We are starting a blog series called ‘Jack Petchey’s Green Writers’ where a series of young people write about the environment! Our first Green Writer is Isla Eldridge, who has written tips on ways to be sustainable to help the environment!

‘Green Your Eats!’

1. Drinking milk substitutes such as oat milk reduces your carbon footprint. Oats are a good choice as they grow in a cool, damp climate, are not involved in deforestation and don’t produce harmful gases as cows do!

2. Grow your own herbs at home! Herbs like rosemary and chives are really easy to grow at home, especially when you use planters in the sun and water them regularly. Growing herbs reduces the food miles on your meal, meaning you can relax knowing exactly where your food came from and that it didn’t hurt the planet.

3. Shopping locally will not only support the economy but also support food producers nearby. This means easily-grown products like tomatoes don’t need to be flown in but can be grown in the UK.

4. Buy a reusable cup and cutlery to reduce plastic waste. This will prevent a lot of plastic from going to landfills and will give you a discount in coffee shops! It’s a win-win situation for both you and the environment.

5. Cut down on meat so that less methane gets released into the air. Cows, pigs and other animals are farmed in a way that makes them release very harmful gases into the environment. If you eat less meat, less will have to be farmed.

6. Try to buy food with eco-friendly packaging such as plastic-free, compostable, or recyclable wrappers.

7. Many supermarkets now have flexible plastic recycling points.  If you do end up with plastic wrapping, make sure you wash and recycle your flexible plastic, such as crisp packets, chocolate wrappers and plastic bags.

8. Starting a compost heap in your back garden will enrich the soil and positively use unwanted food waste: only compost raw vegetables, fruit, eggshells, tea bags and compostable packaging.

9. Buy fair-trade and cruelty-free brands and products so that the food producers will get a fair deal and animals such as chickens and bees will not be harmed in the making of your food. Read packaging labels carefully!

10. Be thoughtful about your purchases and think before you buy!

Thanks Isla for your wonderful tips, these will most definitely make an change towards our environment – which one of these are you doing in your daily routine?!

Are you a young person striving to make a difference for the environment, climate change and young people? We want to hear from you. Email pr@jackpetchey.org.uk for the opportunity to share your story and your achievements!

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