Simple Ways to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

At Sukin, we are firm believers that making small changes in your routine can have a big impact on your life. This extends well beyond skincare- we are committed to reducing our carbon footprint, as a company, and encouraging our customers to do the same.

No one person is too small to have an effect on our planet. Reducing your carbon footprint, even in a simple way, can do truly great things for the environment.

Just one way you can work to preserve the environment and create a more beautiful planet is to choose natural beauty products. The fewer harsh chemicals you apply to your skin, the fewer chemicals end up being washed down the drain and into our precious waterways. The ban on toxic, damaging plastic microbeads was a step in the right direction, but using that momentum to move towards more natural ingredients will allow you to dramatically reduce the amount of damage you cause to the environment.

Consider your purchases as a way of voting with your dollar. Making purchases from brands with an environmental conscience shows brands and governing bodies that the public care about their carbon footprint. Shop with brands who work to actively reduce their carbon emissions by packaging their products in recyclable boxes and plastics, rather than packaging that will end up as landfill.

This is just one way that you can work to reduce your carbon footprint and support brands who follow suit. Here are a few additional, simple ways you can improve your affect on the environment with ease.

How to reduce your carbon footprint - from home

Without even leaving your home, there are so many ways that you can reduce your (and your family’s!) carbon footprint.

- Use energy saving light bulbs

Around 10% of your energy bill is spent on lighting, so opting for energy saving light bulbs is one of the simplest way to reduce your energy consumption and, in turn, reduce your carbon footprint. LED lights are a particularly energy efficient choice and, while slightly more expensive than traditional light bulbs, are a whopping 85% more energy efficient than most light bulbs. LED lights also last 5 to 10 times longer than a traditional light bulb, so while the initial cost may be more, you’re saving money in the long run.

- Switch it off

Using more energy efficient electricals is one thing, but remembering to switch them off is another. Switching your appliances to standby mode, rather than off entirely, means they’re still using energy even when they’re not in use. Where possible, switch lights and electrical appliances off at the switch when they’re not being used to further reduce your carbon footprint.

- Choose a water saving showerhead

Much like changing your lightbulb, switching to a water saving showerhead is a change you only need to make once in order to reduce your carbon footprint for years at a time! To make the switch even easier and help you to conserve water without hurting the hip pocket, the Victorian Government actually offers a financial incentive to eligible households who make the change through an accredited provider. You can find out more here: https://www.victorianenergysaver.vic.gov.au/save-energy-and-money/discount-energy-saving-products/save-with-these-energy-efficient-products/shower-heads

- Recycle correctly

This seems like a given, but being careful with your recycling has a huge impact on your carbon footprint. To really do your bit for the environment, go beyond simply a rubbish and recycling bin Recycle your unworn clothing or unused homewares by donating them to charity, ensure garden waste is placed in your green bin rather than the recycling, and look for businesses or private recyclers who can recycle your electronics and whitegoods rather than just throwing them in the rubbish bin.

- Write a shopping list

The Australian government has estimated that as a nation, food waste costs the economy 20 billion dollars each year. When we impulse purchase or do our grocery shopping without a plan, we overspend and end up throwing uneaten food in the bin. Often this food is housed within plastic packaging, and after we throw it away it goes on to contribute to landfill. Writing a weekly shopping list will give you a concrete look at what you need at the shops, allowing you to plan based on portions and minimize wastage.

- Embrace Meat Free Mondays

While you’re working on that shopping list, consider reducing the amount of meat your household consumes. A study published in the journal of Science earlier this year revealed that avoiding meat and dairy products is the single biggest way to reduce your carbon footprint, as the meat and dairy industries take up 83% of global farmland. While going vegan is a big ask, simply reducing your meat intake will reduce your carbon footprint. Consider embracing “Meat Free Mondays” in your household to help the environment without having to engage in such an overwhelming lifestyle change.

- BYO Bags

Major supermarkets have finally removed single use plastic bags from their stores, however there are more changes you can make during your trip to the shops to reduce your carbon footprint. Rather than opting for a reusable plastic bag, make a more sustainable choice by opting for a canvas option. Rather than using single use plastic bags for your fruit and vegetables, purchase a set of reusable mesh produce bags to bring to the shops with you.

- Invest in a reusable cup

Away from the supermarket, single use plastics are rife in cafes and restaurants. Rather than getting your morning coffee in a disposable cup with a non-recyclable plastic lid, keep a reusable coffee cup to drastically reduce your carbon footprint. Straws are also a major landfill and greenhouse gas contributor, so say no to straws wherever possible. Need a straw? Invest in a set of reusable metal straws instead!

- Reduce your transportation emissions

When you’re getting ready to leave the house, consider alternative transportation before you hop in the car. Can you walk, cycle, catch public transport or share a ride to work, to the shops or to a friend’s place? If the answer is yes to any of the above, try it out! Any of these options will reduce the amount of carbon you individually emit.