January 11, 2025 • 14 mins
🌍✨ Welcome to the first Challenge to Change podcast episode of 2025! 🌟 Let's step it up for planet Earth by creating three impactful environmental resolutions that will make a difference. Join us for some inspirational ideas and motivation to kickstart the year with positive change! 🌱💪 #ChallengeToChange #EcoResolutions #EarthFirst #Sustainability #Inspiration #2025Goals
Find the New Year episode for 2024 here.
Find the New Year episode for 2023 here.
You can find some ethical inspiration through these links:
https://www.ethicalconsumer.org/
https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/
https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation....
You can find the video version of this episode on YouTube.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:11):
And welcome to theChallenge to Change podcast.
My name is Hazel and this podcastis all about the little changes
we can all make that will have apositive effect upon planet earth.
If you're new here, welcome.
If you've listened before, welcome back.
(00:32):
The Challenge to Change podcasthas been brought to you on behalf
of Ansa Environmental Services.
To find out more about Ansa, pleasevisit Ansa, which is ansa.co.uk.
Let's get into the podcast episode.
(00:52):
So welcome to this episode ofthe Challenge to Change podcast.
So we have of course landed in 2025 andfrom my point of view, it really does
feel like Christmas and celebratingthe new year took place so long ago.
Yet as I record this episode, itis in fact only the 9th of January.
(01:19):
In previous years, I have tendedto opt for Environmental Easy Wins
as the first podcast of the year.
Because it can seem fairly overwhelmingto choose environmental resolutions that
(01:39):
are quite sort of onerous or quite large.
However, there is only so many easy winsthat we can put in place for planet Earth.
Thus, by association, there'sonly so many possible kind of easy
resolutions that I can create.
(02:00):
So, with that in mind, for this year Iwant to share some New Year resolution
inspiration that is a little bit moreexpansive, um, that kind of encourages
us really to step it up for planet Earth.
(02:21):
However, if you do prefer thesound of some easy wins, Do check
out episode 52 and episode 19 ofthe Challenge to Change podcast.
Those podcast episodes are audio only andthey're available on Spotify, Podbean,
Alexa, and a whole host of other places,but you won't find those episodes on
(02:45):
YouTube if you're watching me on YouTube.
I will pop a link to those episodesin the description of this one.
Right, so let's talk about2025 and planet Earth.
Before we glide into the resolutions,let's talk about why they matter.
(03:10):
As we've noted before on theChallenge to Change podcast,
actions creates a ripple effect.
Small, consistent actions byindividuals and communities really
can lead to systemic change.
Imagine if millions of peopleresolved to use less plastic, switch
to renewable energy, or embarkedupon a pre-loved fashion revolution.
(03:36):
When many people make changes, those goalsaren't just personal goals, they're not
just individual actions, they are thebuilding blocks of collective progress.
Indeed, if you head over to yoursearch engine, whichever one you
choose to use and you type in,how does social change happen?
(03:57):
You will, of course, receivea variety of results.
But weaved into those results, youwill notice that one of the inputs
that creates social change is, ofcourse, the people of planet Earth.
Changes don't just happen tous, they happen because of
us, they happen through us.
(04:18):
Now, let's get specificabout those resolutions.
that we can adopt for 2025.
And the first one is reduceyour carbon footprint.
And of course, most people willbe no stranger to that idea.
But there are a few things thatwe can do to help us achieve that.
(04:41):
And here's a few options.
Can you consider lift sharing to work?
Can you use public transportfor all or part of your journey?
Can you choose to shop localand can you perhaps walk
there rather than using a car?
Do you feel like cycling more for 2025?
(05:04):
Or maybe you're consideringan electric or hybrid vehicle.
Of course, choosing something like thatdoes have a big price tag attached, so
make sure you do your research first.
The Ethical Consumer website hassome really useful information
about cars that are more ethical.
(05:25):
Switching to renewableenergy is another option.
If you're looking to change yourenergy supplier, it's worthwhile
considering renewable energy.
It may also be worthwhile heatingyour home with a heat pump.
Solar panels are of course another idea.
Before you do any of that, it'sworthwhile visiting the Energy Saving
(05:48):
Trust's website for tips and ideas.
Just type energy saving trustinto your search engine.
But just as a really simplesolution to reduce or help to reduce
your carbon footprint, you couldjust simply start by unplugging
(06:08):
devices when they're not in use.
So moving on to resolution two, wecan support regenerative practices.
So the way that we can do that isconsidering buying from local farms that
focus on soil health and biodiversity.
(06:30):
We can consider planting nativetrees in our outside space.
Or we can start a home composting system.
