Many have wondered how to start saving the planet. Often the crusade to become more environmentally-friendly seems an exhausting one.
But two Wellington-based millennials are keen to change this.
Abby Damen and Bella Ansell, both 24, are the creators behind Saving 2050 -- a recipe-sharing website, which aims to draw attention to New Zealand's worrying meat-eating habits.
Anyone can submit an "environmentally-friendly" recipe to the duo, which will take a photograph of the crafty dish, share it on Saving 2050, and feature the budding chef.
What originally started as just an idea to share with close friends in May last year has significantly gained momentum.
"The idea of Saving 2050, it's really just a facilitator for all this knowledge and passion for environmental change to exist and just continue rolling," says founder and co-director Ms Damen.
Bella and Abby at the Saving 2050 launch part last year (Supplied)
Co-director and environmental science student Ms Ansell has a long-standing interest in "environmental stuff". She is studying the impact of fossil fuel emissions in urban areas.
She says New Zealand's highest emitting industry is dairy and animal agriculture.
"It's bigger than transport. Not many people know that the agriculture industry is contributing more than transport.
"On top that, there is the fact of buying food that is packaged in plastic that's not recyclable, and getting single-use plastic bags. Those things aren't going to degrade in the next 200 years," she says.
Last year Saving 2050 appeared at the Chaffers market handing out free reusable grocery bags they spent a couple of days sewing up.
The pair isn't afraid to admit their website offers essentially vegetarian and dairy-free recipes, but also recipes which use common ingredients and are affordable.
"We also try and put recipes on there that are quite simple, so you don't have to buy some ridiculous thing to make it work," says Ms Ansell.
"The wesbite's designed so that you can search via the season, because that's another element of being environmentally conscious, is purchasing fruit and vegetables that are in season," says Ms Damen.
Bella Ansell at the Saving 2050 / Leafy Dreams Stall at Aro Valley Fair (Rara Sekar Larasati)
They encourage Joe Bloggs to start small. That's how Saving 2050 began for them.
"I just became more and more interested, and just began reading more stuff, and having conversations with people about environmental issues and then suddenly I was carpooling with three other people. I think it's just a slight shift in mentality," says Ms Damen.
They both believe Generation Y can be environmental game-changers, or at least, are certainly aware of the impact one has on the environment.
"The amount of stuff that's available on the internet, and just purely from the feedback we've gotten, it's really inspiring," says Ms Ansell.
"When you say, 'Oh I only eat meat once a week because of the environment', you can't really argue against that," says Ms Ansell.
"Saving 2050 is really just an encouragement of allowing people to feel comfortable to talk about environmental issues."
This year the pair have more community-based events lined up -- one being a cooking workshop to show people don't have many resources, how to be environmentally friendly.
"We've got a few ideas in the pipeline that are already getting action at the moment," says Ms Damon.
But for now, the high-school friends and flatmates of three years are probably going to enjoy a glass of red wine to celebrate the first anniversary of Saving 2050 -- what is sure to be a life-long passion.
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