How clothing evolved from a high-value asset to a disposable item
 Clothing used to be something you inherited. In the 1800´s, clothing fabrics were so valuable and the craftsmanship so sophisticated, that they were included in a will next to a house or land while the average college aged woman only owned three skirts.
 Today, globally, we buy over 80 billion tonnes of clothing a year and, on average, every person owns more than 150 pieces - a large part of which ends up in the landfill after first use. So, what changed?
 It wasn't until the introduction of synthetic fibers in the late 1930´s and early 1940's that clothing went from being regarded as an investment to a disposal item. The cost of fabric suddenly dropped to less than 1/50th of the price.Furthermore, the fabric quality was so poor that it even came with a warning from the producer to the manufacturer that said the fabric wouldn't last more than a few washes. So, the price of a piece of clothing became a blinder to anything else and the birthplace for disposable clothing.
 <h4>1. What is all this clothing made from and what is its environmental impact?</h4>
 <a style="color: red" href="https://www.commonobjective.co/article/synthetics-sustainable-synthetics-global-production" target="_blank">62% of all fibers</a> are essentially plastic as they are made from crude oil. To bring this number down, we all can start checking the labels and filtering clothing options by material. By choosing natural, plastic free pieces, you can ensure clothing lasts longer, breathes better and washes cleaner. Synthetic fibers are not only hard to reuse/recycle at their end of life, but are also a thread for the environment during usage. When you wash polyester and other plastic based materials, they leak tiny microplastics into the water system that end up in the ocean, the rivers, in fish we eat and in the water we drink.
 It is important to be cautious that every material has an associated impact; cotton production is heavily water intensive, wool and cashmere sheep leave their mark on the fields they graze, (and over gaze if not cared for correctly), but the negative ripple effects are less. There are no harsh chemicals in the air workers breathe or toxins flooding the water people drink. These natural materials will break down and disappear, an oil based item will not and can be as much as 200 years continuously leaking plastic bits into its surroundings. 
 <img alt="clothes" src="/images/blog/blog11/clothes.jpeg" />
 Some synthetic material is actually quite useful for the outdoors, it keeps us dry when it's raining or while we are hiking, makes our workout clothes stretchy and allows materials to dry faster. So, while we are not able to completely avoid the usage of oil-based materials in the short term, there are some easy steps we can take to minimize their environmental impact:
 What you can do to make more conscious shopping decisions:
 <ol>
 <li>Always wash clothes with cold water (max. 30). This is not only friendly to the environment, and your energy bill, but it actually helps your clothes last longer</li>
 <li>Avoid putting clothes in the dryer. The heat from the drier melts the little bits of plastic material and causes them to break down, fall apart and put even more microplastics into the water.</li>
 <li>When washing synthetic fibers, put them in a Guppy bag. A scientifically proven way to stop microplastic pollution, it reduces the shredding of the fibers and protects your clothes from dissolving during a wash.</li>
 </ol>
 <img alt="clothes" src="/images/blog/blog11/clothes3.jpeg" />
 Shopping by material helps us to filter through an endless supply of clothing choices and confusing information.
 We promote circular economy principles because there has been enough clothing already made. Extending the life cycle on an item reduces all the resources required to make any new piece of clothing, regardless of what it is made from.
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 Some of our favorite brands to shop for clothes, shoes and warm accessories:
 <a href="https://www.thesustainablemarketplace.co.uk/collections/clothing" target="_blank">The Sustainable Marketplace</a>, <a href="https://linenfoxclothes.com/" target="_blank">Linen Fox</a> <a href="https://www.allbirds.com/?irclickid=1j8yRRW9mxyIUq1xPIW5y0zfUkGQr8Wm02pxws0&irgwc=1&utm_campaign=The%20Modest%20Man&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=impact" target="_blank">Allbirds</a>, <a href="http://Www.arfticfoxandco.com" target="_blank">Arctic Fox</a>
 Sources: <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/jun/11/half-of-clothes-sold-by-online-fashion-brands-made-from-virgin-plastic" target="_blank">The Guardian</a>, <a href="https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-fabrics-4072209" target="_blank">ThoughtCo</a>, <a href="https://www.fastcompany.com/90379824/zara-built-a-20b-empire-on-fast-fashion-now-it-needs-to-dismantle-it" target="_blank">Fast Company</a>, <a href="https://www.commonobjective.co/article/what-are-our-clothes-made-from" target="_blank">Common Objective</a>, <a href="https://oem.bmj.com/content/67/4/263.abstract" target="_blank">BMJ Journal</a>

How clothing evolved from a high-value asset to a disposable item

The Evolution of Fabric and its impact on our Clothing Choices

It is our mission to be a catalyst for positive change and to help individuals and businesses to do good in the world. Our recent B Corp™ accreditation reaffirms our ambition and shows that we practice what we preach. 
 
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 <h4>What does it mean to be a B Corp™? </h4>
 Becoming a certified B Corporation™ was so important to us because we know that it requires collective action to challenge the status quo and drive the necessary changes for a more sustainable future. We are proud to say that we are a part of a movement that is redefining business by valuing not only profit but also the planet and the people who live on it. Together with a community of more than 4,000 companies, we want to challenge the behavior, structures, and the culture of excessive capitalism. We want to be pioneers in the shift towards greater accountability, sustainability and transparency in the finance and retail sectors. 
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 <img style="height: 350px;" width="250" height="350" alt="certified b corp" src="/images/blog/blog10/certified-b-corp.png" />
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 <h4>How did we gain the accreditation?</h4>
 In order to gain our B Corp™ status we had to undertake the Impact Assessment by B Lab, the non-profit network that governs and drives the B Corp™ movement. This assessment put our wholistic orientation towards social and environmental impact to the test and therefore covered all core areas of our business, such as :
 <ul>
 <li> governance structure</li>
 <li> supply chain & sourcing</li>
 <li> environmental impact</li>
 <li> charitable giving & community engagement</li>
 <li> work standards & employee benefits</li>
 <li> customer interaction</li>
 </ul>
 While the assessment process was challenging, we were thrilled with the results.We received a score of 101.7 - one of the highest ever scores for an app in the digital banking space in the UK.
 <img alt="certified b corp" src="/images/blog/blog10/impact-assessment.png" />
 <h4>Benefits of being B Corp™</h4>
 Although the road to a B Corp™ certification can be rigorous, the benefits are well worth the effort. Not only our own responsibility and ambition but also consumer decision-making is increasingly influenced by aspects of transparency, ethics and credibility. Being a B Corp™ is one important step towards continuously setting ourselves apart from greenwashing practices. 
 Furthermore, being a B Corp™ will help us to grow as a firm as we become more attractive for best-in-class talent who strive for contributions beyond only profit and whose career decisions are increasingly influenced by personal ethics . B Lab has started a movement that has redefined the business landscape around the world and this is starting to affect the employment decisions people make when looking for work.
 Gaining B Corp™ certification is also a great form of exposure. As individuals become more aware of the effects surrounding their consumption habits, they will seek out transparent brands who are highly ethical. By using the <a href="https://www.bcorporation.net/en-us/find-a-b-corp" target="_blank">B Corp Directory</a> consumers and businesses can filter and search among all certified B Corps™ . 
 We believe that in future years to come, operating like a B Corp™ will be standard business practice as the emphasis on meeting sustainable development goals will be heightened. At Twig, we want to be a catalyst for increasing the number of certified B Corporations™ around the globe as we help businesses and individuals to make more conscious lifestyle and business choices and take social and environmental action.

