for a full month before I even picked up a weight. It was about getting into the habit. And you can apply that to active commuting too.

Instead of walking to work from day one, consider simply walking to the bus stop first. And then to the next bus stop. And getting off at an earlier bus stop. So, you’re gradually increasing the amount of active commuting. You can do the same with parking your vehicle. Build up to it – small changes done consistently are key, and eventually you’ll be able to do your entire commute actively.

Worried about being late to work, or sweaty on arrival? That’s fine. Focus on an active commute home then instead. Just pack your stuff in a bag to carry home or leave what you can in the office.

Of course, this is going to be easier the closer you live to work – someone living in St David’s will have a harder time commuting to the office in the city than someone on Harbour Road (westerners have it easier by pairing active commuting with the ferry of course).

You can also add active commuting to other things. Going to visit a friend or get small purchases at the store? Why take the car when you can walk?

All of these provide health benefits, will save you money and make you happier. They also will save the island money, reduce overall air pollution (further healthcare cost savings), reduce congestion on the roads (making public transport more efficient; and produce cost savings from reduced wear and tear to the roads) and reduce our overall carbon footprint (less fossil fuel use, plus healthier lifestyles have a smaller carbon footprint in general).

So, how’s your New Year Resolutions coming along? It’s not too late to reboot them by incorporating active commuting into your daily life! Active commuting – it’s more sustainable, it’ll make you happier, it’ll save you money and it’ll make you healthier. It’s a winner.

[1]https://www.bmj.com/content/357/bmj.j1456Celis-Morales, et al (2017) Association between active commuting and incident cardiovascular disease, cancer, and mortality: prospective cohort study. British Medical Journal, 357:j1456

[1]https://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/abs/10.1108/IJWHM-10-2015-0059?journalCode=ijwhm&Brutus, et al (2015) Cycling, car or public transit: a study of stress and mood upon arrival at work. International Journal of Workplace Health Management. Vol 10, Issue 1

The post Active commuting appeared first on RG Magazines.

Reduce the meat you consume

The devastating effects the meat and dairy industry have on our planet are often overlooked. For example, raising animals for food requires enormous amounts of resources like water, food, land, and energy. Livestock and their byproducts account for 32,000 million tons of carbon dioxide per year (51 percent of all worldwide greenhouse gas emissions).

Although choosing a vegan or vegetarian diet is clearly the best option, not only because of health reasons, but because it would entirely cut all animal products out of your life, is not realistic for everybody. However, eating meat-less might be an option. Compromising and cutting meat and dairy out of your diet, even for a day or two, is by far the most significant lifestyle change you can make, so give it a chance! We now also have lots of meat substitutions, so the change doesn’t have to be so drastic.

Buy locally grown food

This is a great way to not only support local farmers and the economy, but also to significantly cut down the miles your food will have to travel, thus cutting down on fuel and excessing packaging as well. This will also mean your food will be fresher and you won’t be supporting huge companies that are often incredibly wasteful. So, consider taking a trip to the farmers market at Botanical Gardens which is open every Saturday from 8am to 1pm, or the Home Farm Market at Wadson’s Farm in Southampton, open Tuesday to Saturdays, before buying that same product at a supermarket.

Carry a reusable straw

During 2018 the no-straw movement really took off, and for a good reason. Did you know that plastic straws are too lightweight to be recycled in most places? Yes, and as of January 2019, they are the eight most-found ocean trash in cleanups, having a very negative impact on ocean wildlife.

We get it, they are fun and a great tool for people with disabilities, but you don’t have to ditch them altogether. You can find reusable straws made out of steel or glass at affordable prices at Naked Zero, The Chef Shop and Brown & Co, to name a few stores. Just ask for no straw the next time you’re ordering ice coffee or a fountain drink, and carry a reusable one instead everywhere you go.

Use reusable shopping bags

Most likely, there is a plastic bag filled with more plastic bags somewhere in your kitchen right now, and you’re not the only one. According to the Center for Biological Diversity, plastic bags are used for an average of 12 minutes, which is pretty wasteful considering how many resources are needed in order to manufacture them (It takes the same amount of the gas required to drive one mile, to produce 14 plastic bags).

