BAMLife Issue 2 | Page 25

Read more at bambooclothing.co.uk Locally sourced Find local food suppliers who can reduce your food miles, packaging and also generally provide better quality food. We use our local farm shop, fruit and vegetable markets and charity shops to source a fair amount of household items. Prices are comparable or less especially allowing for savings in fuel and your time to drive to the ‘big box stores’. The savings to the planet for food miles and reduced footprint are priceless. Why not? Visit https://www.bigbarn.co.uk and seek out your nearest farm shop or local producer. I have tried really hard to reduce my personal impact with the following simple habits: • Avid recycler – avoid packaging and take stuff home if I can’t recycle when out and about. • Reduce footprint – cycle to meetings, try and avoid lots of flights. • Leave no trace – leave no litter and I often fill my kayak or canoe (or rucksack) with other people’s rubbish. • Sharing ideas – I have registered for many of the information sites we have listed in the article. • Food provenance – eat vegetarian often, buy from farm shop in village and local markets, raise own meat, read labels, avoid high food miles, buy British and wonky veg! So why the 80:20 rule? Well simply the more you find out the more daunting it is to try and reduce your impact. The 80:20 rule allows you to get started and make a difference rather than claiming it is, “Too difficult” or “impossible.” SCARY factoid Some 28% of the world’s agricultural land is used to grow food that ends up as waste. The water wasted to grow this food would meet the demands of nine billion householders (Sustainable Food Trust 2016). Reduce waste and consumption Our rate of consumption is at an unsustainable level driven by media campaigns, modern life and disposable income and attitude. The difference between what we want and need has become blurred and the global population has risen to over seven billion. Many experts and lots of evidence suggest action is needed now. Why not? Simplify your lifestyle with goals and targets. Reduce your food waste. Visit http://www.sustrans.org.uk/ and consider different transport methods.