Words by Smiley Team
The cost of living crisis is affecting thousands of people across the UK – and is causing many of us to feel down. And why wouldn’t it?
But somehow there is a positive to all of this. The rise in living costs is having a direct positive impact on how people feel about the environment, a recent study by mobile network giffgaff of 5,000 UK citizens found.
As costs are rising, people are more concerned with the way their behaviour – and the waste they produce – impacts the planet, the research showed.
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The report found 44% of people were more likely to repair and reuse products for longer; 33% decided that they would take fewer car journeys, while 35% had made the decision to walk or cycle more often.
When asked, one in 10 UK citizens considered the environment to be their top priority this year, as a result of the cost of living crisis.
There were also results that suggested the UK is leaning to a more circular economy: 32% of participants said they would be more likely to buy secondhand, while 29% of people were more likely to buy refurbished tech products.
By recycling, refurbishing, repairing and reusing products such as phones, televisions and computers, we will produce less waste, which is far better for the environment.
So, while things are tricky, there are ways to save some cash – and help the environment while you’re at it.
SUPPORT: See if mobile phones and other items can be recycled from home in your area.
VOLUNTEER: Volunteer to keep the UK free of waste with Keep Britain Tidy.
