Resoluciones de Año Nuevo: cómo hacer cambios de estilo de vida ecológicos

¿Por qué hacer cambios en el estilo de vida ambiental?

Cambio climático threatens people with food and water scarcity, increased flooding, extreme heat, more disease and economic loss. However, there has been a renewed focus on the environment and preserving a liveable climate - and there are plenty of formas de vida changes we can make to help.

Investigación carried out at the start of 2021 suggests more people are making New Year's resolutions and lifestyle changes to reduce their impact on the environment. The ambientales charity Hubbub surveyed 3,000 adults and found that one in six planned to live more sustainably.

The green resolutions ranked even higher than the usual resolutions, such as taking up a new hobby. Recycling topped the list, with over half of the group claiming they wanted to get better at it. Then came plans to comer a more sustainable diet and less meat (49%), cycling or caminar more (38%) and wasting less comida (36%). Although most people struggle to stick to their propósitos past January, the survey suggested many people wanted to commit to a greener way of living in the long term.

Alimentación sostenible

Investigación suggests carne production - especially red meat - is one of the largest contributors to global warming, as it releases greenhouse gas emissions such as methane, carbon dioxide -CO₂, and nitrous oxide. Although fewer people are eating carne in general, studies show it will take more people cutting back to make a significant difference to the planet.

"Working on consuming less meat and lácteos as part of a balanced diet are two of the changes that can make a big impact on our environment," says Reema Patel, registered dietitian at Dietitian Fit. "If you do choose to enjoy meat in your dieta, intenta elegir productos locales, como vacas criadas en pastos en el Reino Unido, en lugar de carne que proviene del extranjero."

Going from eating meat three days a week to one or two can make a big difference and make it easier to adjust your dieta. "Opting for more beans and lentils in some dishes - such as a chilli with half mince and half beans or a lentil Bolognese - can be great ways to reduce meat consumption overall," says Patel. "Increasing our intake of verduras is also key. Fruit and vegetables also have a much smaller carbon footprint compared to meat and dairy."

Of course, there are also many health benefits to a plant-based diet and eating more plant-based foods. An entirely dieta vegana is more suitable for some than others and if you have underlying medical conditions, you should consult a dietitian before making huge changes.

Intenta evitar el desperdicio de alimentos

Many of us waste comida without meaning to, whether it is by accidentally cooking too much and forgetting to eat the leftovers, or by buying too much produce.

"Another key area of change we can make is to work towards preventing comida waste," says Patel. "Try to plan meals in advance and only buy what you need to help prevent items from going out of date or being wasted and ending up in the bin."

Come localmente

What we eat can have a huge carbon footprint, depending on where we get it from. Many supermercados advertise goods that have been sourced in the UK, so it's easier to shop more sustainably.

"Los productos cultivados localmente y de temporada son la mejor opción para el medio ambiente y para apoyar a nuestra industria agrícola local," aconseja Patel. "Prueba un servicio de entrega de cajas de verduras locales para facilitarte el acceso a una variedad de frutas y verduras."

Usa menos el coche

Sometimes, using the car is unavoidable. However, leaving it at home and caminar or cycling when possible can make a big difference to the planet and is more eco-friendly, while doing physical acitivity to improve your health and condición física too.

A estudio published in 2020 found that among those who didn't exercise regularly, taking an extra 4,000 steps per day may help reduce the likelihood of developing enfermedades del corazón - even when walking at a leisurely pace. Simply being al aire libre can provide a significant boost to our physical and salud mental, by lowering estrés and reducing control de la presión arterial and heart rate.

Reduce el uso de platos y vasos desechables

According to estimaciones, Inglaterra utiliza 1.1 mil millones de platos de un solo uso y 4.25 mil millones de artículos de cubiertos de un solo uso - la mayoría de los cuales son de plástico - por año. Sin embargo, solo el 10% se recicla al desecharlos.

If you tend to grab a café on your way to work, bringing your own reusable cup can make a big difference. Additionally, cafés sometimes offer a reduction if you bring your own cup too. If you get takeaways at lunchtime, bring your own cutlery.

Compra de segunda mano

According to the charity Clothes Aid, alrededor de £140 millones en ropa usada pero aún usable se desechan en vertederos en el Reino Unido cada año. Renunciar a 'la moda rápida 'Estar a favor de comprar solo las cosas que necesitas y que durarán mucho tiempo puede tener un gran impacto. También puede ser útil revisar sitios web de segunda mano como Ebay o Vinted antes de comprar artículos nuevos, o organizar intercambios regulares de ropa con amigos.