If you know ANYTHING about us, it should be that we do everything we can as a business to be sustainable. We want to work with the Earth, not against it, and we do our utmost to reflect that in our business ethics and in our apartments for our residents.

We also want to encourage others to do their bit to live sustainably, but we know that it isn’t always super easy if you don’t know what to do. So, we’ve put together four simple things that you can do to ensure you’re living your best eco-friendly life here in Manchester.

Contents

Image Source: @beenetworkgm

Make the most of the Bee Network

Manchester is famous for its bee mascot, representing the worker bee mentality that us Mancs all share. The Bee Network, if you didn’t already know, is a scheme to make public transport more accessible and reliable across the city. Whether it’s trams, buses, or electric bikes, every type of transport that you can think of has been included into this scheme – and yes, they’re all bright yellow to nail that ‘bee vibe’ home. Manc’s aren’t about subtly, alright.

Making the most of public transport is a great way to be more sustainable, as you’re reducing your carbon footprint without isolating yourself. Driving around the city can be a mission in itself, anyway – much easier to hop on the bus and let someone else worry about the directions and one-way streets.

Image Source: @manc.wanderer

Buy your honey from Manchester’s bees

Nope, we’re not done talking about bees yet, sorry pal. Now, obviously we’re not saying that you shouldn’t buy ANYTHING from big companies, otherwise life could start to get a bit tricky, but where possible, opting for a small business purchase over a large corporation makes all the difference.

If you tend to pick up some honey in Tesco on your weekly food shop, consider switching to a local business that are home to beehives. Manchester Home even have a live bee stream that you can watch here, so you can check in on the bees and see how they’re getting on – and see the honey that could well be in your pot when you next buy local. Buzzing! (sorry, not sorry.)

Image Source: @blue.rinse.manchester

Shop second-hand

We love a good charity shop browse – is there anything more thrilling than finding something that you’ve seen elsewhere but didn’t buy, only to get it in a charity shop for a fraction of the price? We’re yet to find it.

There’s plenty of great spots in Manchester to check out – whether you’re a fan of PLT and Missguided but don’t want to contribute to the fast fashion industry, the British Heart Foundation near Piccadilly Train Station is a great option. There’s also the RSPCA and Pop Boutique in the Northern Quarter – or, if you’re after second-hand clothing, not charity-shopping, Blue Rise and Cow are the places to go. Think cute vintage vibes – it’s a yes from us.

Image Source: @wantnotwastemcr

Utilise zero waste shops where possible

Now, don’t get us wrong, we’re not suggesting that you do your entire food haul in a zero-waste shop, but small changes all add up and make a big difference. Clean out your old jam jar, and head on down to Want Not Waste on Oxford Street where you can purchase dried goods and sustainable cleaning supplies.

This one can be a harder switch, as it does mean having to make a bit more of an effort to go to an extra shop, but we promise it’s worth it. The products themselves are more natural and therefore a better quality, and can you really put a price on that positive feeling from doing something you know makes a difference?

Is there anything that you do to live sustainably that we’ve missed off? We’d love to know! Reach out on socials and keep us in the sustainable loop.