8 sustainable habits to welcome in 2022: small efforts for a brighter planet

The past year has taught us a lot about climate change and its threats to human existence on this planet. We need to start acting now, making changes in our lives that promote a positive impact. We can become part of the solution by changing our habits, making choices that have less harmful effects on the environment, influencing systematic changes and building a more sustainable world.

So what better way to start the year than setting a sustainable New Year’s resolution for yourself? Here we bring 8 sustainable and circular habits you can welcome into your life in 2022.

1. Reduce single use plastics

Single used plastics are everywhere in our daily lives; a plastic bag, a straw or a little piece of plastic wrapper may seem harmless but we know how much these modern conveniences affect the enviroment. Our plastic addiction is having a devastating impact on our oceans, our wildlife, and our health. So for 2022, try to avoid single used plastic as much as possible. So don’t forget to carry with you your own shopping bag as well as reusables goods such as a coffee cup and bottles, like the doppler bottle by Circonstance.

Read more tips on how to reduce your plastic waste in the kitchen and the bathroom in our previous articles.

2. Ditch fast-fashion

It is no longer a secret that fast fashion is harmful for several reasons. It is terrible for the environment and the workers, making the clothes in exploitative working conditions. Besides, the mass overproduction of its collections generates massive amounts of waste usually dumped in developing countries’ landfills. Even though some fast fashion brands claim to be going green, we know that it is more of a marketing ploy than a commitment to promoting real change in the industry. For that reason, ditch fast fashion for good and create more sustainable shopping habits this year. Use what you already have, shop second-hand whenever possible, and when in need of something new, invest in sustainable and circular alternatives!

3. Learn to care for your clothes properly

Taking good care of your clothing helps to increase its lifespan, which significantly reduces its environmental impact. So why not learn how to take care of your clothes in 2022? Pay more attention to care labels, wash less and in low temperatures. Use a Skizo laundry bag to protect your synthetic items and prevent their microplastic fibres from entering rivers and oceans. Another great way to keep our clothes for longer is repairing them whenever needed. The art of repairing is about fixing what is broken, embracing imperfections and rejecting the idea that newer is better.

4. Welcome more waste-based products into your life

Waste is a global challenge that requires a multitude of creative solutions. Combining design with circularity, we can convert waste into new high-quality materials and develop innovative circular products. Thanks to technology, waste utilisation processes advanced a lot in the past years and now trash can really be turned into treasure. There is a growing variety of premium waste-based items in the market, and at our c-shop, you can always find the coolest ones.

5. Support local brands and small independent designers

Shopping small is a great way to celebrate and support local makers, creatives and designers. It has less impact on the environment, as small businesses often create their products using local resources while providing jobs for the community. They also usually offer more personalised customer services, as these independent businesses are run by people, not a board of investors. When you support a small business, you support a community of passionate people trying to do things differently in a world that’s becoming increasingly homogenised. Investing in them it’s a way to appreciate their imagination, heart and courage. Thanks to digital retail platforms like us, supporting independent designers promoting sustainability and circularity has never been easier! Just search around here to find inspiring brands promoting positive change!

6. Minimise food waste

Food waste is a big problem. Worldwide, tonnes of edible food is lost or wasted every day, putting extra strain on our natural resources and damaging the environment. It also increases greenhouse gas emissions and contributes a lot to climate change.

Reducing food waste is essential in a world where millions of people go hungry every day. Luckily we can all do something about it! We need to be more conscious about what we buy, the amount we need, how we store our food and make an effort not to let things expire. We can also support programs such as too good to go or the zero waste movement happening in the restaurant sector. Click here to find out more about zero waste restaurants in Europe.

7. Reduce your carbon footprint

As a result of living in the modern world, we all have a carbon footprint. When we eat, shop and travel, we cause emissions. Carbon offset schemes allow individuals and companies to support environmental projects to balance out their carbon emission, for example making a flight “carbon neutral”. Compensating like that is a way of taking responsibility for these unavoidable emissions. However, the best thing we should do is try to reduce our carbon footprint! Click here for several tips on how to do so!

8. Learn more about circular economy

Last but not least, why not learn more about circular economy practices? Our economy is rooted in linear consumption models, which unfortunately are not sustainable in the long-term and urgently need an intervention. At Ccrave, we believe the circular economy is the future, the reason why we make an effort to educate you on its principles and practices as well as provide circular alternatives for consumption. So the next new habit you can welcome into your life is signing up for our newsletter to keep tuned with fresh articles and podcasts boosting the circular economy revolution.

Final Word

Even though keeping a sustainable New Year’s resolution can be challenging, it can have a massive positive impact on the planet. The key is to not choose huge unattainable goals, this way is easier to manage and not give it up. With this list, you can get inspired to make a small effort each day for a better, brighter planet, creating habits that will stick for the long term.