As part of our Rich Mix Goes Green campaign, we are posting monthly challenges.

THIS MARCH, WE CHALLENGE YOU TO EXPLORE ORGANISATIONS WITH AN ENVIRONMENTAL FOCUS IN YOUR COMMUNITY.

WHY?  It has been a whole year of Rich Mix Goes Green challenges! This month we challenge you to explore all the organisations in your local area with an environmental focus and celebrate the community activism that is taking place in your community.

Organisations across the world are making the move to become more environmentally focused. From smaller organisations becoming more conscious about what ingredients are put into products and food, and bringing more green spaces into cities, to bigger companies conducting research into renewable energy and activists campaigning for more sustainable solutions for world production.

THE CHALLENGE:

  • RESEARCH organisations with an environmental focus that you find interesting.
  • EXPLORE what’s happening in your local area.
  • GO AND SEE an event, a talk, or check out a new shop. Come along to the Rich Mix Goes Green Fair on Mon 18 Apr to find out about environmental organisations in the area around us.
  • GET INVOLVED Share your thoughts and what you have found out by tagging us at @richmixlondon and using the hashtag #RichMixGoesGreen.

READ MORE ABOUT SOME LONDON BASED ORGANISATIONS

If you’ve got useful resources that you think should be added to this list, please email us on marketing@richmix.org.uk.

IN FEBRUARY, WE CHALLENGED YOU TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT FAIR TRADE.

WHY?   Across the world, people that farm and grow food, mine raw materials, grow fabrics such as cotton and create the majority of the world’s clothing, are exploited and underpaid.

Fairtrade Fortnight runs from Mon 21 Feb to Sun 6 Mar. Whether you wish to take part in the Fairtrade charity’s events or independently research ways you can support fairer trade, we’re challenging you to be conscious of what you purchase and learn more about modern global trading systems. Trade and exploitation is a systemic issue that require governmental change, but by increasing pressure on trading bodies and governments it is possible to move towards fairer trading systems.

THE CHALLENGE:

  • LEARN about global trading systems.
  • EXPLORE fairer trading options.
  • ATTEND AND WATCH talks and events about fair trade.
  • GET INVOLVED Share your thoughts and what you have found out by tagging us at @richmixlondon and using the hashtag #RichMixGoesGreen.

READ MORE

These resources are just a start. If you’ve got useful resources relating to fair trade that you think should be added to this list, please email us on marketing@richmix.org.uk.

 

IN JANUARY, WE CHALLENGED YOU TO TRY OUT SOME MEAT-FREE RECIPES.

WHY?  Reducing how much meat we eat is a great way to lower the impact of intensive farming across the world – and try new recipes in the process! Of course, changing the world’s unsustainable intensive farming processes is not purely down to the choices of the consumer, but reducing our personal meat intake does make an impact. Whether you want to go all-out vegan for the month, one day each week (as with Meatfree Monday) or would prefer to try making a few vegetarian or vegan meals now and then, there are now endless options for switching out the animal products in your diet.

THE CHALLENGE:    

  • LIST which of your favourite, go-to meals you could ‘veganise’ or make vegetarian.
  • COOK a vegetarian or vegan meal and invite friends or family over to try making it (and eating it!) with you.
  • EXPLORE other vegan and vegetarian recipes online, using the #veganuary #veganrecipes and #meatfreemonday hashtags.
  • GET INVOLVED Share your thoughts or creations online by tagging us at @richmixlondon and using the hashtag #RichMixGoesGreen.    

READ MORE    

Here are some vegan recipe ideas our team have been loving and recommend trying:

  • Ify from our Private Hires team has been vegan for a while and recommends trying a Thai green curry with vegan chikn and jasmine rice and veg, Mushroom Wellington with mash potatoes and broccoli, Jackfruit curry, and for breakfast, granola with plant based yoghurt, banana and a dash of agave. She says “there are so many options nowadays to be a vegan and for it not to hurt too much in terms of missing meat/fish etc.”
  • James, our Box Office Manager, made So Vegan’s roasted red pepper pasta, and says: “I’m not vegan but it looked delicious, so I tried it out. It was soooo easy to make: Bung it in the oven and blend essentially.”
  • Judith our CEO recommends the three bean chilli from Rukmini Iyer’s The Green Roasting Tin cookbook: “It’s a favourite and much-repeated dish – it lasts for at least three meals and is very filling and easy to make.” 
  • Nikki from our Private Hires team makes a vegan blueberry cheesecake by following the instructions on Recipe Tin Eats’ blog, but using the vegan ingredients list from the Domestic Gothess blog.
  • Nikki also recommended a tasty West African peanut stew with sweet potato and greens
  • Ava from our Marketing team recommends trying homemade gnocchi, as well as hosting a veggie taco party, with 2-3 different fillings to share with friends: ”Mushrooms, refried beans and aubergines are all great starting points to experiment – ask friends to bring the salad and salsas!”.