Paper bags are not a sustainable option either, it takes 13 percent more energy to make a single paper bag than to make two plastic bags, and because they are heavier than plastic bags, more fuel is required in order to ship them.

So, shop without the guilt and carry reusable shopping bags wherever you go! You can find them at pretty much every store, they are super affordable and can fold small enough to be able to have them on the go.

Get a reusable plastic bottle

Globally, humans buy a million plastic bottlesa minute and that number is expected to increase by 2020. So where does all that plastic go? Plastic is not recycled in Bermuda,  so it is only used once and then discarded, or finding it’s way into our ocean, and because plastic takes around 400 years to naturally decompose, every single plastic item we have used in our lifetime will still be here long after we are gone.

When you take a second to consider how much plastic you use in a day or in a week, and then multiply that by the billions of people on the planet, it’s easy to see why this is such a big issue.

During the 2018 throne speech, the government of Bermuda committed to eliminate single-use plastics by 2022, and to educate the community on recycling and reusable-items, so why not make the switch a little earlier? Even if you only buy one bottle of water a day, you are still wasting over three hundred single-use bottles a year alone.  You can reduce your environmental footprint significantly by simply ditching single-use plastic bottles and switching to a reusable one instead. Not to mention you will save money in the long run so it’s a win-win.

It is too late to look the other way when it comes to your eating decisions. Taking baby steps to live sustainably can be easy and accessible to everybody if we give it a chance, so why not do just that?

The post Small changes to live a more sustainable life in 2019 appeared first on RG Magazines.

Provide Shelter for Backyard Wildlife 

You can leave the tree right in its stand, and set it out in the yard for the rest of the winter. It can fill in a bare spot, giving you something pretty to look at, but, more importantly, it can provide shelter for birds. If you have plenty of trees around consider laying your tree on its side to provide shelter for animals.

Start a New Compost Pile 

The best base for a new compost pile is a layer of thin branches — including evergreen branches. This allows a bit of airflow at the bottom of the pile, and the branches will break down over time. Just trim them down so they fit in your bin, then stack them four to six inches high. After you’ve got them in, go ahead and start adding your kitchen scraps and other compostables as usual.

Make It into Mulch 

And, no, you don’t need a fancy chipper/shredder to do this if you don’t have one. Consider getting into the habit of cutting the thinner Christmas tree branches into little pieces and adding them to the mulched paths between my vegetable garden beds. Simply snip them into one to two-inch pieces and toss them on the path. It’s a cheap way to mulch a pathway, and, as a bonus, this path smells absolutely wonderful when you walk on it!

Use the tree as a stake

Rather than reducing your tree to mulch or compost, you can strip it bare to create a fantastic frame for flowers or beans to grow up. You can use the unwanted pine needles in compost or sprinkle them on a muddy path to provide grip.

Replant it

Environmental Charity Greenpeace encourages people to pot their Christmas trees after use. Many of the trees you buy over Christmas are incredibly resilient, even those that have had their roots chopped off. Although the branches may already be dropping, you’ll be surprised at their ability to recover if planted in a pot of soil and left to establish. You could decorate the tree with food for birds (see below), giving it use in the garden even if the roots fail to take.

After all is said and done, you can also just leave your tree to be picked up by the Government. Find out your collection days here. 

The post 5 Ways to Recycle Your Christmas Tree and Stretch That Dollar appeared first on RG Magazines.

Happy New Year! As the seasonal festivities draw to a close, the last of the Christmas dinner spread is heated, and life returns to normal, the question of when to take your Christmas tree down is one that draws debate.

Tradition vs practicality, real tree vs fake are all factors that weigh in on the argument, but there is no one opinion that crosses all boundaries – it’s really up to you.

Some people can be found packing it away on Boxing Day, others say definitely the 1st of January as we ring in the new year. Some observe the tradition of waiting twelve days after Christmas or the twelfth night which takes us to the 5th of January and ends with the Feast of the Epiphany. This, for many the definitive date and any time beyond signals bad luck to come.

