For Earth Day we want to post about our individual acts of ‘carbon fasting’ which all contribute to emission reduction and environmental goals in our own lives. Like in the ‘5 and 2’ diet where you fast for 2 days and eat normally on the rest, we think that this thinking could work when trying to reduce our own footprint. There has been much discussion about carbon budgets in businesses and calculating carbon lately and it’s all quite hard to understand, and relate to, especially when carbon is in metric tonnes which we can’t even imagine.
It’s very individual what you can achieve, what is essential to one is expendable to another, so our approach is fast what you can in your life, so you can save for what you want or need. A few things we’ve done recently in our day-to-day lives:
- Recycling
- Reusing
- Washing powder in cardboard box, not plastic
- Washing your clothes on a quick wash
- Not using a tumble dryer
- More showers over baths
- Buying vintage clothes, less clothes or rent clothes from a subscription based clothes store
- Filling up our olive oil from a bottle-fill shop
- Turn down the heating a degree or so
- Taking egg carton boxes back to the shop to reuse
- Switched to green electricity
- Wee-gan – week day vegan/Having vegetarian or plant-based diet days
- Eurostar to London from Amsterdam
- Flixbus to Brussel from Amsterdam
- No car, cycling or walking in the city or public transport – we know not possible for all
Earth Day is about collective acts and we agree that some behavioural changes and an open mind nudges along some big changes, energy savings and general awareness.
This FT Weekend article suggests some of the best ways to reduce carbon including having less children!
Last year we decided to create the idea of ‘carbon fasting ‘ and would love to hear your feedback. Is this an easy way to think about it? Does having a budget or ‘basket’ of carbon help ? Knowing the calories of food is said to help people to choose more wisely and reduce their intake. Would this be the case on carbon? The European Commission have already started an Eco label pilot which is testing just that. We think that not everyone at all times can reduce their carbon but you could save some for when you need it and you can offset. We need to live and do want to travel, we’ve seen this even more in the pandemic but we’ve also seen you can live fairly simply and can still successfully conduct business online which all reduces collective carbon. At FGA we do have a pragmatic approach to carbon reduction and this is why many choose to work with us. We do still want to travel, visit family and friends and new countries. We also prefer to come up with suggestions and solutions which we hope organisations and individuals can add to their lives.
That is why when we looked into it we asked, what makes practical sense? We have always advocated for more virtual and less frequent business travel, this will be a given now.
Business models are already starting to change in travel, insight that has been shared with us, our energy sources are going to change such as using sustainable aviation fuels and we are pushing into a new phase now globally. It’s unlikely contracts will require us in the office full time or even state which country you need to do that work from, we have seen this first hand. This is a huge fundamental change in how we will live and travel. Are you ready to embrace it or nervous it will change your life? Are you going to stay in the old school or step in to the new?
Airlines are switching to paper containers for inflight meals, removing single use plastics, saying sustainability will be a competitive advantage and working on sharing the cost of sustainable fuel with corporate customers like we do with Fly Green Alliance and FGA Travel Smart. In 2018 the International Women’s Day hashtag was push for progress and this year’s is choose to challenge. All sentiments we live by at FGA. On business models, climate and DEI.
Happy Earth Day, why not experiment with your own basket of carbon today? Switch off appliances, choose to walk, and eat a plant-based lunch. There are many ways to carbon fast. If you would like to discuss this concept and the trends work that FGA Consultancy does then email: sarah@flygreenalliance.org
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