Monday 14-02-2022 - 09:29

No one becomes a certified eco-warrior overnight, so for those of you who are still flirting with the idea of opting into a greener lifestyle, we’ve put together a beginner’s guide to get you started during Go Green Week.

 

Green Week at The Union

 

 

 

Reducing your plastic use

Reducing your plastic use might sound like a big task, but it's actually easier than you thought - and these tips make it even easier:

 

+ Starting with the obvious, buying sustainable items such as water bottles, coffee cups, reusable make-up pads, reusable cotton buds, bamboo toothbrushes and bamboo razors are a brilliant way to start getting used to using sustainable items. Many of these products can be found in The Union shop.

+ Shops such as the Co-op now also recycle any soft plastics, too. If you can squeeze it and rip it; Co-Op will take it off your hands.

+ Using and reusing your own shampoo and conditioner bottles is also a fantastic sustainable option. Many shops, including Want Not Waste on Oxford Road have the option for you to shop using your own packaging.

+ Want Not Waste also Terracycle (recycling the ‘non-recyclable’) – things such as pens, coffee pods and plastic gloves. Check out their post for a list of what you can and can’t take in.

 

---

 

Energy saving - day-to-day

For those whose bills are inclusive of your accommodation, you may not have thought about energy saving options – but if you want to make a difference, listen to these tips:

 

+ You’re probably already doing it, especially in Manchester, but using public transport more than usual is a fantastic way to be more sustainable.

+ Save energy by turning off your appliances at the mains when you’re not using them and switch to energy saving light bulbs.

+ Plan your meals and be smarter with food – find recipes for left-overs. Never throw food away and batch cook meals for the week. Use every ingredient.

+ When cooking, keep the lid on pans when you’re boiling food, and use the right size ring on the hob. Using a ring that’s bigger than the pan wastes heat and forces your appliances to work harder.

 

Source - Proxima Studio / Adobe Stock

 

---

 

Introducing yourself Vegan food options

Whether you want to go full Vegan, or just eat less meat and dairy – this all helps. The most environmentally friendly diet is a plant-based diet. People can be put off by the price, but vegan friendly food is also some of the cheapest.

The Union shop regularly stock Vegan items, including oat milk, too. All of which can be paid for with your Met Card.

 

+ We all love a bit of social media, so following Vegan food accounts will inspire you to give your own recipes and ideas a go.

+ Realising how cheap simple ingredients are such as rice and lentils are is a good motivator – buy these in bulk.

+ Look for what you want - there are hundreds of Vegan versions of your favourites. This way, you won’t feel like you’re missing out.

+ Be motivated by your carbon footprint, not what’s on your plate – swapping meat for plants and milk for non-diary milk makes a huge difference. Producing one glass of cow’s milk every day for a year requires 7,000 sq. ft of land – more than ten times as much as the same amount of oat milk and almost 20 times as much water.

 

---

 

Go Green Week at The Union

The Union are getting involved in Go Green Week too with several events and offers on for you to take advantage of:

 

+ Swap It - Bring along your old clothes to The Union at 11:00 on February 18 for our clothing swap event, have a swap with other students and leave with some fresh wardrobe fillers.

+ Stitched Up - Be sustainable and learn a new skill – bring an item of damaged clothing to The Union at 17:00 on February 6 to our Stitched Up event, and find out how to return it to its former glory.

+ Meat Free Monday - Meat Free Monday is giving you 10% off ALL meat free options across menus at both The Salutation and The Union. This offer is on for all of Go Green Week (14 - 18 February).