Some of us simply can’t face the task so it changes every year, depending on motivation levels. Others leave their Christmas decorations up year-round for the sheer joy of them.

One of the loveliest things about Christmas is the keeping of traditions that involve your whole family, however customary. Pulling down your Christmas tree may be part of the pleasant rituals you undertake together at this time of year, carefully packing away your decorations for next year’s festivities.

What Happens to It?

You’ve spent many a good time next to a plant that now feels like family. Where is it carted off to once the tear-down ceremony is finished? Once you remove the tinsel, nails, and ornaments and place it outside on your scheduled day (see below), it is then composted to make fertilizer, according to gov.bm.

Your Christmas tree collection days:

EAST END: Collection Day

Wednesday, 17 January, 2019

Wednesday, 23 January, 2019

WEST END: Collection Day

Wednesday, 24 January, 2019

Wednesday 30 January, 2019

Can I compost my Christmas Tree?

Yes! Because the needles are slightly “rubbery” and tough, they’re quite resilient to the usual composting bacteria so take ages to break down, and the trunk can take even longer: cutting up the tree or, ideally, shredding it will help a lot. Otherwise, it could easily be next Christmas or the one after that before you start seeing any progress.

Myth buster: There is a misconception that composting pine needles will result in acidic compost. It’s not true, by the time the needles are composted they will have lost most of their acidic potency.

Composting your tree is great, but there are plenty of other creative ideas to keep that tree around for longer, get more use out of it and more for your money.

Wanna do your part for the environment this year or even just stretch your dollar on that ridiculously expensive sapling? Here are some other ways to recycle your Christmas tree.

The post When to Take Your Christmas Tree Down, and What To Do With It appeared first on RG Magazines.

Gifting

Purchase locally made gifts

Support your community and our economy by shopping at local retailers that sell locally made items — BermuniTees, Bermuda Candle Company, Della Valle Sandals or Davidrose Jewelry to name a few.

Sustainable giving

• Consider gifting all natural, organic items made from renewable materials. Some notable local retailers are Salt + Cedar, Cassine and Naked Zero.
• Gift with value, purpose or meaning to avoid accumulating unnecessary items that will go unused. For example, give money to a local charity in your loved ones name or give them money to put towards something they truly need, like starting a new business, groceries or even a utility bill.

Secret santa or “Gift-go-round”

To decrease spending, stress and waste, have each person in your family write down their name and a three item Christmas list (price limit optional) then have them pick a name out of a bowl or hat at random. The name you pick is who you buy for!

Re-gifting

Instead of throwing away unwanted presents, re-gift them to people you know will love them. Take off the gift tag, rewrap it and avoid re-gifting within the same circle of family members or friends.

Use environmentally friendly wrapping paper

Instead of buying rolls of glossy or metallic gift wrap, choose fabric, newspaper, old maps, blueprints, books, posters and other reusable, recyclable materials.

Decorating

Live potted tree

Avoid purchasing artificial trees that are made from plastics, toxins and other non-recyclables and opt for a live one instead. Support local gardens and re-pot for longer use.

Low impact holiday lighting

Reduce your carbon footprint by using energy-efficient LED lighting for outdoor displays, mini LED lights indoor for house & tree lighting. Make sure turn lights off at bedtime!

Homemade and Handmade

Create your own ornaments, decorations and holiday cards from scrap paper and materials saved throughout the year — you can even get the kids to help for a fun arts and crafts project!

Holiday dinner

 Choose organic, local and free-range

Take advantage of your local farms and markets for fresh, locally grown and raised ingredients for a sustainable, delicious and healthy meal.

Avoid single beverages

Cut down on waste by using pitchers to prepare homemade drinks in large quantities instead of soda bottles or cans.

No disposables

Leave the paper, plastic and Styrofoam utensils alone and bring out the fine china and cloth napkins for dinner. Have guests bring reusable containers for leftovers.

