EASY STEPS TO BECOMING ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY

EASY STEPS TO BECOMING MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY

With the ever-increasing threat of climate change, being environmentally conscious is really important. Here are five easy ways to reduce waste, and improve sustainability in Manchester.

Reduce, reuse, recycle

We’ve all been told since we were children to reduce, reuse, recycle, but some find this hard when they’re away from home. Some student halls may have accessible, easy recycling facilities but some, sadly, do not. The first thing to do is look at buying separate recycling bins, which makes it super easy to separate your glass, plastic, and cardboard.

One way to reduce the amount of recycling you need to do is to reduce your waste. There are loads of easy solutions like buying bars of soap to reduce single-use plastic packaging. Reducing consumption of things like soft drinks will not only be healthier for you, but it also decreases waste dramatically. Tap water

Obvious for some, but many people don’t drink water that isn’t pre-bottled in plastic packaging. This love affair with bottled water is not only expensive (up to 500 times more expensive than tap water!), it is also incredibly wasteful. If you strongly dislike tap water then a water filter may be a good option, and buying a reusable water bottle will help reduce your plastic bottle usage!

Lower your carbon footprint

You may be thinking ‘How do I reduce my carbon footprint?’ - and that’s a good question. ‘Carbon footprint’ is defined as “the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere by a person, group or company”. Easy minor changes such as taking showers instead of baths, switching lights off, and monitoring heating and air conditioning help to reduce your personal carbon footprint.

Taking public transport is easy in Manchester. We’ve got buses that run through Rusholme and Fallowfield 24/7, frequent trams and trains that serve wider parts of Greater Manchester. There are also cycle lanes throughout the city, making cycling a safer, healthy and environmentally conscious mode of transport.

Reducing food waste by planning your meals each week is not only cheaper and quicker in the long run, it also reduces plastic waste and can help you bond with housemates. Cook together and freeze leftovers!

CHECKLIST FOR THE CITY

It’s easy to move to a new city and get lost in the student bubble. That’s understandable - there’s loads to keep you busy as a student here in Manchester. But there’s also a lot more to do and see outside of Hulme, Fallowfield and Withington! Take a look at our top picks of must-visit places in this great city.

Affleck’s Palace Affleck’s Palace is an indoor market located in the Northern Quarter. It’s full of loads of independent shops, boutiques and stalls focusing on alternative and vintage items. There are even a few cafes, perfect for grabbing a milkshake or a coffee during an afternoon shop. A Manchester icon.

National Football Museum The National Football Museum is free to all City of Manchester residents, making this a perfect place to go and check out on a budget. It’s ideal for football fanatics and casual fans alike with four floors of exhibition space. The first floor features exhibitions on the history of the game, the England national team, stadiums, clubs and players while the second floor is more interactive, offering you an opportunity to show off your football skills in a variety of different games including a virtual penalty shoot out.

Manchester Art Gallery Hosting a variety of local and international exhibits, from historical collections to contemporary art, Manchester has a worldclass gallery right on our doorstep. Free and open to all, the gallery is accessible by bus or Metrolink and is well worth a few visits as the exhibitions change throughout the year.

The Whitworth The Whitworth is one of the city’s must-see cultural destinations. The gallery features an art garden, sculpture terrace and orchard garden, alongside modern spaces that embrace the park, such as a landscape gallery and a café in the trees.

Chetham’s Library The oldest public library in the Englishspeaking world, and maybe one of the most beautiful, too. The building dates back to 1421 and began building its book collection back in 1655. There’s free admission for visitors, just book on their site, though they do suggest a donation of at least £3.

Trafford Centre The largest shopping centre in the North West. There’s pretty much anything and everything you could want in here: loads of shops, a cinema, an aquarium, mini-golf, laser quest, arcades and a huge amount of places to eat and drink once you’ve tired yourself out. Fletcher Moss Botanical Garden Manchester has so much going on in the city that sometimes it’s nice to escape it all and enjoy a bit of greenery. Fletcher Moss Park in Didsbury has a beautiful botanical garden, and the park leads onto the River Mersey, perfect for a stroll when you’re in need to relax.