Sustainability = sustain + ability.
Simply put this means the quality of not being harmful to the environment or depleting natural resources. Therefore supporting and promoting the long – term ecological balance of our world.
Sustainability to us as farmers is on a large scale, we care about the land we grow our tea bushes on, cultivating it for future seasons and generations and we also work with the community supporting projects, education and infra-structure. You can read more about that here. However the ethos of sustainability is also one we can perform in small day to day rituals and the choices we make at home.
How to be more sustainable:
- Know your brands. Feel free to ask questions to companies, know where your products are from and the journey they take. It’s important for companies to be accountable for their products and offer traceability to their customers.
- Ditch the plastic. Swop your supermarket bags for a fabric tote bag, invest in a glass water bottle to replace picking up a plastic bottles and save food in containers rather than cling film.
- Recycle, upcycle and reuse. Don’t just get rid of something if you’ve had enough of, donate it, recycle or reinvent it. Old caddies can become plant pots, biscuit tins and you can find more ideas and information here www.upcyclethat.com on upcycling.
- Turn off the tap. Water is a resource and it is so important for our environment that we use it wisely. Even turning off the tap when you’re brushing your teeth can save 8 gallons of water a day and little things such as making sure your dishwasher and washing machine are full before putting them on.
- Move those feet. It might not be possible but cycling or walking to work can have a huge impact on your environmental footstep and your economy, work out how much you could save here www.cycletoworkcalculator.com by commuting in more eco-friendly ways!
- Vary your diet. Relying on one food source too much does not allow for diversity in the environment and places stress on our resources. Plant based protein has received a lot of positive attention in the recent years as the benefits of eating less meat are not only to the environment but also hugely positive for our health so it is a great opportunity to mix up protein sources by including some beans, legumes, tofu, nuts, seeds and grains in your diet.
- Encourage nature, particularly bees. Wherever you live there is opportunities to add a little nature, whether in the form of some house plants or herbs. As farmers we understand just how important bees are and their actions within the environment spreading pollen and supporting native species. If you can make your garden a little more “bee-friendly” by planting nectar rich plants in your garden (find a list here www.rhs.org.uk/science/conservation-biodiversity/wildlife/encourage-wildlife-to-your-garden/plants-for-pollinators) using less pesticides and having a shallow water source to support and encourage wild bees!