Activities

Follow Gombeys for exercise

A Bermudian tradition – Stay active, take your family outside to follow and dance with the Gombeys when they visit your neighborhoods on Christmas and Boxing Day.

Put down and turn off the technology

Instead of gathering around the tv, computer and hacking away on your mobile phones, pull out the board games and playing cards to save energy and be sociable!

What does your family do during the holidays to help the environment?

The post 13 Ways to Go Green this Christmas appeared first on RG Magazines.

Bing Crosby may have famously sung about a white Christmas, however for Bermuda we’re unlikely to ever see such a phenomenon. Ours is a green Christmas – however, how many of us go a step further and aim for a “green” Christmas in the sense of environmental sustainability?

There are many options that the environmentally conscious can chose to aim for a greener Christmas, such as focusing on experiential gifts rather than wanton consumerism with packaging and pretty paper; focusing on recycled wrapping – even newspaper (pro-tip, use this article for bonus points!) – or reusable gift bags, or even giving two gifts in one, such as using clothing (scarves?) as wrapping instead!

And of course, you can give a gift back to the Earth and give green gifts like a composter, a donation to an environmental charity. Or focus on recycled or upcycled gifts, energy saving technology (just think save money and it’s the gift that keeps on giving throughout the year!), homemade gifts, gifts to support outdoor activities or growable gifts such as seedlings or trees.

And on that last note, have you considered the environmental impact of your Christmas tree and what is the most environmentally friendly option?

From a “green” perspective the best option is to get a living Christmas tree. That is, quite frankly, a live tree, in a container, that will grow and thrive in Bermuda which you can plant out after Christmas. In Bermuda we’re quite lucky that the endemic Bermuda Cedar resembles, in its juvenile stage, a traditional Christmas tree. It may not be quite as large as a traditional Christmas tree, however it makes up for it by not leaving needles all over the floor (less clean-up, score!); enhances biodiversity (it’s berries provide food for many native and endemic species); aids in carbon sequestration (helps offset your carbon footprint); protects the soil; drought resistant; and hurricane resistant.

It can also be part of a family tradition – planting a “Christmas” forest over time, as a family. Of course, not everyone has the land to plant a tree in. That’s okay. Reach out to schools, the Bermuda Audubon Society or the Bermuda National Trust and see if they might welcome such trees and later the whole family can go and picnic at such a Christmas forest.

Of course, you don’t have to go for a Cedar or even a tree resembling a traditional Christmas tree. Why not go for a palmetto, an olivewood, a bay grape, a pomegranate or a citrus?

Still want a traditional tree and you’re wondering if you should get a real tree or an artificial one, and wondering which is the greener option?

Good question.

If you already have an artificial tree, use it. You already have it, so keep using it. The carbon footprint of artificial trees reduces the longer they’re used. So, keep at it.

Now it’s an interesting question whether to buy an artificial tree or a cut tree. It’s not clear cut. Yes, the artificial one is likely made of plastic, however it’s not single-use and you can use it for decades. The real tree looks bad – it’s a tree that’s been cut down, and then there’s the carbon footprint of transporting it here. Surely we want to keep trees growing rather than cutting them down, right? Well, yes and no.

Christmas tree plantations can provide habitats for other plants and animals if managed properly, which can be a good thing for ecological resilience. And trees tend to sequester carbon (that is, absorb carbon from the air and “lock” it into the soil and the tree itself) at greater rates when young (so from growing until harvesting). And the carbon can be returned to the Earth through composting, or if used in the incinerator, offsets the importation of fossil fuels for power generation in Bermuda.

In general, with all things being equal in terms of transport carbon footprint (both artificial trees and real trees available in Bermuda come from the US northeast and Canada), the available literature on carbon footprint seems to indicate that an artificial tree has a lower carbon footprint if used consistently for at least nine years versus an annual real tree purchase. This of course doesn’t consider the biodiversity impact.

My own personal leaning based on the literature and factoring in biodiversity, would be that an annual real tree is the greener option. Additionally, some charities benefit from selling Christmas trees, so if you do decide on the real tree route, support a charity in doing so.