Moving on to Resolution 3.
We can support a circular economy.
Now we have talked about thecircular economy on the Challenge
(06:50):
to Change podcast before.
And basically to describe it again,the circular economy is an economic
system, which is based on the reuse andregeneration of materials and products.
So choosing to purchase pre-lovedfashion is one of the ways that we
(07:12):
can support a circular economy.
You may recall secondhand September,uh, Which is the well known
campaign that was started by Oxfam.
You may also recall Keep BritainTidy's Buy Nothing New Month,
(07:33):
which took place in November.
So all of these things arecampaigns that encourage us to
think about choosing pre-loved orsecondhand rather than buying new.
(07:57):
Linking in with that, hereis an example of purchasing
pre-loved from my family life.
I purchased a second hand lava lamp formy daughter as part of her Christmas
presents and it works perfectly.
I purchased the lava lamp with buyerprotection so that I could be reassured,
(08:19):
um, that the lava lamp would work.
And if it didn't, there would bethings that I could do to rectify
that within that buyer protection,but it does work perfectly.
Um, it was considerably lessexpensive than buying a new one.
She's really happy with it and so am I.
So, you know, there are, um, thingsthat we can do even for Christmas
(08:41):
presents, um, where we're thinkingabout purchasing secondhand
.A circular economy also includes leasing items rather than buying them.
So, for example, that could bea suit for a wedding or it could
even be something like a lawnmower.
There are lots of options.
Reusing, of course, is another example.
(09:02):
Repairing is another example ofsupporting a circular economy.
A broken item does not necessarilymean throwing away, of course,
depending on what the item is.
And in fact, throwing somethinginto your black bin here in Cheshire
East should ideally, where possible,be something of a last resort.
(09:24):
Of course, not everything can be fixed.
So it is a case of balancing the decision.
Ask yourself, is it safe for me to use?
Is it safe for the environment?
If it is, how can it be fixed?
Can we look at using a repair cafeor a local repair service, or can
(09:47):
I perhaps safely fix it myself?
There's another questionthat we can ask ourselves.
Of course, within these situations thatwe may also have to consider the cost of
fixing versus the cost of replacing, butit is worthwhile asking those questions.
(10:08):
So here's another personalexample of circular economy
activity within our household.
I have a pair of boots which are probablynow about seven or eight years old and
I regularly get the soles replaced.
They were quite expensive when I boughtthem and regardless of that really,
(10:30):
it makes sense for me to keep on usingthose boots for as long as they last.
And it is the soles that tend togo on footwear much faster than
any other part of the boot or shoe.
So it is worthwhile consideringusing a shoe repair service to get
(10:53):
them repaired rather than choosingto dispose of them in some way.
So moving from those justthree examples of resolutions
(11:15):
for the environment for 2025.
You can find more ideas on supportinga circular economy online and here's
a few places to consider checking out.
The first one is www.
ellenmacarthurfoundation.
(11:35):
org and then simply just type intothe search area on that website
'what is a circular economy'.
Another option is to head to the Friendsof the Earth's website and search for
'zero waste' or for something a littlebit more fun, you can search for the
(11:57):
word 'lazy' on their website, and youwill find there are 'seven lazy ways
to be more environmentally friendly'.
Finally, um, sticking with the circulareconomy, why not head to WRAP's website,
which is www.wrap.ngo or you can simplytype the words WRAP with a W into your
(12:24):
search engine, um, head to their websiteand search for the words, 'circular
economy', and you will find lots of reallyuseful inspirational information there.
So maybe despite all of this, thislist of aims and those websites
(12:44):
for extra motivation doesn'tactually feel that motivational.
And I can understand why.
It is pretty hard to feel motivatedwhen the weather is cold and the
landscape looks snowy but rather bleak.
However, on the 9th of January,here in the UK, we actually have 7
(13:07):
hours and 55 minutes of daylight.
And by the 31st of January, that figurewill have increased to nine hours
and six minutes, and it just keepsincreasing until around the 21st of June.
So, with that in mind, perhaps wecan find some motivation there.
(13:31):
For a little bit more motivation,it is worthwhile checking out this
website, which is www.greendreamer.comand search for the word sustainable.
There is some fantastic informationthere, including some organisations
that have created positiveenvironmental changes for planet Earth.
(13:59):
I really hope that you will employ someenvironmental resolutions for 2025.
And I hope that you will find a wayto commit to them wholeheartedly.
If you do, please do share yourresolutions and ideas, um, in the comments
section for this podcast episode, Iwould absolutely love to read them.
(14:21):
So let's make 2025 a yearof transformation for
ourselves and for the planet.
