Supporting ‘Sustainable September’
Small changes at home can add up to a big difference
Written by Sarah Carroll, Communications Executive – Wimbledon Community Association
I’ve always felt that September is a good time for a reset. Summer is ending, routines are returning and, as we head towards autumn, there’s an opportunity to think about the habits we want to carry with us into the months ahead.
Sustainability can sometimes feel like a huge challenge. We hear about climate change, biodiversity loss, energy use, waste and consumption, and it can be difficult to know where to start. With the latest UK reports of record-breaking summer temperatures, regions declared in drought, and national (and local!) TV coverage of UK wildfires – the effects of climate change are becoming more apparent, and the challenge can seem overwhelming.
But sustainability isn’t about getting everything right, right now. It’s about making better choices where we can – and making those choices part of everyday life.
This Sustainable September, I’m sharing my ideas on Seven Steps to Sustainability. This is a household version of the ‘SUSTAIN’ model for businesses, which I developed when starting my consultancy, Sustainable Gains, after completing the Business Sustainability Management Certificate with CISL – the impact-led institute within the University of Cambridge. My focus is on driving an ESG-driven approach, using the Environmental, Social, and Governance framework. Today, much of the work I do with Wimbledon Community Association (‘Wimblecomm’) falls into the ‘Social’ pillar, and increasingly – through our support in promoting local charities such as Sustainable Merton – the ‘Environmental’ pillar is becoming more prevalent within my work.
So, how might we apply the ‘SUSTAIN’ approach, practically, at a household level? The good news is that you don’t need to overhaul your entire household overnight. A few small changes, repeated consistently, can become new habits. And when lots of households make those changes, the collective impact can be significant. Here’s how I break it down into manageable and meaningful steps.
1. S = SCOPE YOUR SUSTAINABILITY
Start by looking at your household as it is today.
Where do you think you have the biggest environmental impact? Is it energy use? The car? Food? Shopping? Waste? Water? Perhaps it’s a combination of several things.
You don’t need to measure everything. Simply noticing your everyday patterns is a great place to start.
Try asking:
- How much energy do we use at home?
- How much water do we use?
- How often do we drive when we could walk, cycle or use public transport?
- How much food do we throw away?
- How often do we buy things we don’t really need?
- How much packaging comes into our home? And how do we dispose of that packaging?
- Could we repair, reuse or borrow something rather than replace it?
At first it isn’t about changing your behaviour, but understanding it.
2. U = UNDERSTAND YOUR OPTIONS
Once you’ve identified where you could make a difference, find out what practical alternatives are available.
Here’s a list of examples that are easy to apply and can easily become 2nd nature. You’re probably doing some of these things already; what else can you add to your routine?
- Switch lights off when rooms aren’t being used
- Wash clothes at a lower temperature, on a fast or eco wash (this applies to the dishwasher too)
- Wait until you have a full load to wash (washing machine and dishwasher)
- Turn the boiler / thermostat down by a few degrees
- Turn off or turn down radiators in rooms that aren’t in regular use
- Turn off the tap when washing dishes by hand; fill a bowl – wash and rinse
- Plan meals around what you already have in the fridge
- Batch cook multiple meals in the oven to optimise the energy usage
- Walk to the local shops rather than drive
- Take a reusable coffee cup and water bottle
- Buy loose fruit and veg to avoid plastic packaging
- Choose plastic-free or reduced plastic packaging generally
- Replenish household cleaning products with the eco variant
- Choose eco health & beauty products
- Reduce time spent in shower, and choose showers over baths where possible
- Turn off the tap when brushing teeth, rather than letting the tap run
- Use curb-side recycling bins effectively – check item labels for guidance
- Recycle plastic bags and wrappers in supermarket drop-bin facilities
- Use recycling drop-bins in stores for items like small toiletries, batteries, water filters, etc
- Repair something rather than replace it
- Choose second-hand before buying new
- Share or borrow items that you only use occasionally
- Donate clean unwanted clothes to local charity shops
- Donate clean unwanted uniform items to school 2nd hand sales
- Use clothing recycling bins for items unsuitable for charity shop donations (never throw clothing in the bin)
- Collect rainwater to water the garden or indoor plants
- Switch to eco-logs if you have a wood-burner
- Book a free slot at the Merton recycling centre, if you have access to a car
- Book a free bulky collection pick up (x3 per year) through the Merton Council website
- Use apps such as Nextdoor, Freecycle, Facebook Market Place, and charities for household item collections
Don’t try to do everything.