If you’ve got useful resources, recipes or meat-free businesses that you think should be added to this list, please email us on marketing@richmix.org.uk.  

In December, we challenged you to choose more eco-friendly gift options this festive season. 

WHY?  Buying second-hand or homemade items helps reduce our reliance on fast fashion and mass-produced gifts. 

The fashion industry is both the second-largest industry in the world and the  second-largest polluter of the environment.  The production of cotton clothes consumes a lot of water and energy. When you buy second hand clothes, shoes, bags, and other items, you decrease the demand for new items hence, reducing the pressure on manufacturers to produce these items in large quantities and making a move towards a more eco-friendly circular economy. 

THE CHALLENGE:    

  • EXPLORE second-hand markets and charity shops.
  • CHECK OUT online second-hand and independent options. 
  • CREATE something homemade or think of an experience you can share with someone as a present. 
  • GET INVOLVED Share your thoughts or creations online by tagging us at @richmixlondon and using the hashtag #RichMixGoesGreen.    

READ MORE    

 If you’ve got useful resources that you think should be added to this list, please email us on marketing@richmix.org.uk.  

IN NOVEMBER, WE CHALLENGE YOU TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT COP26. 

WHY?  COP26 ran from Sun 31 Oct – Fri 12 Nov. COP (standing for Conference of Parties) happens every two years in different venues across the world. This year’s conference took place in Glasgow. World leaders attend this conference to discuss how to respond to climate change, but what actions are taken off the back of these conversations?   

THE CHALLENGE:   

  • WATCH videos on what was said during COP26 and find out how are our world leaders plan to respond to the climate emergency. 
  • READ up about past COP events. What was said and what actions were made? 
  • TALK to your friends and family about the conference, find out what they think and if they have any useful information to share. 
  • GET INVOLVED Share your thoughts or creations online by tagging us at @richmixlondon and using the hashtag #RichMixGoesGreen.   

READ MORE   

 

In October, we challenged you to LOSE YOURSELF IN NATURE.

WHY? Our relationship with the natural world, alongside how much we notice, think about and appreciate our natural surroundings, are important factors in supporting good mental health. With the clocks going back this month, it’s also helpful to be mindful of spending time in natural light when you can – whether it’s reading on a bench at lunchtime or changing your commute to work to get some all-important sunlight and serotonin. 

 

THE CHALLENGE:  

  • WALK the difference. If you usually get a bus from a certain stop, try walking to the next one. Or if you have time, walk the longer way around to get to your destination.  
  • JOURNAL about how nature interacts with your mood. Sometimes the positive effects can be subtle, but consider how a walk in the park, watering house plants, gardening or sitting in a green space makes you feel. What are you noticing when you are doing these things? Where does your mind go when you are doing these tasks? Do these simple acts impact your mental state?
  • CREATE with nature. Whether this is collaging with autumn leaves, writing poetry, painting, or making music, let yourself be inspired by the nature you can find around you.
  • GET INVOLVED Show us how you are getting on by tagging us at @richmixlondon and using the hashtag #RichMixGoesGreen.  

READ MORE  

 

In September, we challenged you to SCRAP LESS PLASTIC

WHY? In the last 50 years our plastic consumption has changed the world, and not for the better. We produce about 300 million tonnes of plastic waste every year, that’s nearly equivalent to the weight of the entire human population. Plastic pollution in oceans has a drastic effect on sea life. Have you heard about the Great Pacific garbage patch? It’s a floating “island” three times the size of France that is made up purely of waste situated between Hawaii and California! 

It is important to remember that things haven’t always been like this and that there are steps we can take to help our environment recover. 

THE CHALLENGE:  

  • RECYCLE your waste where possible. If you don’t have access to a recycling bin, set up recycling collections. 
  • UPCYCLE packaging and clothing (which often contains plastics) that you may otherwise have thrown away.
  • MINIMISE your use of plastic by choosing non-plastic products where you can. 
  • GET INVOLVED Show us how you are getting on by tagging us at @richmixlondon and using the hashtag #RichMixGoesGreen.  

READ MORE  

Of course it is not purely the responsibility of consumers to downsize our waste and use of plastic products, we also need to encourage big companies to do the same. 

In August, we challenged you to RAISE AWARENESS around climate refugees and migrants.

WHY? For many communities across the world, displacement and worsening living conditions due to extreme weather conditions are already a reality. These can be caused by abnormally heavy rainfall, prolonged droughts, desertification, fires, rising sea levels or cyclones. On average, over 20 million people leave their homes and move to other areas in their countries each year due to environmental hazards.

 

THE CHALLENGE: 

  • READ UP about the global effects of climate change and how you can get active. 
  • SAVE THE DATE World Humanitarian Day is on Thu 19 Aug. 
  • JOIN a community that fights climate change.
  • GET INVOLVED: You can share more useful information and resources with us by tagging us at @richmixlondon and using the hashtag #RichMixGoesGreen.  

 

READ MORE 

In July, we challenged you to BE AWARE of the wildlife in your local area.

