COP26: How to live a more sustainable lifestyle

The eyes of the world are on Glasgow as the COP26 climate change summit takes place. Leaders from across the globe are gathering in Scotland in the hope of reaching an agreement on tackling the planet’s climate emergency.

As outlined in the IPCC’s latest reports on climate change, we need to act now to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and increase our renewable energy usage in the race to net zero.

While we are hoping for a tangible positive outcome from COP26, this is also the perfect time for all of us to take action on an individual level and commit to reducing our climate impact for real. We have asked people at Moixa what steps they are individually taking towards a cleaner future, and we had a huge response to our call out for ideas and tips.

Go plastic-free

Today billions of pounds of plastic can be found in swirling convergences making up about 40% of the world’s ocean surfaces. Every year thousands of seabirds, sea turtles, seals and other marine mammals are killed after ingesting plastic or getting tangled up in it.

Therefore, it does not come as a surprise that one of the most common answers among Moixans is avoiding single-use plastic as much as possible. This can be achieved by taking a few simple steps, such as using reusable bags when shopping, ditching single-use water bottles and coffee cups and avoiding products packaged in plastic whenever possible.

There are many zero-waste shops where you can buy unpackaged food: Shane, our Operations Delivery Manager, made ​​his weekly food shop zero-waste this year. However, you can also go to the supermarket and regular shops and make better choices, such as buying unpackaged fruit and vegetables and opting for cans and cardboard that are widely recycled instead of plastic. When you shop online, you should choose sustainable companies like Oddbox, created to fight food waste in UK’s farms.

Eat less meat

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) released a report in February of this year, concluding that livestock is responsible for 18% of our world global warming emissions.
World meat production is projected to double by 2050 – most of which is expected in developing countries – increasing the associated global warming gases. One of the quickest ways we can lower our collective greenhouse gas emissions is to switch to a vegetarian diet or, in general, eat less meat.

Many people at Moixa, such as Shane and Natasha, our Commercial Manager, are vegan or vegetarian, while many others are trying to cut down on meat, for example, trying to consume it only a couple of times a week.

Replace driving with walking & cycling or choose EVs & electric cabs

Driving less is definitely one of the main actions you can take to reduce your carbon footprint. Choosing to walk or bike to work on your commute and for errands instead of driving is an easy way to be more active and improve your health while also reducing your carbon footprint. Many of our employees commute to work by bike and generally choose to bike as their main means of transportation.

If you need to use a car, make sure it’s running efficiently and keep it serviced, and try combining errands to make fewer trips. You should also consider switching to an electric vehicle. Many Moixa employees – among which our founder Simon and Senior Software Engineer David – own EVs, while our Associate Director, EV Ben, is even looking at how to convert a classic car to electric power!

Moreover, if you are getting a cab, companies like Uber now offer you the option to request a ride in an electric or hybrid vehicle in select cities worldwide. Each Uber trip in a hybrid or electric vehicle emits at least 25% fewer carbon emissions than the average Uber ride. Natasha and Chiara, our People and Office Manager, always select electric cabs when they need a ride.

Shop sustainably & avoid fast fashion

It is common knowledge now that fast fashion is highly unsustainable and definitely a bad choice for our planet. Therefore, the #1 rule to shop more sustainably is to buy less: every time you decide to repair and update the clothes you already own, rather than getting something new, it’s a win for the environment.

Buying second-hand, swapping clothes with your friends and also looking for clothes rentals is an excellent option for constantly renewing your wardrobe without damaging the environment.

This commitment to giving up fast fashion is shared among many Moixans. Our Junior Front End Designer Ruby says: “I have rethought how much waste is produced and the inequality perpetuated through the fast fashion industry. I try to buy second-hand clothes wherever possible – it’s cheaper and often more stylish!”.

A quote from Lauren Bravo, the author of ‘How To Break Up With Fast Fashion’, says, “The most sustainable item is the one you already own.”

Living a sustainable lifestyle: what Moixa is doing

While the COP26 is underway, we are proud to say that Moixa has already made our office more environmentally friendly.

We encourage all our employees to “Reduce, Recycle, Reuse” in all areas of our daily office life: the office is provided with a complete set of recycling containers, while everyone is committed to reducing waste to a minimum. We use washable mugs, glasses, dishes, and cutlery rather than disposables, and each employee receives a water bottle and a tote bag to avoid using plastic ones. Once a week, we also receive fresh and seasonal fruit and healthy snacks for the team.

We are also part of The Cycle to Work scheme, offering employees discounts on new work bikes, spreading the cost of the bike over monthly tax-free instalments through Moixa.

In the race to net zero, companies must think about their impact on the environment and commit to reducing their environmental footprint, with the common goal of building a more sustainable future.