However, due to the carbon footprint of importing to Bermuda (including transport from harvesting or manufacturing, then from port to port), neither option is ideal from a ‘green’ perspective.

The gold standard really is a living tree that you can plant after.

Transport costs are minimized, it enhances our island in terms of biodiversity, hurricane resistance (if using a cedar) and keeps on giving throughout its life time, as well as sequestering carbon. Perhaps this could be a national drive going forward, with annual ‘Christmas forests’ being planted (in national parks and elsewhere) – and charities can benefit from this too by selling living cedars instead of imported pine trees. It’s a win-win for all.

What do you think?

The post Artificial vs. Real: How Green is your Christmas Tree, Really? appeared first on RG Magazines.

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Costumes

• Host a costume swap

Make it into a party. Your digs won’t be new, but they’ll be new to you.

• Thrift store

Visit The Barn or another local thrift store to find costumes or recycled clothing that can help you to create your own.

• Make your own costumes

Why not be a soda bottle, spider web or snapchat filter? Use items you already have to make the perfect costume. Here are some ideas.

• Fake blood

Instead of buying fake blood with unknown ingredients, make your own at home.

• Use non-toxic face paint or make your own

If you plan on painting a face this year, know that many products out there contain small amounts of heavy metals arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead or mercury. Exposure to these products has been linked to developmental delays, hormonal imbalances and cancer. Here are some safe alternatives and a diy face paint recipe.

The Halloween party

• Email invites

To avoid using unnecessary paper, send out party invitations through email. Try Paperless Post or Punchbowl for some amazing options.

• Avoid plastic plates, cups, utensils

Even though there will be extra clean-up, use regular dishes and ask guests to bring reusable containers for takeaways.

• Buy local, organic food

Head to the markets and farms to buy fresh ingredients for party meals.

• Make your own treats

Instead of store bought cookies, cakes and treats, bake your own. Here are a few fun recipes.

Trick-or-treating

• Organic candy

Who knew that Airheads were vegan? Try to be more conscious and purchase candy that has less of an impact on the environment (and your body!) Click here for a list of vegan and organic candy options.

• Avoid cheap plastic toys

You know the ones we’re talking about that come in the variety pack at the dollar store.

• Walk, bike, carpool or take public transportation to hot-spot neighborhoods

Get your candy fix and reduce your carbon footprint at the same time.

• Bring a trash bag to avoid littering

Eating candy on the way to the next house is a given, just make sure you dispose of wrappers properly and even pick up a few that may have been dropped!

• Use reusable bags

In that same vein, avoid using plastic by bringing extra shopping bags, canvas totes or a pillowcases. (Pack more to share with friends!)

Pumpkins

• Light with beeswax candles

Use beeswax, a renewable all-natural wax produced by honey bees, instead of soy or paraffin-based wax, which is a non-renewable byproduct of petroleum, coal or oil shale. Not to mention it’s not hypoallergenic, so terribe for people with allergies, asthma or chemical sensitivities.

• Eat the seeds

Clean, salt and roast the pumpkin seeds for a yummy fall snack instead of throwing them out. Not only do they contain lots of antioxidants, but they are low calorie and delicious.

• Save the pulp

The slimy insides can be used to make delicious pies, muffins and soup that are perfect for the season. Recipes here.

• Compost, Compost, Compost

Throw jack-o-lanterns and any food scraps in the compost for great soil. If you don’t have one, check out the Earth Machine from the Ministry of Public Works for a compost bin.

• Grow your own

A great post-Halloween activity is to plant your own pumpkins and watch them grow!

This article was originally published in the October 2018 edition of the RG Green Pages supplement.

The post Go Green this Halloween appeared first on RG Magazines.

By Ashley Yearwood 

A “green” business is one that runs in a capacity where little to no negative impact is made on the local or global environment.

We can look at sustainability in terms of farming and energy, but becoming sustainable also means thinking about the products that we buy, where they are sourced and how they are packaged. The media has exposed the poor working conditions in the countries where certain products are made or their ingredients are harvested.

