Latest estimates on climate change indicate that more than a quarter of the Amazon biome will be without trees by 2030 and the world’s oceans will be filled with more plastic than fish by 2050.
ESMS has been looking at the steps the School could take to become more sustainable. Over the course of this year we will be introducing a number of measures to reduce our carbon footprint and our Eco-committees are working hard to encourage the ESMS community to do the same.
Mrs Barclay is Acting Head of Biology at SMC and leads the SMC Eco-committee. She studied Environmental Earth System Science at university and was planning a career in conservation when a year teaching in Japan inspired a change in direction. Her passion for the environment, however, has remained strong and this week she has launched Earth Aid Week to inspire the community to act on climate change. She is calling on everyone in the community to make a pledge to change one thing in their life to improve the environment.
“I tell the children that it isn’t about giving up everything you love; it’s about looking at how you can be more sustainable when it comes to the things you love. The recent surge in high quality sustainable products makes it easier than ever to find greener alternatives, it just needs a bit of research and imagination. I often find that pausing for a moment before I commit to buying something encourages me to question whether I actually need it and if there is a more sustainable alternative.”
There are so many creative ways to reduce your carbon footprint. To help you on your way our Eco-committees from MES and SMC have got together to provide some top tips.
- Shop in in one of the many package free shops around Edinburgh
- Use reusable mesh bags when you are shopping for loose items such as fruit and vegetables. Use glass jars, metal containers and beeswax wraps for plastic free storage
- Think about getting a fruit and veg box which doesn't use plastic and comes with great recipe ideas to help you go flexitarian. This is particularly useful during the pandemic when supermarket delivery slots can be hard to secure
- Buy your loo paper from a sustainable brand, one popular brand delivers to your door and donates 50% of its profits to building toilets for people in need
- Switch to more sustainable cleaning products with fewer damaging chemicals
- Use electric razors and toothbrushes instead of plastic ones as they will last longer
- Buy your uniform from the Thrift Shop
- Wait and save to buy high quality clothes instead of fast fashion items or if it is a one-off occasion why not hire your outfit
- Look out for clothes that are made from more sustainable fabric like Tencel which is beautifully soft and good for the planet
- Think about whether you could cycle instead of taking the bus or driving
- Invest in a face cloth rather than using face wipes and buy bars of soap rather than plastic bottles of hand soap and shower gel
You might recognise some familiar faces in this video who would like to share their Earth Aid Week eco-pledges with you. If you decide to make your own pledge, why not let us know by sharing them online and using the hashtag #ESMSEarthAidWeek!
Make sure you follow @ecocommittee_smc and @ecocommittee_mes on Instagram for more top tips, too.