Do feel free to like and sharethis episode and of course I
would be really grateful if youwould also consider subscribing.
Any positive feedback for the Challengeto Change podcast does help more people
(14:41):
to find it and in turn it helps all ofus to make a difference for planet Earth.
I will return for anotherepisode really soon.
Bye for now.
And welcome to theChallenge to Change podcast.
My name is Hazel and this podcastis all about the little changes
we can all make that will have apositive effect upon planet earth.
If you're new here, welcome.
If you've listened before, welcome back.
(00:32):
The Challenge to Change podcasthas been brought to you on behalf
of Ansa Environmental Services.
To find out more about Ansa, pleasevisit Ansa, which is ansa.co.uk.
Let's get into the podcast episode.
(00:52):
So welcome to this episode ofthe Challenge to Change podcast.
So we have of course landed in 2025 andfrom my point of view, it really does
feel like Christmas and celebratingthe new year took place so long ago.
Yet as I record this episode, itis in fact only the 9th of January.
(01:19):
In previous years, I have tendedto opt for Environmental Easy Wins
as the first podcast of the year.
Because it can seem fairly overwhelmingto choose environmental resolutions that
(01:39):
are quite sort of onerous or quite large.
However, there is only so many easy winsthat we can put in place for planet Earth.
Thus, by association, there'sonly so many possible kind of easy
resolutions that I can create.
(02:00):
So, with that in mind, for this year Iwant to share some New Year resolution
inspiration that is a little bit moreexpansive, um, that kind of encourages
us really to step it up for planet Earth.
(02:21):
However, if you do prefer thesound of some easy wins, Do check
out episode 52 and episode 19 ofthe Challenge to Change podcast.
Those podcast episodes are audio only andthey're available on Spotify, Podbean,
Alexa, and a whole host of other places,but you won't find those episodes on
(02:45):
YouTube if you're watching me on YouTube.
I will pop a link to those episodesin the description of this one.
Right, so let's talk about2025 and planet Earth.
Before we glide into the resolutions,let's talk about why they matter.
(03:10):
As we've noted before on theChallenge to Change podcast,
actions creates a ripple effect.
Small, consistent actions byindividuals and communities really
can lead to systemic change.
Imagine if millions of peopleresolved to use less plastic, switch
to renewable energy, or embarkedupon a pre-loved fashion revolution.
(03:36):
When many people make changes, those goalsaren't just personal goals, they're not
just individual actions, they are thebuilding blocks of collective progress.
Indeed, if you head over to yoursearch engine, whichever one you
choose to use and you type in,how does social change happen?
(03:57):
You will, of course, receivea variety of results.
But weaved into those results, youwill notice that one of the inputs
that creates social change is, ofcourse, the people of planet Earth.
Changes don't just happen tous, they happen because of
us, they happen through us.
(04:18):
Now, let's get specificabout those resolutions.
that we can adopt for 2025.
And the first one is reduceyour carbon footprint.
And of course, most people willbe no stranger to that idea.
But there are a few things thatwe can do to help us achieve that.
(04:41):
And here's a few options.
Can you consider lift sharing to work?
Can you use public transportfor all or part of your journey?
Can you choose to shop localand can you perhaps walk
there rather than using a car?
Do you feel like cycling more for 2025?
(05:04):
Or maybe you're consideringan electric or hybrid vehicle.
Of course, choosing something like thatdoes have a big price tag attached, so
make sure you do your research first.
The Ethical Consumer website hassome really useful information
about cars that are more ethical.
(05:25):
Switching to renewableenergy is another option.
If you're looking to change yourenergy supplier, it's worthwhile
considering renewable energy.
It may also be worthwhile heatingyour home with a heat pump.
Solar panels are of course another idea.
Before you do any of that, it'sworthwhile visiting the Energy Saving
(05:48):
Trust's website for tips and ideas.
Just type energy saving trustinto your search engine.
But just as a really simplesolution to reduce or help to reduce
your carbon footprint, you couldjust simply start by unplugging
(06:08):
devices when they're not in use.
So moving on to resolution two, wecan support regenerative practices.
So the way that we can do that isconsidering buying from local farms that
focus on soil health and biodiversity.
(06:30):
We can consider planting nativetrees in our outside space.
Or we can start a home composting system.
Moving on to Resolution 3.
We can support a circular economy.
Now we have talked about thecircular economy on the Challenge
(06:50):
to Change podcast before.
And basically to describe it again,the circular economy is an economic
system, which is based on the reuse andregeneration of materials and products.
So choosing to purchase pre-lovedfashion is one of the ways that we
(07:12):
can support a circular economy.
