Looking into the year 2020 – what are some of the eco actions that we need to see more of? What kind of green-washing are we going to eradicate and where do we need to see more charge being taken?<\/p>\n
For all the grief Millennials and Gen Zs get, they really are the ones spearheading the green revolution. They are a group of incredibly conscious consumers who have clued themselves up on reading product labels and ingredient lists. Though there are certain undesirable aspects of what is called \u2018cancel culture,\u2019 but the upside is that they are willing to tweet, gram, yelp a company into extinction if they harming the environment they are trying to protect.<\/p>\n
And it\u2019s effective.<\/p>\n
Eco-irresponsibility is beginning to affect a lot of business’s bottom lines. Conglomerates like Unilever have had to take a hard look at some of their entities. They are incorporating green practises as part of their business strategy.<\/p>\n
I haven\u2019t even mentioned the young eco-warriors disrupting the status quo and leaving policymakers quaking in their boots. Who didn\u2019t feel ashamed when Greta Thunberg bawled, \u201cHow dare you? You have stolen my dreams and childhood,\u201d at the UN Climate Action Summit back in September. The 16-year-old Swede is just but one of the countless young activists calling people all to order. In 2020, we\u2019re going to see a lot more youth rallying together to effect change for the benefit of the environment in a way we haven\u2019t seen before.<\/p>\n
The general theme for 2020 is to take things further. We are entering a new decade cycle and the catalogue of apps that help you sift through the companies that test on animals and dump toxic waste into our water sources aren\u2019t going to cut it. We need to level up on our clean technology.<\/p>\n
If you don\u2019t have LED lights or low-flow faucets yet, you\u2019re going to soon be lapped by developments in echo dots that save on buying a whole host of devices for your home and office.<\/p>\n
Who would\u2019ve thought that prioritising self-care would be environmentally friendly? Cleaning your clutter<\/a> and donating all your unused or unwanted items, instead of throwing them out, is a simple exercise that Mother Nature will appreciate.<\/p>\n Replace retail therapy with a barefoot walk along the beach or full body massage.<\/p>\n You see, when we take better care of ourselves on a daily basis, we decrease the risk of feeling run down. I can always tell I\u2019m running on empty when I order out more than usual. Cooking for myself is a form of self-care<\/a> I perform daily. When I pop into a Mcdonalds or Drive Thru a KFC, I am telling my body that I can\u2019t be bothered to intentionally sustain it with quality ingredients. Sure, eating out can be a form of self-care too. There is a huge difference between treating yourself to dinner at a restaurant that sources ethically grown ingredients, locally, and damaging your body with GMO foods that come from macro farms responsible for immense deforestation.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re a regular FTN reader, you\u2019ll be familiar with this concept; I am an enthusiastic advocate for shopping locally<\/a> because the benefits for the environment as well as the economy are undeniable. The surge of local artisans, this year, has made this undertaking incredibly easy.<\/p>\n Picture this: Jonathan from your pilates class has a stall at the farmers market, where he sells his probiotic preserves and pickles. Nhlanhla, who\u2019s daughter is part of the same after school programme as your kid, repurposes discarded fabric to make beautiful quilts to keep people warm during winter. Would it not feel better supporting small business owners, who really are the backbone of our economy, while reducing your carbon footprint at the same time?<\/p>\n Supporting local merchandisers creates a great sense of community which has shown to increase volunteerism. When you feel part of something bigger than yourself, you work harder to preserve it for both yourself and those around you.<\/p>\n If the return of load shedding in South Africa, and the subsequent excuses given is anything to go by – wet coal and sabotagers – the need for other forms of energy production is clear. As mentioned a bit earlier, in 2020 we are taking our efforts a step further.<\/p>\n Solar power has helped the few who have invested in panels, geysers, and other apparatus. So what developments can we look forward to next year? It seems we\u2019ll be seeing more sustainable energy generation in public spaces and homes because it is becoming increasingly affordable. Products that facilitate micro-generation of electricity in the home will be easily purchasable and implementable.<\/p>\n Buy Less, Give More: Top Gifting Tips for a More Meaningful Christmas<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\nKEEPING IT CLOSE TO HOME<\/h1>\n
ALTERNATIVE ENERGY PRODUCTION<\/h1>\n