Our planet is on a precipice. In the past century alone, the climate of countries across the globe has warmed consistently, giving rise to extreme weather events and a decline in rainfall. The danger is that we are at a turning point from which, if we do nothing now, there’s no going back. To avoid climate catastrophe in the coming years, it’s essential that we all act, and soon.
Thankfully, more people are starting to get the memo. As such, we’re seeing more environmentally friendly action from people and businesses worldwide. Here are some of 2022’s major sustainability trends that will continue shaping the future.
Thankfully, more people are starting to get the memo. As such, we’re seeing more environmentally friendly action from people and businesses worldwide. Here are some of 2021’s major sustainability trends that will continue shaping the future.
1. Climate change education
The UN has said that education is “key” in addressing and combating climate change. There is a drive to inform young people about what is happening to the environment and what we can do to change it.
From teachers in schools to weather presenters with large followings, the push to educate is happening on all fronts. And as we move forwards, there is potential for climate education to become a standardized part of school curricula, too.
2. Electric cars
Beyond making it clear what’s at stake to those who will inherit the world from us, there are more practical steps we can take to reign in climate change. Electric cars have been growing in popularity, and for this reason, designed to be far more eco-friendly than cars powered by internal combustion engines.
High-tech, powerful models like the Tesla Model 3 and Hyundai Ioniq Electric can travel hundreds of kilometers on a single charge and run with maximum efficiency. They also don’t pollute as they drive, meaning they are much greener on all fronts.
3. Corporations and their climate risks
Did you know that just 100 companies, including Shell and ExxonMobil, have been responsible for 71% of greenhouse gas emissions since 1988? As people become increasingly aware of large corporations’ role in exacerbating the climate crisis, more accountability is likely to be demanded.
Consumers are already opting to shop with businesses that put the environment first. Companies that don’t publish their climate risks and put a plan to mitigate their harm are going to lose out on business. We might also expect to see political action leading the call for answerability in the future.
4. Smartphones and sustainability
Smartphones are amazing things, allowing us to store and access unimaginable amounts of information daily. Resultantly, we will see smartphone apps step in, helping people at home in their push to be more sustainable.
There are already apps fighting food waste that show consumers how environmentally friendly their purchases are. As time passes, more significant numbers of us will probably have more of these at our fingertips.
Another sustainable solution that smartphones have brought to us is QR code scanners. QR codes have been around for while, but the recent pandemic has seen their adoption boost as they were one of the most viable contactless solutions. With the rise of QR codes, everybody could access information easily by scanning them with their smartphone cameras, and this helped many businesses to go paperless. Using dynamic QR code generators to create dynamic QR codes is one of the most sustainable and feasible forms of QR code solutions as the same QR code can be used for multiple destinations just by changing the target destination whenever required.
5. Plant-based power
There is more choice for people on a plant-based diet than there ever has been, as food manufacturers and restaurateurs wise up to the fact that being vegan isn’t a fad. A diet devoid of animal products is being adopted by many people worldwide.
Even in a country full of meat-lovers, veganism has gained traction, with only the UK beating us in terms of the popularity of this eco-friendly diet.
6. The great outdoors
The coronavirus lockdown took away a great deal of choice from our everyday lives, as mingling between friends and favorite indoor pastimes suddenly became off-limits. People began to lace up their walking boots and explore nature to pass the time.
In other words, nature is more important to the average person now than ever. Combine that with our rising awareness of climate change, and it’s a safe bet that we will see people fight for the planet’s future harder and more passionately than ever before.