WHY? Each of us has a part to play in ensuring our wildlife can thrive. Bees, birds, fish and other local wildlife are all hugely impacted by the choices we make.

 THE CHALLENGE:  

  • NOTICE all different species of plants and wildlife that exist in your local area.
  • SUPPORT your local wildlife by planting bee-friendly flowers, and buying locally sourced products.
  • BUILD a bird house, a bee house and/or a hedgehog hotel to help local wildlife populations.
  • GET INVOLVED: Show us how you are getting on by tagging us at @richmixlondon and using the hashtag #RichMixGoesGreen.  

 READ MORE  

Did you know that you can spot… 

  • Kingfishers in Walthamstow Wetlands and London Wetlands Centre
  • Parakeets at Kensington Gardens (or many other south west London parks) 
  • Deer in Richmond Park and Bushy Park 
  • Bats at the Alexandra Palace boating lake 
  • Little owls in Hyde Park 
  • Terrapins in Camden’s canals and waterways 
  • Hedgehogs in Hampstead Heath 
  • Pelicans in St James’s Park

In June, we challenged you to GROW YOUR OWN. 

WHY? Growing your own benefits you and the environment. Long-distance transportation of produce relies heavily on fossil fuels. Growing your own food would help reduce the reliance on this transportation that is harming the environment. Also, by growing your own food, you are not using chemicals or pesticides that can harm environment. Plants also naturally clean the air and soil, so by growing new plants you are aiding this natural process. Gardening, whether it’s outside or from your windowsill, is also proven to positively impact your mental health. Even in small doses, interacting with nature is considered to improve self-esteem and mood. 

 THE CHALLENGE: 

  • SAVE seeds from tomatoes, peppers, chillies, or strawberries. You can also save unused garlic to grow your own garlic plant, or mint cuttings for your own mint.
  • PLANT some fruit, veg and herbs.
  • EXPLORE local community gardens and community farms.
  • GET INVOLVED: Show us how you are getting on by tagging us at @richmixlondon and using the hashtag #RichMixGoesGreen. 

 READ MORE 

In May, we challenged you to WASTE LESS. 

WHY? Food waste is a bigger problem than many people realise. In fact, nearly one-third of all food produced in the world is discarded or wasted for various reasons. That equates to nearly 1.3 billion tons every year. While much of this waste takes place on an industrial level, we all have a part to play in reducing the amount of food that ends up in our bins. A report from Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) in 2020 found that UK households have managed to reduce their waste by 7% in the last three years. However, we still waste 4.5m tonnes of food a year that could have been eaten, worth £14 billion. This amounts to £700 for an average family.

THE CHALLENGE: 

  • DOWNLOAD a food-saving app to pick up wasted food or share your own.
  • ORGANISE a food waste collection for your household, so that Tower Hamlets can repurpose your food waste and turn it into compost for farmers.
  • TRY a new recipe to use up your leftovers or extra produce. 
  • GET INVOLVED: Show us how you are getting on by tagging us at @richmixlondon and using the hashtag #RichMixGoesGreen.

READ MORE 

  • If you own or operate a food business, consider giving your leftover food produce to a local project such as Neighbourhood Bites, who distribute free hot meals for those in need.
  • Do you live on a street level property in Tower Hamlets? Then you can sign up for the food waste collections run by the council.
  • Apps like Olio and Too Good To Go are a great way to pick up free food that would otherwise go to waste, or give food out to someone else that wants it.
  • Support local projects working to reduce food waste and food poverty. Whether you can offer time as a volunteer or help by sharing their messages on social media, it all counts! Women’s Environmental Network have a fantastic list of places offering food support in Tower Hamlets.
  • Supermarkets have strict rules for how fresh fruit and vegetables have to look, and this creates huge amount of waste for produce that doesn’t fit those guidelines. Oddbox is an initiative that saves fruit and vegetables from going to waste. 
  • Experiment with making new recipes with your leftover food, Love Food Hate Waste have some great recipes.
  • Pickling, preserving and making kimchi or mango chutney can help use up fresh produce, and double as presents for friends and family.

In April, we challenged you to POWER DOWN.

WHY? 2020 saw a boom in how much technology we use in nearly every aspect of our lives. While the energy needed for searching online or sending an email is small, the amounts of greenhouse gases emitted from each online activity add up. Powering down will also give your eyes a rest, save on electricity bills and increase the life span of your devices!

THE CHALLENGE:

  • TURN OFF five electrical items at the plug before you go to bed
  • SCREEN BREAK after 10pm. Close your laptop and put your mobile on silent (ideally in another room to where you sleep). This is proven to help your mental health too!
  • PLANT TREES by searching online via Ecosia. Add it to your bookmarks and/or home screen for ease.
  • GET INVOLVED: Show us how you are getting on by tagging us at @richmixlondon and using the hashtag #RichMixGoesGreen

READ MORE

Come back to this page in May for updates and our next #RichMixGoesGreen challenge announcement.