It is our mission to be a catalyst for positive change and to  help individuals and businesses to do good in the world. Our recent B Corp™ accreditation reaffirms our ambition and shows that we practice what we preach.

B Coming B Corp™

How climate change affects our mental wellbeing and what we can do about it?
 
 In the 21st century, we are becoming increasingly aware of the environmental pressures that exist in today’s world, whether that be climate change, deforestation or waste accumulation. Following increased levels of environmental monitoring, scientists have discovered that the earth could be nearing a global tipping point that entails irreversible changes to the state of our ecosystems, ultimately leading to detrimental effects at the expense of the planet — and its people. Already today, communities in environmentally deprived parts of the world are threatened by effects of climate changes such as droughts and wildlife loss. But also people whose livelihoods are not (yet) directly impacted by the change, struggle with the effects that climate change has on their wellbeing. Particularly among young people, the large neglection of environmental degradation and negative future outlooks have worsening effects on their mental health.
 
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 <h4>You’re not alone with your feelings</h4>
 Climate anxiety can come in several different forms of emotion, whether that be sadness, anger, guilt or powerlessness but you mustn’t feel alone. Recent studies have shown that 95% of young people feel some sort of worry when it comes to climate change. These concerns can lead to a sense of helplessness, particularly among those who strive to play their part in protecting the environment but believe that not enough is being done on a larger scale.
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 Nature, 2021 based on <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3918955" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">Marks et al.</a>, (2021)
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 Indication from a recent study has shown that the younger demographic is becoming increasingly frustrated, with 65% of respondents stating that governments are failing the youth population. This is a result of governments’ and corporations’ lack of transformative action to address environmental and social issues in policy, production and consumption. While some of the problems are relatively young phenomena, they will ultimately have a significant effect on younger generations’ future if current trends continue. This is having a serious effect on the mindset of young people with almost 50% of participants in some nations stating they are hesitant to have children due to the changes we are seeing in the environment.
 Climate anxiety can be overwhelming or scary for anyone experiencing it, especially those who have witnessed traumatic environmental events such as floods or wildfires. In some cases, you may find that your child or young members of your family are struggling with climate anxiety. Fortunately there are ways in which these ‘climate emotions’ can be mitigated.
 <h4>It’s not all doom and gloom</h4>
 However, there is also a positive spin to be taken from this! There is a potential for a bright future as the youth have a desire to make a difference in the way they live and contribute to protecting the earth and particularly marginalised groups.
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 <figcaption>Photograph: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images</figcaption>
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 <ul>
 <li>It is vital to not simply dismiss these emotions, but to instead use this as a catalyst for positive change by showing what they can do to make a difference — start small, with litter picking for example. </li>
 <li>Reducing levels of stress and anxiety can even be as simple as taking a trip outside to your local national park, to really appreciate the environment that we are looking to protect. </li>
 <li>Living in alignment with your values and spreading the message gives you a feeling of empowerment and agency — if you worry about carbon emissions, try to reduce your footprint by driving less or if the journey is mandatory, maybe consider offsetting your carbon emissions. </li>
 <li>To experience a sense of connectedness, it can also help to share emotions with others. Peer support groups like The Good Grief Network (GGN) and podcasts like ‘Climate Change and Happiness’ provide resources to process climate-related emotions and take a positive spin on climate anxiety. After all, feelings of guilt or anger often root in our compassion and empathy for the environment and society. </li>
 </ul>
 <h4>It’s all about awareness</h4>
 
 Climate awareness could even come in the form of consumption or lifestyle choices. These need to be informed by clear analytics that show how each of us can make a difference. The use of features such as carbon footprint trackers or tree planting facilitate the consumers’ ability to track and manage their environmental impact. In terms of conscious consumption individuals can also actively contribute by thrifting their clothes or selling their unwanted things when buying and thereby empower a circular economy. Small changes in the way we make decisions like this, will have a lasting impact on our relationship to the environment and ourselves.
 
 Sources: <a class="au kt" href="https://www.newscientist.com/article/2220561-stressed-about-climate-change-eight-tips-for-managing-eco-anxiety/" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">News Scientist</a>, <a class="au kt" href="https://www-nytimes-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.nytimes.com/2022/02/06/health/climate-anxiety-therapy.amp.html" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">New York Times</a>, <a class="au kt" href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/feb/10/overwhelming-and-terrifying-impact-of-climate-crisis-on-mental-health" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">The Guardian</a>, <a class="au kt" href="https://www.tetrapak.com/content/dam/tetrapak/publicweb/gb/en/sustainability/documents/Tetra-Pak-Consumer-Environmental-Trends.pdf" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">Tetra Pak</a>, Marks<a class="au kt" href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/article/PIIS2542-5196(21)00278-3/fulltext" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank"> et al.</a> (2021), <a class="au kt" href="https://climatechangeandhappiness.com/" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">Climate Change and Happiness</a>, <a class="au kt" href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-02582-8" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">Nature</a>

Understand how the current climate crisis is affecting your mood and what you can do to ease climate anxiety.

Global Warming Related Climate Anxiety Leads to Heightened Emotions

Black Friday is the busiest shopping day of the year and a milestone in most big companies’ annual marketing plans. At the same time, there is probably no other day that exposes the excess and overconsumption in today’s economies as brutally. Large businesses heavily discount their products to increase their market share and strengthen their position as market leaders. Furthermore, especially fashion brands tend to overproduce in the months leading towards Black Friday to be able to meet the “exploding” demand. This often results in excess stock and additional economic and environmental costs because the excess products need to be disposed of. It is almost impossible to produce under socially and environmentally sustainable conditions at such heavily discounted prices and in such unpredictable market dynamics that effectively depend on one single day.
 The low prices combined with companies’ aggressive marketing strategies lead to a normalisation of impulse shopping and make it much harder for individuals to consume consciously (#FOMO). Consumption is generally not a bad thing and Black Friday surely is the right day to replace your old, smelly fridge with a new energy-efficient model or to buy an ergonomic home office chair that you already needed for a long time. However, studies have shown that — even though trends of conscious consumption on Black Friday are promising particularly among Gen Z — the larger share of (online) shoppers still does not consider the environmental impact. The global carbon emissions that are caused only by the additional transport from online shopping on Black Friday are as high as the annual emissions of 40,000 UK citizens (more than 380,000t CO2eq).
 So, what can you do about this apart from fully boycotting consumption? Well, don’t look further, we have some good alternatives for you if you want to consume more consciously. There are ways to still experience the gratification of getting something that is new to you without causing a heavy burden to the environment. For instance, why not sell two or three products that you already own for each new purchase that you make? You can do this on Twig and get instant cash for your items. Thereby, you don’t only keep your closets neat but also contribute to the avoidance of environmental impact while buying that one piece that you desired for so long — even better if also your “new” purchase is pre-loved :)
 As human beings, our value is not only based on the material things that we own but also on our ability to give up and free ourselves from our belongings and materialistic tendencies. Scientific studies show that materialism is often connected to unhappiness and socially destructive tendencies due to a lack of empathy. Twig supports you in focusing on what you do and who you are — rather than what you own. We make it easy for you to sell and instantly cash-out on items that you no longer want or need. Thereby, you give your clothes or electronics a second life with a new owner and liberate yourself from materialism.
 Otherwise, why not support small and local businesses today? Black Friday was invented by big corporations to further exploit modern capitalism. However, large corporations often have a strong financial backbone and are not dependent on the additional sales on Black Friday. In contrast, small and local businesses are the ones that were affected heavily by the recent/ongoing Corona crisis and the ones who would actually need a special day where they receive support from consumers. They often do not have scalable online presences and can not “float” without any income as long as large corporations can. We also want to point out that not all large and established businesses are exploitative today. Brands like the British fashion institution Mulberry do not advertise with Black Friday offers at all but rather emphasise social impact and values to counteract the noise.
 We hope the above inspires you to rethink and helps you to relax on this day of information and marketing overload. If you need further ideas and guidance, we have compiled a list of helpful accounts and content pieces that address the overconsumption on Black Friday
 <ul class="">
 <li><a class="au kt" href="https://www.instagram.com/renoon.official/?hl=en" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">Renoon.official</a> — Instagram</li>
 <li><a class="au kt" href="https://www.instagram.com/theclimateapp/?hl=en" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">Theclimateapp </a>— Instagram</li>
 <li><a class="au kt" href="https://www.instagram.com/earthrise.studio/?hl=en" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">EarthRise.Studio</a> — Instagram</li>
 <li><a class="au kt" href="https://www.instagram.com/theclimateresilience/?hl=en" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">Theclimateresilience</a> — Instagram</li>
 </ul>

