Since having my baby daughter earlier this year, I’ve really got to thinking about environmental issues and the kind of world we are leaving behind for our children. On a visit to my local library I stumbled upon this book Is It Really Green? by Georgina Wilson-Powell.
It’s no exaggeration to say that this book has had a profound impact on my life and the way I view things.
In this book, the author looks at various aspects of daily life – from what items we have in our kitchen, to the clothes we wear and the cars we drive and through research considers which options are the most environmentally friendly. For example, we all know the beef and dairy industry is bad for the environment, but Wilson-Powell looks at dairy alternatives to inform the reader of their best choices. I did not realise that oat milk was environmentally superior compared to other non-dairy milks!
Rather than being preachy and judgemental, this book considers all the options to a dilemma and then presents the environmental impact of each. Are reusable coffee cups better than disposable ones? Well that all depends on the materials that make the cup and how many times you use it. A reusable cup made from polypropylene needs to be used 20 times before it works out greener than a throwaway cup and a polycarbonate cup doesn’t become more environmentally friendly than a disposable until after its 65th use!
Of course, the author touches upon the subject of having children and the growth of the population on the planet. Naturally I want to bring my daughter up to have respect for nature and the environment, so by setting a good example I hope to inspire her to look after the earth.
Now, you may also question how green it is to be a travel blogger, especially given how un-environmentally friendly air travel is. True. But I don’t travel as much as it appears and I believe that where I can reduce my carbon footprint in some areas it grants me a little leeway to enjoy travel.
Rather than berate air travel, Wilson-Powell suggests firstly taking fewer flights by either travelling by rail or taking longer holidays rather than multiple city breaks. Sound suggestions, although from personal experience when I went to Amsterdam, I couldn’t justify the cost of the Eurostar compared to flying so I believe companies and the government need to shoulder a large amount of climate responsibility. Anyway, I digress.
I think that everyone should read this book, because we are all in this together. And since reading this book I have already bought reusable kitchen sponges, a shampoo bar and an eco friendly washing up liquid subscription. Stay tuned for more of my eco journey.
