April is Earth Month; it aims to raise awareness of environmental issues while promoting education about sustainability for the next generation.
Here at Flora & Fauna, we believe that protecting our environment is extremely important for ourselves, our kids/ grandkids and the precious wildlife that depends on it! There’s no better time to get involved and celebrate our wonderful planet.
This year, the theme is “Plastic… More Than Pollution”. In 2017, the Earth Month Network awarded Dr. Sherri Mason with its Environmental Excellence Award for her research into plastic pollution. This, along with the global focus on plastic pollution and ‘single-use’ plastics, inspired the theme for 2019.
More and more people are boycotting single-use plastics or choosing reusable options. If you didn’t know already, single-use plastics refer to any plastic product that’s disposed of after one use. Things like takeaway coffee cups, plastic water bottles, straws and takeaway containers.
We live in a throwaway culture – our dependence on convenience has created an immense amount of plastic pollution. It’s damaging our oceans, wildlife, river systems and even the air we breathe.
What can I do for Earth Month?
The beginning of the month is the greatest time to start a new habit. It takes roughly 21 days to form a new habit – so by the end of April, some of these things will be second nature to you! We’ve put together a list of things you can do to get involved during Earth Month. Some of these ideas may be really easy for you to implement into your own life, and some might be a bit harder. It’s all about doing the best you can do with the resources around you – the environment will thank you for it!
Use reusables & ditch single-use plastics. Disposing of things properly and recycling are good ways to help tackle our wastage, but it’s even more effective to reduce the overall amount we produce in the first place. The key things to avoid are single-use plastics. At F&F, we stock heaps of different reusable items to make your Earth Month a little bit easier. Things like reusable produce bags, reusable coffee cups, water bottles, cutlery and straws can be used over and over again. Make it easy for yourself – keep reusable bags in the back of your car, keep your reusable cutlery in your bag for lunchtime, take your reusable water bottle with your wherever you go, and bring your reusable cup with you for your morning coffee stop. For more tips, check out Earth Month’s 10 R’s of Sustainability. It might be a challenge to remember these things at first, but remember – habits require repetition!
Some other things to try:
Ditch fast fashion. Textile production is one of the most polluting industries; even more so than international flights and maritime shipping. Frequently purchasing inexpensive and poorly made clothes is extremely wasteful! For Earth Month, challenge yourself to: buy from op shops, swap clothes with a friend, repair or donate old clothing, and buy from ethically produced brands. We sell some great ranges such as Etiko, Torju and Tasi Travels.
Cut down on meat & dairy. For the month of April, try reducing your meat and dairy intake, or even try going vegan for the month. Did you know that Australia’s livestock industry is the third largest source of greenhouse gas emissions! Cutting out animal products from your diet is one of the easiest things you can do to reduce your carbon footprint. Even reducing, and getting involved in initiatives like "Meatless Mondays" can really help to make a difference.
Lastly… Get involved! Eco-Shout is a great resource to find environmental activism events near you. Participate in a beach clean-up day, support an ethical brand in a marketplace, or protest about an issue that you care about! You could even try volunteering in a certain role to gain experience and meet new people.
You can find more information about Earth Month here.