Rethink Black Friday and learn a few things you can do to lessen your impact through conscious consumption to live a more sustainable lifestyle.

How to Practice Sustainable Shopping During Black Friday

COP26 is over. While it showed that global climate finance still falls short of its commitments, we try to list up some of the other key takeaways from the event to cut through the buzz that built up around it in the past weeks. 
 <ul>
 <li>There are still not all the right people at the table. The dominant group of participants at COP26 were representatives of the fossil fuel industry while indigenous people and people from the Global South were underrepresented. This is a problem not only because of the lack of diversity but also because industrial and developed countries in the Global North are by far the main cause for global emissions and climate change while the people in the Global South are the ones who suffer the most from the consequences and indigenous people protect 80% of the global biodiversity. It is a ray of hope that more than 100 world leaders committed a total of £14bn to end deforestation by 2030.</li>
 <li>More aggressive commitments and disruptive change are needed. When looking at the near-term targets that are linked to the pledges of policymakers at COP26 we observe only a marginal improvement against the proposals and standards that were made at the previous COP in Paris. This means that a projection of the targets that were set until 2030 only, would lead to a temperature increase of 2.4°C in 2100. When we only take the actual policies into consideration (not the targets and proposals) this number is even higher at 2.7°C. This leads to the sobering conclusion that since the last climate conference 6 years ago no real progress was made to meaningfully change the trajectory towards the 1.5°C goal.</li>
 <li>We achieved a break-through in the resources debate For the first time, the worldwide phase-out of fossil fuels has been openly discussed on such a global stage. Some concrete commitments were that 25 nations and several banks agreed to end the financing of fossil fuel abroad by the end of 2022 and to invest the money in green energy instead. Also, 40 more countries joined the pact to end coal energy in the long-term whereby the “Coal-to-Clean-Statement” is now supported by 190 nations. We should not overlook that countries like the USA, China or India have not yet joined the pact and the COP26 decision text remains vague as it only refers to a phase-down rather than phase-out of coal energy. Still, we consider this development as important to break the lock-ins of extractive industries. {If you want to support green energy projects in India you can do so through the offsetting function in our app}</li>
 <li>We have a lot in our own hands. While COP26 attracted the attention of the entire world, the real stars of the past two weeks were the thousands of people that gathered in the streets of Glasgow and other places around the globe to peacefully protest the lack of impactful climate action by our leaders. This demonstrates how important the voices of individuals are in changing not only the narrative but taking action in their own hands. At Twig, we believe that we as individuals in an all-time connected world should use our voice and deeds more purposefully to positively contribute to a sustainable future. This can be enabled by technological solutions that help to become a more conscious individual, e.g. by participating in petitions, measuring one’s own impact or supporting those regions and people that actually keep our planet in balance!</li>
 </ul>
 Twig enables you to participate in climate action and use your power as a consumer to change the system from the bottom up! Check out our app and start today :)
 Download on the <a class="au kt" href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/twig-your-bank-of-things/id1537416372" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">App Store</a> or <a class="au kt" href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.cartediem.app&amp;hl=en_GB&amp;gl=US" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">Google Play</a>
 Sources: <a class="au kt" href="https://climateactiontracker.org/press/Glasgows-one-degree-2030-credibility-gap-net-zeros-lip-service-to-climate-action/" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">Climate Action Tracker</a>, <a class="au kt" href="https://www.handelsblatt.com/politik/international/cop26-in-glasgow-kohleausstieg-finanzhilfen-waelder-das-wurde-auf-der-weltklimakonferenz-bisher-erreicht/27782260.html?ticket=ST-4032082-0a475DG0wzqwKHmfIAgj-cas01.example.org" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">Handelsblatt</a>, <a class="au kt" href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/can-indigenous-land-stewardship-protect-biodiversity-" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">National Geographic</a>, <a class="au kt" href="https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2021/11/11/cop-26-climate-future-520817" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">Politico</a>, <a class="au kt" href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nature18307" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">Rogeli et al., 2016</a>

What we learned from COP26 and how it promised a lot but once again failed to to deliver on the changes we need to halt global warming

