Inspiring Challenges that help you live

sustainably

Béibhínn O'Sullivan 10th Nov 2021

As the reality of climate is being felt more immediately, more people are looking to live sustainably in Ireland - and in the wider world. But what is sustainability? Sustainability at its core is about having as little negative environmental impact as possible. This article is aimed at helping you develop your own ideas about how to do that by showcasing four monthly eco-challenges that can inspire us to live our best eco-life. The ability to live sustainably in Ireland is becoming easier and more fun as fantastic eco-innovations and competitions are being created.

Why not shake it up by embracing a new lifestyle that just so happens to help the environment? Veganuary challenges you to go vegan during the month of January and this challenge can inspire you to think about the ecological impacts of your food while breathing new life into your standard meals. Ireland is among the top consumers of beef in Europe, with around 19kg consumed per capita annually! Meat and dairy farming accounts for 16.5% of global carbon emissions, which causes an intense greenhouse effect in our atmosphere, trapping heat and melting our icecaps! Veganuary is a fun and easy way to engage with a low meat and dairy lifestyle that helps you live more sustainably.

Spring Clean Green asks you to avoid using harsh chemicals in your everyday life for the month of March. Every toxic chemical we use ends up in our household drains which in turn lead to our rivers and oceans and have negative effects on our wildlife and their ecosystems. The EPA groups phosphorus, nitrogen, and ammonia as “Volatile Organic Compounds” (VOCs), all of which can be found in most household cleaning products. These VOCs can cause ear, nose and throat irritation, headaches, nausea and kill plant and animal life. The challenge for March is to see how many of these harsh chemicals we can replace with eco-friendly alternatives! Using vinegar, lemon juice and baking soda for stains and as a disinfectant is a great place to start as well as keeping an eye out for eco-friendly cleaners at your local shops.

The concept is easy, to avoid using single-use plastic for the entire month of July! Plastic is a versatile polymer and is useful in so many sectors but, when disposed of incorrectly plastic can take hundreds or thousands of years to break down, and even then, it’s never truly gone it breaks up into millions of tiny ‘micro-plastics’ that continue to cause harm when ingested or inhaled So take the plunge into #PlasticFreeJuly and let us know how far you can get into the month without needing a single-use plastic in your life.

This inspires us to consider the impact our clothes buying habits have on the environment and make us think twice about splashing the cash on the latest fashion trends (that will be out of style by the following week). The fashion industry is the second largest polluter in the world just after the oil industry, with over 20% of industrial water pollution coming from textile treatment and dye facilities. Through charity shops, Depop, clothes hiring services – you may be able to find real treasures! Give old, unloved things a second lease of life this October and live more sustainably while you’re at it!

Living sustainably in Ireland is so much more achievable than ever with these eco-challenges giving us inspiration and educating us about our environmental impact! With the growth of sustainability shops both on our high streets and online we have a wealth of eco-friendly cleaning, clothing and food options available to us. Taking the time to consider our impact on the environment is half the battle towards living a sustainable life. Climate action is sweeping the world as a high priority issue as we see the effects of wasteful living play out with rising tides, burning forests and loss of biodiversity. These small monthly challenges may seem inconsequential but the message behind them is incredibly important, to take personal responsibility in our day-to-day life to live as sustainably as possible.