Think about the changes that feel realistic for your household. Sustainability works best when it fits into your lifestyle rather than making life harder or more expensive. Start with the easy things that can become habit, then move onto the things that require a bit more effort and planning.
3. S = SET YOUR PRIORITIES
Once you’ve chosen the additional things you could change, turn them into actions. Perhaps your family decides that food waste is the priority, or perhaps you’re going to focus on cutting household energy use, buying less, or reducing car journeys.
Think small and specific – turning ideas into actions.
Instead of:
“We’re going to be more sustainable.”
Try:
“We’re going to have one meat-free dinner every week.”
Or:
“We’re going to walk to school twice a week.”
Or:
“We’re going to check the fridge before doing the weekly shop.”
Small goals are easier to achieve – and achieving them gives you the motivation to tackle the next one.
4. T = TIME-STAMP YOUR GOALS
Give your changes a starting point.
Why not make September your sustainability reset month?
Choose one or two changes to introduce throughout the month and give yourself time to make them habitual.
You could try a simple 30-day sustainability challenge:
Week 1: Reduce food waste
Week 2: Reduce unnecessary energy use
Week 3: Choose walking, cycling or public transport for more short journeys
Week 4: Buy less and reuse, repair or borrow more
At the end of the month, ask yourself: What worked? What didn’t? What could we continue?
Remember, the aim isn’t perfection – it’s progress. And the good news is that there’s no end to progress, so keep going at your own pace.
5. A = APPOINT A SUSTAINABILITY CHAMPION
Being the person at home who keeps sustainability on the household agenda can be a great help to others.
It doesn’t even have to be the same person every time – every member of the household can get involved.
Children can become the recycling champion, someone else can take responsibility for checking the fridge before shopping, and another family member could keep an eye on lights and heating – make it a household effort rather than another list of rules.
You could introduce a monthly “green idea” where everyone suggests one small change to try. The more involved people feel, the more likely a new habit is to stick.
Check out the EVENTS page: https://wimbledoncommunity.org/events-24/ for Sustainable September themed events – there’s plenty happening across the Merton borough.
You could even become a member of a local sustainable charity such as Sustainable Merton https://wimbledoncommunity.org/community_groups/sustainable-merton-community-champions/ and get involved in Community Planting Days (or sign up to become a Street Coordinator) with Merton Garden Streets.
6. I = IMPLEMENT AND TRACK YOUR PROGRESS
This is where ideas become habits – by putting the changes into practice and sticking at it. A simple check list on the fridge can be enough, for example:
Our Sustainable September pledge:
- One meat-free meal each week
- Check the fridge before shopping
- Switch lights off when leaving a room
- Use reusable bottles and coffee cups
- Repair or reuse one item instead of buying new
- Take unwanted clothes to a charity shop or clothes bank
- Two fewer car journeys each week
And remember to celebrate the wins. If you’ve saved money, wasted less food, walked more, reduced your energy use or simply changed a habit you’ve had for years – that’s progress.
7. N = NARRATE YOUR SUCCESSES
The final step is to talk about what’s working. Tell your family, your neighbours, or share an idea with a friend. Not to show how “green” you are – but because good ideas spread.
Sustainability becomes much easier when we learn from one another – and this is particularly important at a community level.
One household changing one habit may seem insignificant. But hundreds of households making one small change – that’s when it becomes collective action.
Sustainability doesn’t have to be perfect. There is no such thing as a perfectly sustainable household.
We all have busy lives and make compromises. Sometimes convenience wins, sometimes the sustainable option costs more or takes more time, and sometimes there simply isn’t an alternative right now.
The purpose of Sustainable September isn’t to make us feel guilty about the things we aren’t doing. It’s an opportunity to stop, look at our everyday routines and ask:
“What’s one thing I could do differently?”
Then make that change.
Once it becomes a habit, choose another.
Your Seven-Step Sustainability Challenge
This Sustainable September, why not take the SUSTAIN approach at home:
S = Scope what your household is doing today.
U = Understand where you could make a difference.
S = Set one or two realistic priorities.
T = Time stamp them and start this September.
A = Appoint people in the household as sustainability champions.
I = Implement your changes and keep going.
N = Narrate what’s working and share your ideas with family, friends and neighbours.
Because living sustainably isn’t about one big gesture. It’s about the small things we do every day – and what happens when we all do a little more, consciously.
What are your one or two small changes as a starting point or as your next action?
The Wimblecomm website has Groups, Events and News sections featuring organisations, activities and events to get involved in to become more sustainable during the month of September and beyond. Take a look around the site for more inspiration: https://www.wimbledoncommunity.org
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