Twig Takeaways from COP26

We show you how you can extend the life cycle of clothes and even track your impact
 Most of us have unused wealth literally lying around in our closets — in the form of clothes that we don’t want or need anymore. The increasing amount of unused clothes in our wardrobes is not only inefficient from a monetary point of view but also — and foremost — from a sustainability perspective. The 8th of October is <a class="au uo" href="https://worldcirculartextilesday.com/wctd-2021/" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">World Circular Textiles Day</a> on which circularity advocates in the fashion community come together to discuss the upcoming challenges on the industry’s road towards sustainable and circular practices. Initiatives like these are much needed because today the fashion industry is in dramatic imbalance.
 The fashion industry is one of the most polluting industries in the world
 <img alt="" src="/images/blog/blog4/0_AvVzySCx4NL3h1t9.jpeg" />
 The global fashion industry is responsible for 10% of global CO2 emissions. This is more than international flights and maritime shipping combined. Furthermore, the industry uses as much water in one year (e.g. in cotton farming or dyeing) as the consumption needs of countries the size of Ireland or Finland. Not only water conservation but also water quality is deteriorating. 20% of the entire global wastewaters are by-products from fabric treatment and 500,000 tons of plastic microfibers (e.g. from polyester) are dumped in the ocean each year — the equivalent of 50bn plastic bottles. Further causes of environmental harm that are caused at fashion items’ end of life include incinerateíon or disposal in landfills which pollute our earth and air and are still by far the dominant final destination for fibers that are used in clothing.
 Individuals’ need to be empowered and their activism must become measurable 
 <img alt="" src="/images/blog/blog4/0_6wuWyPeOim3Wt6Y5.png" />
 As the industry largely fails to turn these trends around consumers’ roles become increasingly
 important. The above facts and figures sound overwhelming and — frankly — abstract from an individual consumer’s point of view. So, one starts to wonder how we as consumers can have a measurable impact to counteract the negative trends that we observe in the fashion industry during the last 10–20 years.
 At Twig, we take these issues very seriously and make it our mission to enable our users to lead a sustainable — circular — lifestyle. Twig is built based on the principles of the circular economy and therefore aims to increase the valuable lifetime of clothes in order to reduce the carbon, water and waste footprints of fashion goods. Studies have shown that by reselling 1kg of clothes, around 25kg of CO2 emissions and around 1,000l of water can be saved which would have been used to produce new items otherwise. These numbers are already adjusted by the additional/new impacts that occur to enable the re-use of the items (shipment, quality control, warehouse operations etc.).
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 <img alt="" src="/images/blog/blog4/0_PpiBy0au-f18VBMm.png" />
 <figcaption>Twig App Screen</figcaption>
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 Twig facilitates the exchange of unwanted or unneeded clothes by providing our users with a potential reselling value of the products (i.e. real-time prices) and enabling them to instantly sell them through our app. In due course, we are launching a feature that even lets you pay for new products or services with your unwanted or unneeded items. Through an “Impact passport” users shall be able to continuously track their contributions to the environment — each re-sell at a time! This puts us in a position to track our environmental activism and brings much needed transparency into the global fashion industry.
 It is also about conscious consumption/usage and social responsibility
 Even if the above is a great way to contribute to the re-circulation of goods, we also want to emphasise that the use phase, i.e. how well we take care of the clothes we own and love is a decisive factor in a sustainable/circular fashion system. Especially in industrialised/developed countries, the number of times that people wear their clothes has been declining since the 2000s. At the same time, the production of new clothes is increasing. Clothing items usually last 100–200 wears but there are estimations that many pieces are only worn 7 to 10 times before they are discarded. Furthermore, the times we wash our clothing as well as the programs we choose are often unsustainable. Often, cold washing programs suffice to properly clean our clothes — as long as we are not talking about your sweaty sports socks.
 <ul><li>Buy quality over quantity</li></ul>
 Quality over quantity is the golden rule for a lot of areas — but we celebrate it especially in clothes. Purchasing an investment item can save the environment as you will be able to wear it countless times before it starts to look overworn, lose its shape and fray (just a couple of things that fast fashion items present within days of wearing) and you will also look great! Shopping with a quality over quantity mindset can also save your pocket. Buying low quality items often means you have to make purchases often, even though a small price tag here and there does not seem like much — it will add up to more than one quality piece will cost over time.
 <ul><li>Avoid buying clothes because of trends — switch to a more sustainable wardrobe</li></ul>
 Trends, especially in recent years where social media creates and leads the majority of these trends are fast spreading and extremely short. We urge our readers to understand the damage that these rapid trends can cause and how we should avoid entertaining these trends and keeping up with them. Switching to a more sustainable wardrobe can firstly and foremostly help reduce the amount of underage and underpaid textile workers as well as reducing environmental damages. It can also give you a better relationship with your wardrobe as you learn to cherish and use your clothing items in a smarter and more reusable way.
 Last, but surely not least we want to mention the social responsibility that our clothing gives to us. Most of the world’s apparel is still produced in developing countries and we believe it is up to each of us to ensure that the fashion industry also supports marginalised and socially deprived communities. Therefore, we collaborate with donation partners to whom we donate a share of the products that we receive from our customers. For this, we are in touch with <a class="au kc" href="https://www.oxfam.org.uk/" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">Oxfam</a>, <a class="au kc" href="https://www.bhf.org.uk/" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">British Heart Foundation</a> or <a class="au kc" href="https://www.salvationarmy.org/" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">The Salvation Army</a>. We also plan to enable our users to choose to directly donate a share of their selling price or their clothing items to our partners through our app.
 Sources: <a class="au kc" href="https://www.cleanup.org.au/top-10-ways-to-reuse-reduce-and-recycle-your-clothes" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">cleanup.org</a>, <a class="au kc" href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/03/170314092800.htm?utm_source=Newsletter+Subscriptions&amp;utm_campaign=08c2ff5a7a-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2017_03_09&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=0_37e3f8691b-08c2ff5a7a-264288557&amp;" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">Chalmer University</a>, <a class="au kc" href="https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2019/09/23/costo-moda-medio-ambiente" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">The World Bank</a>, <a class="au kc" href="https://emf.thirdlight.com/link/2axvc7eob8zx-za4ule/@/preview/1?o" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">Ellen MacArthur Foundation</a>, <a class="au kc" href="https://cdn-static.farfetch-contents.com/content/UP/PRODUCTION/LANDING-PAGES/SUSTAINABILITY-CALC/Understanding%20the%20Environmental%20Savings%20of%20Pre-owned_Farfetch%20Report%202020.pdf" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">Farfetch</a>, <a class="au kc" href="https://cf-assets-tup.thredup.com/about/pwa/thredUP-Clothing-Lifecycle-Study.pdf" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">GreenStory</a>

Learn what has put the fashion industry at the top of the biggest climate offenders list and how you can reduce your fashion footprint

