AS PART OF our sustainability series with An Post, we’re embarking on a journey of discovery and education. We wanted to find out how aware our readers are of sustainability in their everyday life, knowing that sustainability is a crucial component of working towards a positive environmental, social and economic future for all of us. 

Firstly, we established the general knowledge of sustainability amongst our readers. With a rating of 6.4/10, it’s good to see that a good percentage of people who took part in the ratings believe they have a strong understanding and knowledge of sustainability. 

If you’re looking to increase your knowledge of sustainability, a great place to start is within your own community. Along with An Post, we’ve compiled a list of simple ways you can contribute to creating a sustainable community, these small actions you make can have a positive impact for your entire community. 

As we learn more about sustainability, more people are beginning to make positive changes to their daily habits – we asked our readers about their personal journey towards sustainability and 5.8/10 revealed they were satisfied with their progression. 

Here are some tips on how to make changes in your sustainability journey today to make a difference for tomorrow: 

• Reuse your containers and jars – Packaging, in particular plastic packaging on food produce, is responsible for a lot of waste. Invest in reusable containers and jars for your produce to help reduce plastic waste. Go Zero has a great directory online to find local stores selling unpackaged /plastic-free goods.
• Switch to online billing – Sounds simple but paper waste is a real problem, where possible get in touch with your providers and ask for your billing details to be switched to online. Better for the environment, and the general tidiness of your house. An Post has some great online options available for its customers.
• Practise sustainable fashion – Buy less and buy better is the messaging here when it comes to clothes. Native Denims is a great example of a fashion company that wants to slow things down in order to make a difference.

It’s never too late to learn about sustainability, but a key component of all of our knowledge stems from the way we were brought up and how environmentally aware we were as children. Of our readers, 7.1/10 agreed that they wish they knew more about sustainability and environmental issues from a young age.

There are ways we can remedy this by passing on information to the next generation. Involving children in conversations around sustainability is the first step in increasing their knowledge of life skills they will need in the future.

Education for Sustainability is a non-profit organisation founded in 2017 with the aim of increasing climate literacy and fostering behaviour change in Ireland. Everything from climate literacy modules, to plastic-free school workshops are available. Find out more here.

Understanding our personal impact and how our actions have consequences is crucial in understanding sustainability. You can see below that 5.6/10 readers agreed that their actions affect the environment and their community, this shows the importance of continuing to shout about sustainability and the importance of it to our society. 

We’ll be continuing on this sustainability journey with An Post in the weeks to come, keep an eye out for our Sustainability Diaries which will lift the lid on changes people are making to become more sustainable. Whether it’s the food we eat, the clothes we buy, or the way we travel and do business with certain companies, our individual carbon footprints are all playing a part in the climate crisis, and we’re excited to hear from people taking responsibility for their contribution. 

 An Post’s purpose is to act for the common good and to improve the quality of life in Ireland, now and for generations to come, and that is why they are committed to embedding sustainability into everything they do. Make sure to visit our sustainability hub and learn more about all things sustainable.