One of the ways people are fighting against this is by opting for natural products sourced from green businesses. Many Bermudians have created their own natural products that range from beauty to clothing and everything in between. We now have a thriving market of Bermudian-owned green businesses.

Ase Naturals

Ase Naturals is a herbal retail business specializing in herbal products such as loose-leaf herbal tea blends, herbal bath teas and soaks as well as herb-infused body oils. Each product is handcrafted in Bermuda, vegan and organic.

Island Potions

Island potions is hair product company whose products focus on chemical free ingredients. Their story started from the company founder’s own hair journey. Fed up with spending money and time looking for products, she decided to go the natural route.

Naked Zero

Naked Zero is a one-stop shop for ethical, sustainable, mind, body and health- conscious products. From beauty to food and household items, they have a wide variety of natural products for people of all ages.

Ponda Pits

Ponda Pits is a locally run 100 percent natural deodorant that comes in several authentic Bermudian scents.

 Surishae + co

Surishae + co is dedicated to the sourcing of fair-trade, ethical companies, and creating cruelty free products and bringing them onto the island. Their natural ingredients keep it pure and simple so you don’t have to guess what is in your products.

Salt and Cedar

Salt and Cedar is an online store with a thoughtfully curated collection of high performing non-toxic skincare and beauty products for the whole family –– delivered to Bermuda.

Peoples Pharmacy

People’s pharmacy is constantly bringing in new products. The focus is on natural products that work for a variety of people. They have dedicated staff who are willing to help find the products for you.

Finding and using products from socially and environmentally conscious companies is the same as doing your part. Who knew it could be so fun, easy, and trendy to help out the environment!

This article was originally featured in the August 2018 edition of the Rg Green Pages supplement.

The post Made in Bermuda appeared first on RG Magazines.

Sometimes the idea of saving the environment can seem like a daunting and almost impossible task. However, there are many things that employees can do in their daily life that can make a big difference.

1. Reusable water bottles and travel mugs:

Buying water can be a drain on your wallet and the environment, but there’s an easy alternative to save both. If your office has a Pure Water filling station, a water filter, or if the tap water is fine to drink, buy a refillable bottle to keep yourself hydrated and your pockets full. Bring a travel mug and use your office coffee machine, or the fill-your-own option at your favourite coffee shop.

2. Recycled and reusable writing utensils

Many people don’t think of pens and mechanical pencils when it comes to plastic waste. They either get lost, or end up in the trash as another wasted plastic product. Using pens made out of recycled materials, or ones that can easily have their ink cartridges replaced will help out with the amount of plastic waste.

3. Buying lunch? if you can carry it, leave the bag behind

Everything about take-out is unsustainable, from the containers to the bag it comes in. Most of the time, that bag is used to transport the food and then immediately thrown in the trash. If you can carry your food back to the office without a bag, then do it! That is one less opportunity for a plastic bag to end up in the ocean. Try leaving a reusable bag and utensils at work for your lunch time journey.

4. Think before you print and reuse paper wherever possible

Don’t let paper pile up! Digitize your files, and only print when it is completely necessary. Hard drives and programs like Dropbox and Google Drive are great ways to organize and share files without printing. Paper is double sided. So instead of throwing away a mistake print or a one-sided document, simply flip it over and use the opposite side as scrap.

5. Desk plants

Tons of plants are desk friendly and can help purify the air in the office. They are also very cute and allow you to have a little bit of your own aesthetic in the workplace. An even bigger bonus — studies show that plants improve your overall health.

6. Shut it off

When you leave your workspace, be sure to use power-saving modes on electronic devices and turn off computers wherever possible.The digital world can be great, but it has to run on energy. Energy usage, both non- and renewable, can add up to cause strain on resources.

Habits, once settled, are known to be hard to give up. Consciously doing these little things over and over will eventually turn them into subconscious acts that have a big impact on your own wellbeing, your company’s work environment, and sustainability on a global scale. Take the lead and your fellow employees will follow suit.

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