You may recall secondhand September,uh, Which is the well known
campaign that was started by Oxfam.
You may also recall Keep BritainTidy's Buy Nothing New Month,
(07:33):
which took place in November.
So all of these things arecampaigns that encourage us to
think about choosing pre-loved orsecondhand rather than buying new.
(07:57):
Linking in with that, hereis an example of purchasing
pre-loved from my family life.
I purchased a second hand lava lamp formy daughter as part of her Christmas
presents and it works perfectly.
I purchased the lava lamp with buyerprotection so that I could be reassured,
(08:19):
um, that the lava lamp would work.
And if it didn't, there would bethings that I could do to rectify
that within that buyer protection,but it does work perfectly.
Um, it was considerably lessexpensive than buying a new one.
She's really happy with it and so am I.
So, you know, there are, um, thingsthat we can do even for Christmas
(08:41):
presents, um, where we're thinkingabout purchasing secondhand
.A circular economy also includes leasing items rather than buying them.
So, for example, that could bea suit for a wedding or it could
even be something like a lawnmower.
There are lots of options.
Reusing, of course, is another example.
(09:02):
Repairing is another example ofsupporting a circular economy.
A broken item does not necessarilymean throwing away, of course,
depending on what the item is.
And in fact, throwing somethinginto your black bin here in Cheshire
East should ideally, where possible,be something of a last resort.
(09:24):
Of course, not everything can be fixed.
So it is a case of balancing the decision.
Ask yourself, is it safe for me to use?
Is it safe for the environment?
If it is, how can it be fixed?
Can we look at using a repair cafeor a local repair service, or can
(09:47):
I perhaps safely fix it myself?
There's another questionthat we can ask ourselves.
Of course, within these situations thatwe may also have to consider the cost of
fixing versus the cost of replacing, butit is worthwhile asking those questions.
(10:08):
So here's another personalexample of circular economy
activity within our household.
I have a pair of boots which are probablynow about seven or eight years old and
I regularly get the soles replaced.
They were quite expensive when I boughtthem and regardless of that really,
(10:30):
it makes sense for me to keep on usingthose boots for as long as they last.
And it is the soles that tend togo on footwear much faster than
any other part of the boot or shoe.
So it is worthwhile consideringusing a shoe repair service to get
(10:53):
them repaired rather than choosingto dispose of them in some way.
So moving from those justthree examples of resolutions
(11:15):
for the environment for 2025.
You can find more ideas on supportinga circular economy online and here's
a few places to consider checking out.
The first one is www.
ellenmacarthurfoundation.
(11:35):
org and then simply just type intothe search area on that website
'what is a circular economy'.
Another option is to head to the Friendsof the Earth's website and search for
'zero waste' or for something a littlebit more fun, you can search for the
(11:57):
word 'lazy' on their website, and youwill find there are 'seven lazy ways
to be more environmentally friendly'.
Finally, um, sticking with the circulareconomy, why not head to WRAP's website,
which is www.wrap.ngo or you can simplytype the words WRAP with a W into your
(12:24):
search engine, um, head to their websiteand search for the words, 'circular
economy', and you will find lots of reallyuseful inspirational information there.
So maybe despite all of this, thislist of aims and those websites
(12:44):
for extra motivation doesn'tactually feel that motivational.
And I can understand why.
It is pretty hard to feel motivatedwhen the weather is cold and the
landscape looks snowy but rather bleak.
However, on the 9th of January,here in the UK, we actually have 7
(13:07):
hours and 55 minutes of daylight.
And by the 31st of January, that figurewill have increased to nine hours
and six minutes, and it just keepsincreasing until around the 21st of June.
So, with that in mind, perhaps wecan find some motivation there.
(13:31):
For a little bit more motivation,it is worthwhile checking out this
website, which is www.greendreamer.comand search for the word sustainable.
There is some fantastic informationthere, including some organisations
that have created positiveenvironmental changes for planet Earth.
(13:59):
I really hope that you will employ someenvironmental resolutions for 2025.
And I hope that you will find a wayto commit to them wholeheartedly.
If you do, please do share yourresolutions and ideas, um, in the comments
section for this podcast episode, Iwould absolutely love to read them.
(14:21):
So let's make 2025 a yearof transformation for
ourselves and for the planet.
Do feel free to like and sharethis episode and of course I
would be really grateful if youwould also consider subscribing.
Any positive feedback for the Challengeto Change podcast does help more people
(14:41):
to find it and in turn it helps all ofus to make a difference for planet Earth.
I will return for anotherepisode really soon.
Bye for now.
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