Greenglasses is about challenging ourselves to live more sustainably in the city. But what does that actually mean? We came up with a list of goals for each category of life to help makes the idea of “sustainable living” more concrete for us.
We’re still far from being perfect and haven’t yet found ways to do all of these in Prague, but that’s the whole purpose of this project. Some are easier to solve than others, but we feel confident that with enough research and a few changes in our habits we should be able to achieve them all, and (we hope) to have fun in the process. 🙂
Think we can do it? Follow us to find out!
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Food & Drink:
- Go vegetarian, organic and local, at least most of the time
- Buy our groceries from food shops that offer organic, local and high quality products
- Cook at home more, or go to restaurants and cafes that have organic, local and/or fair-trade options
- Buy fresh real food with little to no packaging (bring our own reusable packaging to the grocery store and to restaurants for takeaway, if needed)
- Optimize our homes for efficient electricity and water use with the help of a technician
- Save energy by using energy efficient appliances, reducing water waste (e.g. when showering and washing dishes) and implementing other energy and water saving tips
- Start composting
- Grow our own vegetables and herbs in the summer
- Avoid waste and learn how to recycle better
- Clean with chemical-free or DIY products, as much as possible
- Any new furniture buy second hand, vintage, repaired or make it ourselves (DIY)
- Use organic, natural cosmetics or make our own products
- Avoid products with lots of packaging, especially plastic; replace with natural or biodegradable options
- Prevent disease/illness with healthy eating (organic, vegetarian, etc.), regular exercise and time spent in nature, instead of only treating symptoms with pills and other “bandaid” solutions
- Go to doctors who have a more holistic approach to health (i.e. who see the body as an interconnected system and try to get to the root cause of health problems instead of immediately prescribing drugs to treat symptoms)
- Go to hairdressers and beauticians who use natural products and have a low waste approach
- Exercise outside when possible, otherwise in gyms and studios that are community and health oriented
- For weekend trips, find local places in nature, hotels that are sustainable, farms, outdoor trips, etc.
- For our visitors, find responsible tourism companies and accommodation in Prague
- Walk, bike or use public transport the majority of the time
- Build a sustainable wardrobe: donate/sell/redesign clothes we don’t need or wear and slowly substitute these pieces with a simple, flattering wardrobe of quality, organic, locally made, handmade, vintage, second hand and/or fair trade fashion
- Repair instead of replacing; learn how to make or upcycle our own clothes and accessories
- Find shared office spaces in Prague, if needed
- Find services and products to make our business more sustainable: use eco-friendly cleaners, optimize use of energy and water, turn off unused appliances and electronics, minimize printing, use recycled and/or FSC certified paper
- Take care of our existing electronics
- Repair instead of replacing
- Buy second hand, energy efficient or responsibly made if new ones are needed
- Save electricity by turning off and unplugging unused appliances
- Use notebooks and other paper products that are recycled and/or FSC certified
- Avoid using conventional wrapping paper for gifts; instead use recycled paper or reusable cloth wrapping
- Use reusable packaging for food and drink, such as takeaway coffee and meals
- Have friends come over for a dinner more often
- Find a community of like-minded people
- Get involved in social issues we care about
- Find creative forms of entertainment, which do not involve consumerism
- Support free socializing events (markets, workshops, communities, etc.)