Sustainable Actions for a Climate-Friendly Lifestyle

<a href="http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/1402118/icode/#:~:text=The%20report%2C%20%22Greenhouse%20Gas%20Emissions,all%20human%2Dcaused%20GHG%20emissions." rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">Food systems are responsible for 33% of human-caused emissions.</a>
 What can you do to reduce this?
 <img alt="" src="/images/blog/blog5/0_6tK7I-R461xFyHvZ.jpeg" />
 At Twig, we stand by making sustainability a lifestyle. We want to educate and provide a platform for you, our users, where we present ways how to make a sustainable lifestyle accessible for everyone.
 What does ‘sustainable food’ even mean?
 Firstly, sustainability does not have one cut out description. The gist that we go by at Twig is to ensure that we prevent further damage to our Earth by reducing our own environmental footprint and not going above the capacity of the Earth to replace the resources we use.
 Secondly, sustainable food also does not have one straightforward definition. For food to be sustainable, many elements of global food systems such as the farming techniques, animal feed production, changes in land use, transport, packaging as well as social impacts along supply chains need to be considered. Only then, we can ensure that the products that we consume cause as little harm to the environment and society as possible.
 We are all aware by now that being vegan and/or eating more plant-based products is better for the environment — but how much does this really help in comparison to eating animal-based food?
 A recent study that was published in <a class="au kc" href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43016-021-00358-x?proof=tNature" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">Nature Food</a> last week found that greenhouse gas emissions from animal-based foods are twice as high as those of plant-based foods. To help us understand the impact these products have, the following data compares the global emissions of animal- and plant-based food products.
 Annual global emissions from the highest contributing animal and plant-based foods
 <img alt="" src="/images/blog/blog5/0_cBKAbcJTxOByGq4D.jpeg" />
 The above list shows the significant differences between animal- and plant-based food which does indeed emphasise the fact that — individually and collectively — reducing our intake of animal-based products can have a considerable impact on global carbon emissions. This becomes even more evident when considering that more than one third of all global emissions are generated in the food industry.
 What else can we do to be more sustainable in our eating choices?
 <h4>Eat Local and support transparent businesses</h4>
 <img alt="" src="/images/blog/blog5/0_UIKODMuIWDiV67Sd.jpeg" />
 Transport is an extraordinarily polluting aspect of human life as global climate change research sufficiently showed. Although essential, there have been ways to reduce the carbon emissions from transport.For instance, companies can use more eco-friendly modes of transport and individuals can purchase carbon offsetting subscriptions such as our Twig one (currently the cheapest on the market — click here to download our app, <a class="au kc" href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.cartediem.app&amp;hl=en_GB&amp;gl=US" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">Google Play</a> and <a class="au kc" href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/twig-your-bank-of-things/id1537416372" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">App Store</a>)
 Globalisation has meant that in many economies, especially more economically advanced ones such as the UK, we have an extortionate amount of food options on our doorstep. From restaurants to actual goods in supermarkets, our choices are pretty much limitless. Although it is fantastic that we no longer need to travel to have these options, we should not forget that in most cases this means that the food itself has travelled to us.
 So far, companies are not obliged to disclose all the steps in the supply chain and modes of transport but an increasing number of organisations are choosing (or at least pledging) to do so. This allows customers to make more conscious decisions in their shopping behaviour and inform themselves about e.g. the working conditions in the respective areas of origin.
 To lower the negative impacts that modern, international food production systems have on climate change, a key solution is to shop and eat locally. The less your food has travelled, the better.
 You can eat local and integrate this lifestyle in many of the following ways:
 <ol>
 <li>Buy your fruit and vegetables at your local farmers market. Supermarkets often have products that have travelled from all over the world to reach you, farmers markets not only support small farmers and independent businesses, but it is highly likely that they grew somewhere not too far from your home and use more sustainable farming techniques that maintain local ecosystems.You may also realise that the food just tastes much better.</li>
 <li>Check the label. If your market options are limited, supermarkets do have a variety of UK based options. It may take a little longer, but checking the label of where your essentials are from could save a lot of emissions from polluting our Earth. If some of your favourite brands do not disclose sufficient information about their products’ origin, make sure to reach out to them (e.g. via social media) and demand that information.If the UK is not an option for your shopping list, make sure to choose the next closest place.</li>
 <li>Learn what is in season. In order to shop locally, knowledge on what grows in your area at what time of the year is key. In the UK, we are fortunate enough to have pretty much every type of fruit, vegetable and so on available all year round, but this naturally is not the case. Once you understand the cycle of food growth, you will be able to know what you should buy, when.</li>
 <li id="7de9" class="kx ky ih jg b jh aef jl aeg jp aeh jt aei jx aej kb aee ld le lf gi" data-selectable-paragraph="">Plant your own garden. Whether you have garden space at home or not, there are a range of different communal gardens where you can plant your own fruit and vegetables all over the UK. This can be a bonding activity with your local neighbours and nature, as well as a whole new skill for yourself. The RHS is providing a wide range of ideas and tips on how to grow your own garden and form a community around it — <a class="au kc" href="https://www.rhs.org.uk/get-involved/community-gardening/resources/community-garden" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">here</a></li>
 <li>Apart from the highly important benefit that eating local and promoting transparent supply chains contributes to sustainable food systems there are a few others which are great to keep in mind as extra encouragement. Small-scale farming promotes genetic diversity and healthy ecosystems, and the accountability of producers increases so that they need to actively pursue organic and environmentally-friendly practices.</li>
 </ol>
 Reducing food wastage
 <img alt="" src="/images/blog/blog5/0_dQRUGVuCvc_d4SWl.jpeg" />
 Whilst there is food scarcity in many parts of the world, consumers in developed countries such as the UK, throw away tonnes of food. This throwaway culture is something we at Twig are trying to combat and provide many solutions too.
 Reducing food wastage is something that can be done easily if you are willing to adapt at least a couple of the following routines:
 <ol>
 <li>Planning your meals. Purchasing groceries aimlessly and hoping you will find the courage and effort to cook a meal at home while using all of your ingredients often does not go as well as anticipated. Create weekly food plans and try to use up everything you have at home and create a shopping list that will be completely consumed.</li>
 <li>Be innovative with your cooking. There are so many parts of food that are rarely used once the main part of the ingredient has been taken. For example, the rim of parmesan and many other cheeses are often thrown away. These can be saved and added into soups, stews etc… to add flavour and reduce the amount of salt you have to add.</li>
 <li>Use your freezer. This is a wonderful way to make sure that leftovers of meals can be saved for another day or that your meat, fish etc… will be okay to eat another day.</li>
 <li>Blend, bake or boil. If your vegetables do not look too great, it does not mean they will taste bad. Choose another way to cook them and add them to a dish to ensure they are not thrown away.</li>
 <li>Add to your compost. Once you have established your little green farm spot (if you can) add food wastage to it, following guidelines, in order to let your fruits and veggies grow better and healthier. If you do not have a garden there is no reason to worry: an increasing amount of start-ups is offering hygienic and odourless home composting</li>
 </ol>
 Overall, food is a very personal yet complex part of everyone’s day. We understand that not every step we have shared can be immediately integrated into your lifestyles, yet if you start with a few, you will see that others can be easily added on, too. Keep in mind that food is something that we may waste or consume without putting too much thought into, but by doing so we miss a chance to help our planet and ourselves to be happy and healthy.
 Sources:
 Xu, et al., 2021, “Global greenhouse gas emissions from animal-based foods are twice those of plant-based foods”; Guardian, 2021
 <a class="au kc" href="https://www.newfoodmagazine.com/article/145766/sustainable-food-brands-reap-benefits/" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">New Food Magazine</a> (2021)

At Twig, we stand by making sustainability a lifestyle. We want to educate and provide a platform for you, our users, where we present ways how to make a sustainable lifestyle accessible for everyone.

