In the face of wildfires, deforestation, oceanic pollution and melting sea ice, knowing how to effectively reduce your environmental impact can be a challenge.
It goes without saying that minimising anthropogenic damage is a collective effort, but the sheer magnitude of our current climate situation is enough to make people bury their heads in the sand. Saving the planet may seem an impossible task, but if everyone made small steps in their day-to-day life to be more conscious of the environment, slowly but surely an impact will be made.
Where to begin?
Humans are certainly creatures of comfort, but being conscious of the planet does not mean having to adopt an ascetic lifestyle. Instead of cutting out certain luxuries, such as clothes, simply being wary about where they’re coming from is vastly impactful.
Fast fashion is infamous for its environmental footprint, its labour exploitation and its waste. According to a recent report from the House of Commons,[i] the UK buys more clothes per person (26.7 kg) than any other country in Europe. As estimated by WRAP, one of the globe’s leading sustainability charities, around £140 million worth of clothing goes to landfill every year. The water footprint of fast fashion is similarly shocking – “the total water footprint of clothing in active use in the UK in 2016, including the water consumed overseas to make our clothes, was 8 million m3 of water,” reported WRAP.[ii]
Thankfully, fast fashion’s impact on the environment is widely acknowledged by many fashion brands, with a number of them striving to reduce their environmental effect in the years to come. Second-hand fashion has become increasingly mainstream, with platforms such as Depop, Ebay and Vestiaire Collective growing in popularity. With rising distrust in fashion brands, going down the second-hand route is proving much more environmentally sustainable, as well as more cost-effective for many individuals.
What about the things we need?
What we consume also has implications for the planet. Food production, transport and packaging impacts greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity and plastic and food waste.[iii]
It is reputed that vegetarian and vegan diets are more sustainable not just for health, but for the planet too. As noted by a recent study,[iv] rearing animals for food has caused eutrophication, acidification, freshwater withdrawal, deforestation and climate change. Thus, many people within the UK have adopted either a vegetarian or vegan diet (reportedly 2-3% of the population)[v] prompted by environmental and animal concerns.
However, these diets are not always feasible for every individual, nor are they necessarily wholly sustainable. An Italian study[vi] researching the environmental impact of omnivorous, ovo-lacto-vegetarian and vegan diets noted that “some vegetarians and vegans have higher environmental impacts than those of some omnivores”. In fact, two vegan participants had extremely high environmental impacts, which was characterised by their sole consumption of fruits. The researchers concluded that educating people on how to make small changes in their diet, such as purchasing locally-grown, reared and seasonal products, could help them to make better environmentally-friendly choices.
Sustainability and hygiene
Making more appropriate choices regarding household and hygiene products is another small, but effective way to help the planet. Items such as soap, shampoo, wet wipes, cleaning products and oral health products are vital for everyday human hygiene, but certain materials in these items can be detrimental to the environment.
However, a recent survey[vii] found that 43% of consumers are actively opting for sustainable options, choosing brands due to their environmental values. Due to this shift of consumer perspective, brands are making positive changes and are now offering sustainable options. For example, environmentally-friendly dental products are becoming prevalent in the market. Bamboo in particular has become a popular material for toothbrushes and interdental brushes, being more environmentally sustainable than their traditional solutions.[viii]
As a dental professional, you’ll want to ensure that your patient is adequately caring for their oral health at home. Patients who want to make small steps to lessen their impact on the planet shouldn’t have to compromise their oral health. Fortunately, they don’t have to.
Green products, great oral health
Arm & Hammer™ is proud to offer the UK’s first 100% recyclable toothpaste range. Powered by baking soda, The Arm & Hammer™ 100% Natural Whitening Protection and the Arm & Hammer™ 100% Natural Gum Protection toothpastes are gentle on the tooth enamel, but are effective in removing up to 3 times more plaque than non-baking soda toothpastes. The Arm & Hammer™ formula disperses swiftly throughout the oral cavity, cleaning deep between the teeth and below the gumline. Plus, the carton, tube and cap are 100% recyclable!
The planet is encumbered with environmental crises upon crises, so much so that many patients may feel doubtful about whether they can make a big enough impact. However, starting small is a great way to establish better environmental habits and move towards a sustainable and greener future.
For more information about the carefully formulated Arm & Hammer™ toothpaste range, please visit https://www.armandhammer.co.uk/ or email: ukenquiries@churchdwight.com
Arm & Hammer 100% Natural Baking Soda Toothpaste range can now be purchased from Boots, Amazon and Superdrug, with further stockists following.
Author:
Helen Astill is qualified as a dental hygienist and holds a BSc (Hons) in applied science / nutritional therapy. She Currently works at two dental practices in Dorset along with working part time as a registered vaccinator and a professional educator for Waterpik.
[i] Environmental Audit Committee (2019). Fixing fashion: clothing consumption and sustainability – Environmental Audit Committee. [online] Parliament.uk. Available at: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201719/cmselect/cmenvaud/1952/full-report.html [Accessed 4 Mar. 2022].
[ii] WRAP (2017). Valuing our clothes: The cost of UK fashion | WRAP. [online] wrap.org.uk. Available at: https://wrap.org.uk/resources/report/valuing-our-clothes-cost-uk-fashion [Accessed 3 Mar. 2022].
[iii] d’Angelo, C., Gloinson, E.R., Draper, A. and Guthrie, S. (2020). Food consumption in the UK: Trends, attitudes and drivers. [online] www.rand.org. Available at: https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR4379.html. [Accessed 3 Mar. 2022].
[iv] Bryant, C.J. (2019). We Can’t Keep Meating Like This: Attitudes towards Vegetarian and Vegan Diets in the United Kingdom. Sustainability, [online] Available at: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/11/23/6844/htm [Accessed 3 Mar. 2022].
[v] Vegetarian Society. (n.d.). Facts and Figures | The Vegetarian Society. [online] Available at: https://vegsoc.org/info-hub/facts-and-figures/ [Accessed 3 Mar. 2022].
[vi] Rosi, A., Mena, P., Pellegrini, N., Turroni, S., Neviani, E., Ferrocino, I., Di Cagno, R., Ruini, L., Ciati, R., Angelino, D., Maddock, J., Gobbetti, M., Brighenti, F., Del Rio, D. and Scazzina, F. (2017). Environmental impact of omnivorous, ovo-lacto-vegetarian, and vegan diet. Scientific Reports, [online] Available at: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-06466-8 [Accessed 3 Mar. 2022].
[vii] Deloitte United Kingdom. (n.d.). Sustainable Consumer. [online] Available at: https://www2.deloitte.com/uk/en/pages/consumer-business/articles/sustainable-consumer-2020.html. [Accessed 4 March 2022]
[viii] Lyne, A., Ashley, P., Saget, S., Porto Costa, M., Underwood, B. and Duane, B. (2020a). Combining evidence-based healthcare with environmental sustainability: using the toothbrush as a model. British Dental Journal, [online] Available at: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41415-020-1981-0 [Accessed 3 Mar. 2022].
