Lose your bottle

Lose your bottle

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Lose your bottle

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Lose your bottle

Cut back on the booze

Cheers, bottoms up, prost, skál, or sláinte.

Around the world, people have been enjoying a social tipple or two for millennia. From mulled wine or whisky to a pint of lager or a vodka and coke. Booze has a reputation for making people feel great, for little bit. And then.

The next day, it can make you feel groggy, achy and grumpy. Hangovers aside, drinking alcohol can lead to fatigue, bad skin, depression, poor sleep, liver damage, high blood pressure, mouth cancer… ok, ok, I’ll stop. You get it: it isn’t super healthy.

So for two months, try cutting down on your booze. Simple.

Why

Here are a few reasons to take action.

Click for more info or scroll to read them all.

Health

As we said, drinking too much alcohol can lead to a whole swathe of health problems – both short and long term. We'll spare you the details, but the NHS gives a pretty thorough run down here.

17 mil

alcohol-related sick days taken in the UK each year.2

Money

With the average pint costing £3.60,1 drinking regularly can be a big drain on the wallet. In fact, the average Briton spends twice as much on booze each month as they do on health products!2

What's more, turning up to work hangover-free more often will improve your productivity and might well increase your chance of a promotion or a bonus. Double win.

Environment

Ok, so alcohol isn't exactly the biggest of environmental sins, but as with any product, it does leave a footprint on our planet, albeit a small one.

Packaging and transportation might appear to be the main culprit for waste and carbon emissions. But actually, all the energy and water used to brew, distill and ferment alcoholic drinks is usually where the biggest impact arises. This varies massively between drinks: cider is the greenest of your boozy options, and spirits are the most energy intensive.3

5-10L

of water are used to make one litre of beer.3

Pesticides

You might not have considered the possibility of pesticides in your alcohol. Unfortunately, due to a pesky leafhopper (a tiny insect that spreads disease), France is the third-highest user of pesticides in the world (and the highest user in Europe), applying a whopping 110,000 metric tons of pesticides per year.4 Even some organic wines tested positive for them.

Global Goals

In September 2017, an historic agreement was signed by UN member nations agreeing to work towards 17 Global Goals for Sustainable Development by 2030, otherwise known as the SDGs.

Achieving these ambitious goals will require action from governments, businesses, NGOs, and individuals alike. We can - and must - all play our part.

By making the 'Lose your bottle' pledge, you are contributing in your own small way to the following SDG targets:

3.5: Strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including narcotic drug abuse and harmful use of alcohol

12.8: By 2030, ensure that people everywhere have the relevant information and awareness for sustainable development and lifestyles in harmony with nature

13.3: Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning

How

Here at DoNation, we love small, lasting changes. Instead of going cold turkey for a month (or until you can't take it anymore), why not just cut back for a while - perhaps drinking just one or two nights a week. After two months, you might well find you’ve formed a habit that sticks.

Here are some top tips on how to keep dry:

  1. Stay away from the triggers - Whether it’s the pub or a work do, unless you have super strong willpower, it’s probably best to avoid temptation for a while.
  2. Do something new to fill the time - Reducing drinking time (and the inevitable hangover slump) will create lots of free time in your schedule. So make sure to fill it with good stuff, like learning a new skill, joining a book club, or taking up a sport. You could even rope in your drinking buddies or meet some new interesting friends.
  3. Find an alternative non-alcoholic tipple - Non-alcoholic drinks are common place now, with LOTS of exciting options to choose from. You could also alternate alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks if you just want to cut down a bit.

    And when you are drinking, buy local and cut down on packaging. Try Toast Ale, which brews their beverages using fresh bread that would otherwise go to waste. Check out EeBria for British-brewed beers, ciders, wines and gins. Or sniff out places that offer refillable wine bottles, like Borough Wines for London dwellers. Cheers!

Success Stories

1,129

Pledges
in total

22,889kg

CO2
pledged

“

I found the challenge really helpful to reduce my alcohol consumption, resulting in feeling better and spending less. A win win all round.

“

Definitely managed to cut down on my alcohol consumption, especially at the start of my pledge! Kind of fell off the wagon towards the end of the 2months... I blame the lovely weather we've been having! Must try harder!

“

I have lost 6 lbs on the diet and reducing beer is a big part of it

“

It was dissertation time. I needed a drink.

“

quality first quantity after!

“

I should definitely do this more...

“

I am stone cold sober at the time of writing this, which is impressive!

“

While Christmas was tough I did drop my booze intake - and had a completely dry January. Feeling much healthier for it too!

“

I reduced my wine intake but still have more work to do! I'll try and do a wine-free fortnight before Christmas.

“

Had a completely Dry month of October, and half dry November. December... is looking a wee bit more tricky though!

“

2 extra glasses in last week when a family get-together. I will continue to keep to 1 unit/week.

“

I have only had a couple of drinks during the whole two months

“

I have cut down on my bottles lot. More so, since I've been studying for exams, I rarely go out partying with friends where I would most likely be tempted to drink and besides, I just take water most of the time I go out for dinner with friends. Although there were few times I found it difficult to sleep, and I just take a glass of wine to help me with that.

“

I don't expect to continue with this over Christmas but certainly will in the new year

“

Felt healthier and didn't miss it

“

Successful in most weeks, some weeks have slipped due to multiple birthdays, events etc. but in the case of social events I ensure that I don't over do it the rest of the week.

“

I've made a conscious effort to cut back but not been as strict as I could be - having the goal certainly helped though

“

Vastly reduced drinking at home and feel much better for it.

“

I definitely cut down during the campaign, with less drinks during the week.

“

Cut drinking by 75% feeling a lot better for it

“

Some weeks I was an angle, others not so much.... I also think I underestimated how much I typically drink!

“

Cut back on a number of drinks in the week and had a couple of dry weekends. I also had a couple of big weekends but they don't count do they?

“

Feel much healthier :)

References

  1. BBC
  2. This is money
  3. Guardian
  4. New York Times