International Awareness Day of Food Loss and Waste

<div>
 <img alt="" src="/images/blog/blog6/0_e7NKVEAJY0dSDwia.png" />
 <figcaption class="kr ec fq fo fp ks kt bo b bp bq br" data-selectable-paragraph=""><a class="au kc" href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/2020-on-track-to-rank-in-the-top-5-hottest-years-on-record/" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">Photo Source: Getty Images</a></figcaption>
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 Twig was established in 2020, tied with 2016, it was the hottest year ever recorded. The escalation of climate change in recent years is why Twig came to life. Our core purpose and key motivator in everything we do is to aim to reduce carbon emissions and invite individuals to make their lives as sustainable as possible.
 To put it into perspective, the Earth’s average temperature has risen more than 2 degrees fahrenheit since the 1880s. <a class="au kc" href="https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/2020-tied-for-warmest-year-on-record-nasa-analysis-shows" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">(Nasa, 2021)</a> The consequences of climate change are all factors we can visibly note and see in our surroundings, especially in recent events of floods and forest fires, in the UK and worldwide.
 Heat waves have been evident this summer, with temperatures in European countries reaching into 47 to 49 degrees celsius and heat waves evident in the UK even in September. In the UK, heat waves can be pleasant and surprising at times, but they can be extremely harmful to not our health (especially people with heart-related illness, respiratory disorders and so on) as well as to our wildlife and environment overall. The World Health Organization (WHO) has released a <a class="au kc" href="https://www.who.int/health-topics/heatwaves#tab=tab_1" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">report</a> stating that 166,000 people have died between 1998 to 2017 from extreme temperatures. With climate change only getting worse daily, this number is sure to be much higher at our current date.
 Rising temperatures have also been a key contributing factor to droughts and crop growth failures around the world in recent years. The UK has seen its worst drought in 40 years recently, the drought has been so terrible that the effects are seen from space as the country has gone from green to brown.
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 <img alt="" src="/images/blog/blog6/0_faXxdgWQUYmqdOyq.png" />
 <figcaption><a class="au kc" href="https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/environment-and-conservation/2021/05/the-wrong-kind-of-rain-why-britain-is-not-as-wet-as-we-think" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">Photo source: Shutterstock on National Geographic’s website</a></figcaption>
 </div>
 Another instance of a drought is in America. <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dennismersereau/2021/12/31/2020-saw-the-worst-drought-conditions-across-the-us-in-seven-years/?sh=6c1f767575ff" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">Forbes</a> reported that 2020 caused the worst drought condition recorded in seven years in the US. This report showed that more than almost 49% of America was in either a moderate drought condition or worse. This is the largest area of land a drought has affected since 2011 and 2013.
 With droughts becoming an ever more pressing issue, food supplies can decrease, causing a rise in exports and prices globally. Food shortages are not the only factor in which droughts can bring, they can kill wildlife living in these green spaces. Droughts are also one of the key causes of forest fires. Forest fires also kill wildlife, ruin their habitats and can harm human life.
 Trees are pretty much the superheroes of our environment. As mentioned in one of our <a class="au kc" rel="noopener" href="/@TwigOfficial/why-should-we-care-about-tree-planting-864a5b302e00">previous blogs</a>, they are one of the only things on Earth that can literally soak up our carbon emissions and provide us with fresh, clean air. We must aim to look after them and plant as many as we can.
 To add to droughts, high temperatures also cause the ever pressing issue of rising sea levels. This is a matter we have seen plastered all over the media around the world yet there is yet to be an intervention large enough to reduce the speed at which this is happening. A <a class="au kc" href="https://www.nasa.gov/specials/sea-level-rise-2020/" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">report by NASA</a> showed how the hottest year ever recorded, 2020 had an effect on sea height variations. In 2019, the sea height variations were recorded at 90.1 mm, while in April 2020 they rose to 99mm <a class="au kc" href="https://www.nasa.gov/specials/sea-level-rise-2020/" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">(Nasa, 2020)</a>. This vast change in such a short period of time creates a shock to surrounding land and habitats. Rising sea levels can destroy habitats of many animals (just about everyone has seen the struggling polar bears, clinging onto sheets of ice for dear life) to contaminate soil with salt, therefore, reducing fertility as well as also causing flooding.
 Although there are countless consequences of rising temperatures on Earth, we will finish this note by mentioning one of the most detrimental ones to our planet and the people and wildlife that inhabit it. These are storms. Storms in recent years have been more destructive than ever.
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 <img alt="" src="/images/blog/blog6/0_Qc0KKXBcg826Q7cj.png" />
 <figcaption>Photo Source: NASA</figcaption>
 </div>
 In 2020 there were 30 named storms (highest ever recorded), 13 hurricanes (second highest recorded), 6 major hurricanes (tied for second highest recorded) (<a class="au kc" href="https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2020/12/a-look-back-at-the-horrific-2020-atlantic-hurricane-center/" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">Yale Climate Connections, 2020</a>). It is clear that with being the hottest year ever recorded on Earth, 2020 was home to many devastating natural disasters, all the consequences of humans and our actions polluting the environment therefore causing temperatures to get out of hand and control. The 2020 hurricane season, not only were there so many, the sheer volume and the severity of them was just outstandingly high. These caused high levels of catastrophic human casualty as many were caught up in their homes, jobs and neighbourhoods unable to escape before or during the storms kicked off. These storms also caused financial casualty, where tens of billion of dollars of damage was caused, with irreplaceable memories and households torn down. (<a class="au kc" href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/10/devastating-2020-atlantic-hurricane-season-breaks-all-records" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">The Guardian, 2020</a>)
 So after not just reading, but living through these catastrophes, you may be thinking why is this all happening? What causes the Earth to get so hot?
 As our<a class="au kc" rel="noopener" href="/@TwigOfficial/why-should-we-care-about-tree-planting-864a5b302e00"> tree planting blog</a> has previously mentioned, deforestation is only speeding up and becoming more and more serious. Figures show that deforestation, in just one year, has increased by 12% from 2019 to 2020 (<a class="au kc" href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/mar/31/destruction-of-worlds-forests-increased-sharply-in-2020-loss-tree-cover-tropical" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">The Guardian, 2021</a>) These alarming figures should be at the forefront of all of our minds when consuming and considering ways in which we can help bring back the health of our planet. To add to that, updated figures show that 12.2 million hectares of tropical forest has been destroyed (<a class="au kc" href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/mar/31/destruction-of-worlds-forests-increased-sharply-in-2020-loss-tree-cover-tropical" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">The Guardian, 2021</a>) as well as places in Europe such as Germany.
 Not having forests and trees around the world is a problem, but what large corporations actually do with them is worse. Many get burnt for fuel, this releases C02 and harms our environment even more. Many others also get used in production for goods such as paper that need high levels of heat and other matters to create them, the whole process of which is harmful and polluting.
 Lastly, an issue that ties directly in with this one and is the most key problem when regarding climate change is the constant burning of fossil fuels. Although new, innovative and clean energy sources have been found, fossil fuels are still majorly used in everything from producing goods to travelling individually and to transporting goods and services around the world. This burning causes large amounts of carbon dioxide to be released into the atmosphere which makes the atmosphere layer even thicker, causing the health of our planet to deteriorate even further. To give an idea of how high these numbers are, in 2020, total C02 emission from fossil fuels in the UK was estimated at 301.5 Mt (<a class="au kc" href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/972583/2020_Provisional_emissions_statistics_report.pdf" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">BEIS, 2021</a>) and this is lower than usual as the demand for primary energy sources in the pandemic dropped by around 4%, but as we can see, it needs to be much lower than this in order to combat our rising temperatures.
 <div>
 <img alt="" src="/images/blog/blog6/0_rRzhlg_7Y_fLEPRB.png" />
 <figcaption><a href="https://airqualitynews.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/power-plant-2411932_1920.jpg" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">Photo source: Air Quality News</a></figcaption>
 </div>
 Overall, although the facts, figures and events may be daunting and seem overwhelming, there is something everybody can do to help reduce climate change. It is an ongoing issue which may not stop but we can be part of reducing how quickly climate change is happening and how much it is happening by. Twig’s products such as the cash out is one quick and easy way to contribute to the circular economy and be part of a sustainable movement. Our carbon offsetting subscription is not only the cheapest in the market but also a highly efficient way to compensate for the emissions that your lifestyle creates. With tree planting coming soon and other features being added to the app, there will soon be a large variety of ways that we can support you in making sustainability a lifestyle.

Twig was established in 2020, tied with 2016, it was the hottest year ever recorded. The escalation of climate change in recent years is why Twig came to life. Our core purpose and key motivator in everything we do is to aim to reduce carbon emissions and invite individuals to make their lives as sustainable as possible.

