The pandemic has absorbed much of the planet’s attention and resources over the past year, but some things don’t go away even if there is a deadly virus on the loose. Climate change continues to warm the planet, causing glaciers to slide into the sea, and floods to devastate homes in vulnerable regions of the world.
With this in mind, we can decide to take personal responsibility for our actions in 2021 and change our lifestyle habits to make them more ethical. It might mean eating less meat, using more public transport, or investing ethically in the home to reduce energy consumption. In this article, we look at some of the best ways to live ethically next year and beyond.
Switch to Electric Vehicles
The tide is slowly turning in the direction of a lower carbon economy and an atmosphere free of excessive carbon. It’s taken some time for us to wake up to this reality but now consumer demands are changing and the capitalist economy is responding. In terms of transport, this means more electric vehicles are on the roads than ever before and infrastructure for them is improving.
Although electric vehicles are not entirely carbon-free they are a far better alternative if you need private transport. They improve your local air quality and use far less carbon overall. To live a more ethical lifestyle next year switch to an electric vehicle. You will find that it’s not only more planet-friendly but it’s also much cheaper to run.
Make Ethical Home Investments
People are starting to realise that the homes we live in are seriously inefficient and contribute to high carbon output. Older properties especially lose lots of energy from walls, roofs, windows, and doors. It’s not always possible to move to a new home that’s more efficient and it’s also ethical to upgrade an existing home since new owners may not be as planet conscious.
One way to invest in your present or future property is through Sherman Bridge Lending. With this kind of loan, you can upgrade the insulation to reduce your heating bills and carbon footprint or install solar panels to incorporate carbon-free energy into your property. These measures are ethical and will save you money – they will also increase the value of your property.
Go Vegan
In the past veganism was thought to be an extreme lifestyle choice. There weren’t many vegans around and vegan options were few and far between. Now the world has changed significantly and there is more choice and acceptance of this lifestyle than ever before. More importantly, veganism is one of the most ethical lifestyle choices you can make in 2021.
The meat industry is not only responsible for the death of animals it’s also responsible for huge carbon emissions through the slaughter and transportation of animal carcuses. Furthermore, the animals bred for slaughter create higher quantities of methane than normal. Going vegan eliminates these issues from your life, it tastes better and feels better to be living in harmony with the planet.
Practice Ethical Fashion
As the culture changes in favour of more ethical lifestyle practices, so too does our fashion choices. Supply of goods always reflects the demand for goods so if more ethical clothes are purchased those supply lines become more active. This is the pattern seen in recent years and it’s set to continue with more and more emphasis on ethical living.
So what is ethical fashion and how can we practice it. Firstly, it involves supporting ethical brands with your cash and researching supply lines that follow the most ethical practices. It also means being ethical yourself when it comes to the quantity of clothes you buy and wear. Capsule wardrobes are more popular than before, as is second-hand clothes shopping.
Reduce Your Carbon Footprint
Government and political regions now recognise the need for a dedicated action plan on climate change and agreements have been made. This is evident in policy changes at a local level that seek to reduce the number of cars in city centers and improve the energy efficiency of older properties. Still, it’s up to individuals to take personal responsibility for their carbon output and the health of the planet.
At the beginning of 2021, it’s a good idea to take note of your carbon footprint. You can do this using a carbon calculator online that will tell you the extent of your ethical lifestyle. Based on this data you can make lifestyle choices that will help the planet throughout the coming year. You might decide to use public transport, for instance, or to have a staycation instead of traveling abroad.
