5 Steps To Sustainability
Part of our mission at Dearest Fannie is to use our platform to educate and inspire others to make changes in their daily habits. So to inspire new members of our community we have put together a simple five steps to sustainability!
Step 1
Intuitive Following
Gone are the days of following accounts on Instagram who don't align with our values- our feed sets the tone for how we feel and the actions we take. Take advantage of all the positive and informative accounts out there that inspire you to lead a more eco-friendly lifestyle and improve your overall mindset. We have collected just a few of our favourite accounts who advocate for a range of important topics and we know you'll love their content as much as we do.
Step 2
Intuitive Banking
Let's talk about money. It's one of those topics that most people like to avoid, but we want to share why it should be spoken about more often. Ultimately the big banks are fuelling the climate crisis. Since the 2015 Paris agreement, banks have spent $3.8 trillion financing fossil fuels and its funding shockingly increased in 2020.The issue is undoubtedly at a large scale, however you can make an impact by researching your bank's investment history and choosing wisely who to invest in.
We recommend clicking this link to find out if your bank is funding fossil fuels and which banks you should switch to.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CTrIZoNKdva/?utm_medium=share_sheet
We also love @switchit.money for a follow on this topic if you're searching for any more reasons for why you should change banks.
Step 3
Refine Your Style
We love fashion as much as you, but sadly the fashion industry has a devastating impact on the planet. This is due to natural resources being extracted, habitat destruction, toxic emissions, water being polluted and waste carelessly dumped. Beyond the raw materials stage, the manufacturing and distribution stages are just as destructive and the fast fashion trend is increasing the problem. Consumers are buying more than ever before, repairing less and throwing clothes away much sooner than needed.
So how can your style help?
We embrace uniqueness, and there's nothing more unique than the clothes you get thrift shopping, so next time you fancy a shopping trip, try your local charity shops and get creative!
We appreciate some of us just love our basics, and we agree! A capsule wardrobe is a great way to look put together everyday without buying unnecessary items. Invest in good quality basics that will last you years to come- and the best part of doing this? You won't have to spend money year on year on the same items.
We’ve put together a list of sustainable fashion brands we love for good quality clothes that will never go out of fashion.
Step 4
You Are What You Eat
Our diet is hugely important in the effects of greenhouse gas emissions. A diet that relies on fruit and veg and less on meat and dairy could reduce these emissions by two thirds and save up to 8 million lives. That's shocking!
However, how bad really is eating meat? 80% of global greenhouse gas emissions which are caused by agriculture are due to animal agriculture, not to mention the numerous health problems animal based diets can cause. So why plant based? If the world switched to a plant based diet, greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture in 2050 would fall by more than half, however it will grow this same amount if nothing is done. We think the image below sums this up perfectly.
Step 5
Campaigning
The UK government simply does not do nearly enough to tackle the climate crisis. Therefore, it's down to us to environmentally challenge our government to do more about it.
So how can you do this?
Petitions are a great way to get voices heard. 10,000 signatures will get a response from the government and 100,000 signatures will be considered for a debate. In either case the issue will be addressed to the government and be considered for action. For example, the move towards reducing and ending single-use plastic was achieved as a result of petitions.
Join Greenpeace- it has a reputation for making the government act on issues. As part of their community you can help campaign, join political lobbying networks, join local groups to raise awareness and become a volunteer.
Use your own platform, educate and inspire your followers on social media by speaking up for what you believe in, or write to your local MP for matters that concern your hometown.
We would love to hear which steps you already do, and which ones your tackling next. Comment below!