How Elevated Carbon Emissions are Quickly Heating up Planet Earth

<img alt="" src="/images/blog/blog7/hello-i-m-nik-vbfc9bco95m.jpeg" />
 It’s ‘Zero Waste Week’ this week and to spread awareness we’re writing about it!
 Zero Waste week was founded by Rachelle Strauss in 2008 and began as a national campaign in the United Kingdom. The term Zero Waste Week is now used by many organisations, groups and individuals not connected to the original campaign. Strauss first became interested in zero waste after being affected by the Boscastle flood of 2004. A freak weather event that she saw as the result of manmade climate change. In September 2008 Strauss launched the first Zero Waste Week with an internet campaign from her blog, to persuade people to reduce, reuse and recycle waste and it has now become an internationally recognised day with 73 countries taking part
 What is Zero Waste Week?
 Zero Waste Week is an international campaign which aims to increase recycling, reduce waste and participate in the circular economy.
 Zero Waste Week actively encourages people to reduce the use of synthetic materials and plastic packaging, and promotes plastic reuse and conscientious recycling to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill or for incineration.
 Zero Waste Week adopts the consensus that the place ‘away’ when we throw something away, causes harm and/or toxicity to the ecosystem. This campaign’s main directive is to bring awareness to people that we are all individually and collectively responsible for what we consume and that the short time of usefulness is only a small part of the overall lifecycle of any product.
 The long term goal of Zero Waste Week is to change the habits of people for the best including; generating more demand for sustainable products, to lobby producers and governmental decision makers and push these habits on to the upcoming generation to understand the importance of a sustainable earth.
 <div className="group-images">
 <img alt="" src="/images/blog/blog7/1_ZX2tTVntJHzGxJ9ZF3Xdfw.jpeg" />
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 How to get involved:
 There are numerous ways to get involved in Zero Waste Week and to help you get started we’ve compiled a list of small changes you can make now:
 <ol>
 <li>Swap to refillable/reusable products — This means no single use plastic such as plastic bottles or containers. No cleaning wipes that can’t be washed and reused and certainly no plastic packaging.</li>
 <li>Use plastic free shampoo and shower bars — This is such an easy swap in the bathroom and when you travel. We don’t need all that plastic in our bathroom and I’m sure many of us are guilty of not recycling it, so we have no excuse to not swap over especially with how accessible hard shampoo and shower bars are nowadays.</li>
 <li>Repair your clothing — It’s a good time to bust out your sewing kit and stitch that hole in your old top and if you don’t know how, it’s a good week to learn. Repairing old clothing is one of the best ways to reduce waste whilst also saving a lot of money.</li>
 <li>Sign up to the Zero Waste Week newsletter — The daily Zero Waste Week newsletter is packed with ideas and easy tips on how to go to zero waste.</li>
 <li>Follow the ZeroWasteWeek Hashtag on social media — There is definitely going to be a storm of tips and advice during this week and you’re guaranteed to find some plastic free brands. </li>
 <li>Go to a workshop — There are plenty of workshops that provide information on how you can reduce your waste, as well as free gifts and goodies to help you get started.</li>
 <li>Support zero waste and ethical brands — Understanding that the biggest changes can be made with your wallet is crucial. By supporting zero waste and ethical brands we’re helping to make a change by showing organisations that we care.</li>
 </ol>
 How Twig is helping:
 Twig is on a mission to tackle the amount of goods we throw away collectively, without questioning the value of those goods. With Twig, we want to work with our community to help them re-imagine the notion of wealth. We want to encourage our customers to be aware of their possessions, appreciate their value and ultimately power the circular economy with us.
 Twig provides the opportunity to power the circular as we buy your items from you and put it back into the economy. Regardless of the condition of the item, we want to ensure that there is as little waste as possible going into our landfills.
 By signing up to Twig and using our service you’re powering the circular economy and helping us create a better, sustainable future.

A few ways on how being mindful to choose more sustainable diet choices can significantly affect your impact on the planet

Understanding How Food Choices Affect Climate Change

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 <img alt="" src="/images/blog/blog8/0_Y3setOyO7ngvf5B6.png" />
 <figcaption>Deforestation Source: WorldAtlas</figcaption>
 </div>
 As climate change becomes an even more pressing issue than ever, sustainability is also becoming an increasingly important way of living. A sustainable lifestyle, in every aspect of its meaning, is one that we wholly support and embody here at Twig. It is who Twig is, our core and what we aim to offer to all of our users.
 The surge in individuals adopting a sustainable lifestyle has resulted in tree planting also becoming a trendy practise. We are seeing it cropping up everywhere from corporations doing it on behalf of their employees, by planting a tree per person to adopting international campaigns and offering tree planting whenever you book a flight, hotel etc….
 Just like carbon offsetting, there has been a clear global effort to welcome and utilise tree planting as a positive sustainable tool.
 The following article is us sharing what tree planting really is, the benefits of it and how you can do it in order to make integrating tree planting into your lifestyle as seamless as possible. At Twig, we are aware that many companies throw phrases such as tree planting and carbon offsetting around to greenwash to make themselves seem sustainable. Our approach is educative, we want our users to understand what this means, why it is important and to come along on our preventing climate change journey with us.
 What is tree planting?
 Tree planting is the act of employing local people in impoverished communities to make them the transformational agents of global reforestation. They are employed to plant and tend to, protect and restore these forest regions.
 Tree planting is one of many ways we can as individuals combat the escalating and ever more pressing issue of climate change here on Earth. Trees naturally absorb carbon, they take in the polluting emissions that accelerate climate change and release oxygen into the atmosphere.
 Trees are essentially our environmental superheros
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 <img src="/images/blog/blog8/0_CoXa__0e8yrxjSQY.png" />
 <figcaption>Trees as environmental superheros Source: Shutterstock</figcaption>
 </div>
 Why should I plant trees?
 As well as being a valuable employment mechanism and overall positive aspect against climate change, tree planting is also the ultimate solution to the alarmingly increasing issue of deforestation.
 Deforestation has been increasing over the years. This has been happening due to an array of different reasons. They range from industrial forest destruction to provide materials for goods such as paper as well as forest fires caused by high temperatures of climate change to the cutting down of trees by poverty stricken communities.
 Regions with high levels of deforestation tend to be ones that also have high levels of poverty and underdevelopment. These are where employment opportunities and infrastructure are terribly sparse. Poverty in these regions is the reason why there is an escalation to deforestation. These communities use the trees and ultimately have to destroy their surrounding environment in order to survive. They often cut down trees around them for fuel, heat, to build shelter and agricultural purposes. Although using trees is a short term solution for them, this causes vast short and long term issues and consequences for our planet and all humans and animals that inhabit it.
 Reversing what these communities do is just one reason why you should consider tree planting. Planting trees will not just provide a cleaner environment for us, but it will create employment opportunities for these communities. Employment opportunities can prevent the individuals in these poor regions from using trees in the many ways that they already do as they will have the means to purchase other materials and have alternative ways of living.
 Although consuming limited resources responsibly is one way to reduce deforestation by corporations, planting trees is another easier and quicker way to do so. As mentioned and as one can see all around us, trees are a raw material used in the production of many things that a range of companies sell to consumers. From paper that is used by the ton a day internationally, to furniture to sustainable alternatives such as paper straws, these are all in the works of making our green spaces disappear.
 The impact of planting trees is drastic. Deforestation does not just come along with more polluted air, but factors such as severe flooding, something we are already experiencing close to home, in the UK, erosion, and desertification. Longer term causes of deforestation are even more catastrophic environmental issues. The benefits of it are preventing, reducing or even avoiding the issues that have been previously listed. Tree planting is also a way to reduce extreme poverty and help communities that do not have viable employment opportunities in their regions. It connects people that are tucked away from civilization to ones that are through technology and gives them a chance to be able to live a better and more sustainable life too.
 How can I plant a tree
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 <img alt="" src="/images/blog/blog8/0_dZlDB4gBQ9io13_E.png" />
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 Tree planting will be available on the Twig app in due course with our chosen partners being <a class="au kc" href="https://edenprojects.org/" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">Eden Reforestation Projects</a>. You will be able to have a whole tree be planted for you, be tended to and have grown in different parts of the world from a few taps of our app.
 This is something we have been working on for a while and will be with you very shortly…
 Keep your Twig app updated and watch this space.

As climate change becomes an even more pressing issue than ever, sustainability is also becoming an increasingly important way of living.

Why should we care about ‘Tree Planting’?

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 <img alt="" src="/images/blog/blog9/1_1gEruGTsD01zuhWAtObHzA.png" />
 <figcaption>Forest fires caused by rising temperatures in Greece</figcaption>
 </div>
 Carbon emissions have long been a hot topic of discussion for the past decade with scientists becoming increasingly concerned about the impact it is having on the environment.
 The recent IPCC report has affirmed these concerns with scientists now suggesting that the impact of carbon emissions is greater than we initially thought to be. On the flip side, this means that initiatives planned to reduce the Earth’s carbon and greenhouse emissions will likely have a larger effect at getting our climate back into shape.
 But, how much damage will carbon emissions cause if we are too slow to react?
 This question was repeatedly brought up by scientists and activists to encourage organisations and individuals to take immediate action. For starters,there will be incidents of severe weather across the globe . These are already being felt with extreme fires in countries such as Turkey, Greece and so on, devastating villages and entire cities. We even experienced a measure of this in the recent floods, close to home, here in London.
 Perhaps one of the more bizarre but frightening consequences of not taking immediate action will be shrinking water supplies. As climate change is expected to increase rainfall in some areas, more sediment and pollutants will be washed into drinking water supplies. Rising sea levels will also cause saltwater to infiltrate some freshwater systems, increasing the need for desalination and drinking water treatment. These are just some examples of the impact carbon emissions have on us and the environment.
 So, the key question now is what can you do as an individual?
 What is carbon offsetting?
 Much of the blame and pressure has been put on large organisations to reduce their emissions and rightly so with the majority of greenhouse gasses being emitted by them.
 Have you wondered what you and I as individuals can do?
 I’m sure many of us have seen the word “carbon offsetting” or phrases like “offset your carbon when making this purchase” but what does it actually mean and can it help us in the fight against climate change?
 To put it simply, carbon offsetting is a process that involves a reduction in emissions of carbon dioxide in order to compensate for, or to offset an emission already made elsewhere. In practical terms this would either be a method used to reduce the amount of carbon emitted during a certain process e.g. using electric vehicles when shipping an item or by increasing carbon storage through land restoration or by planting trees. Should this happen on a large scale with organisations also getting involved then the impact could be enough to negate any possible further damage as well as revert back parts of our damaged climate.
 More recent carbon offsetting schemes have also begun moving towards energy-based projects which are designed to make quicker and more permanent savings than planting trees, and, as a bonus, to offer social benefits. Efficient cooking stoves, for instance, can help poor families save money on fuel and improve their household air quality — a very real benefit in many developing countries.
 As an individual offsetting your carbon has become easier than ever with a simple click of a button you could subscribe to a plan that will offset your carbon for you. It’s become even easier with the advent of companies that solely focus on providing services that contribute to ‘green investments’ and reducing the emissions of greenhouse gasses. Thus, it is becoming harder and harder to have an excuse not to do your part in contributing to the environment.
 Does it work?
 Here I’ll raise and answer the question you probably have been asking yourself whilst reading this…
 Does this actually work?
 You may have seen and heard a lot of controversy about carbon offsetting schemes as they seem to be popping up left, right and centre with some companies charging an exorbitant amount for a subscription plan and every single retailer seemingly having a scheme to offset your carbon with your purchase, with many questioning whether they work.
 Some critics like George Monboit, a British writer and activist, famously compared carbon offsetting to ancient practices of absolving sins by making financial donations arguing that carbon offsets allow us to “buy complacency, political apathy and self-satisfaction”, Monbiot claimed. “Our guilty consciences are appeased, we continue to fill up our SUVs and fly round the world without the least concern about our impact on the planet … it’s like pushing the food around on your plate to create the impression that you have eaten it.”
 But the point Monbiot makes relates less to the actual schemes itself and more towards human behavior, should you and I subscribe to a scheme only to then go produce more carbon as our guilty conscience is appeased, then our efforts are in vain. Organisations that provide offsetting subscriptions point out that many subscribers don’t just subscribe and not take further action but are actively finding ways to reduce their carbon emissions themselves. For example, reusing clothing, insulating their homes, switching to renewable energy or even cycling to work. The point of the carbon offsetting scheme is to make an impact elsewhere in the world, it is also in a way making a financial commitment to the planet and ensuring that you’re ‘voting with your wallet’ for a change.
 Should you subscribe?
 So, then the main question now focuses on whether you should subscribe and to answer that I say, yes. Yes you should.
 It is for the simple reason that as climate change becomes more and more apparent one of the most effective ways we can make an impact in stopping it is by supporting these projects that are wanting to make a change. We should not be looking for ways to appease our guilt but we should be finding any and every way to ensure something is being done about our planet.
 At Twig we’ve had many questions about our cheap price point of ‘just’ £5. Whilst £5 may make you question whether such a small amount will have any impact, just remember two things; strength in numbers and currency exchange. Whilst one person giving £5 may not do much, just imagine what 100,000 people giving £5 per month could do whilst also realising that £5 in countries where most offsetting schemes are located is a considerable amount of money.
 Shameless Plug
 As part of our carbon offsetting scheme we at Twig carefully selected three projects which we believe will make a difference to our environment by either providing: alternative forms of energy, reducing carbon emissions or providing benefits to underprivileged communities:
 The Envira Amazonia Project:
 Located near the city of Feijo in the state of Acre, Brazil the Envira Amazonia project seeks to mitigate the release of more than 12.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions. Whilst also preserving the habitat for an extraordinary amount of biodiversity and directly benefiting the local community through providing employment opportunities and agricultural training.
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 <img alt="" src="/images/blog/blog9/1_7OQgD6Xp05PoA_dpUtlkog.png" />
 <figcaption>Envira Amazonia Project</figcaption>
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 Vishnuprayag Hydro-electric Project:
 In the Uttrakhand State in India, the Vishnuprayag project aims to provide India with an alternative form of renewable energy, as 70% of power in the northern grid of India is obtained by fossil fuel-based power plants. Ths 400 MW hydro-electric project uses kinetic energy created by constant movement of water to provide renewable energy without producing any emissions, while also reducing specific pollutants such as SOx, NOx and SPM.
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 <img alt="" src="/images/blog/blog9/1_4PwREJLPZ3tS49l67aewOA.png" />
 <figcaption>Vishnuprayag Hydroelectric Project</figcaption>
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 3 MW Hydro Power Project:
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 <img alt="" src="/images/blog/blog9/1_xIbFKyg0EORy2-jauhSRCA.png" />
 <figcaption>3 MW Hydro Power Project</figcaption>
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 In the state of Himachai Pradesh, India the 3 MW Hydro Power project provides a sustainable source of renewable energy which does not require the displacement of people nor the establishment of a dam. While providing environmental and community benefits. It aims to reduce nearly 165,000 metric tonnes of CO2 emissions over the first ten years and promote business and infrastructure development for the local community.
 If you’d like to take part in helping these projects and making a difference then sign up to Twig and subscribe to our carbon offsetting scheme to make the world a cleaner and better place.

Carbon emissions have long been a hot topic of discussion for the past decade with scientists becoming increasingly concerned about the impact it is having on the environment.

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