Canadian singer, songwriter and producer Shawn Hook shares his tips on living a sustainable lifestyle

With massive radio hits like Sound of Your Heart, I Don’t Wanna Dance and Reminding Me (featuring Vanessa Hudgens), Canadian-born Shawn Hook has had major success on the international stage. The 35-year-old now splits his time between Vancouver and Los Angeles, and strives to live an eco-friendly lifestyle on both sides of the border. A vegan for more than a decade, Shawn believes that even the smallest steps towards sustainability can impact our planet.

We caught up with Shawn to discuss his biggest concerns about climate change and what he’s doing to make positive changes every day…

 

E911: What concerns you most about the state of the environment today?

Shawn Hook: The volume of products human beings consume on a daily basis and the waste these products leave behind is my biggest concern. We are too used to throwing stuff in the trash without thought. I'm guilty of it too, as I was raised in a society that normalized the idea of just tossing out stuff without considering where it goes and the environmental impact that it will make. Thankfully, people are becoming more and more aware of their carbon footprint and I’m now conscious of how products are produced and where they go after consuming them.

 

E911: What things do you do every day to live more sustainably?

Shawn Hook: I don't go to the grocery store everyday, but when I do, I bring reusable bags. If I don't happen to have my own bags, I'll reuse the bags I get from the store.

I'm a vegetarian with vegan tendencies, so I shop vegan food products for at-home cooking. If I'm out on tour or at a nice restaurant, I'll sometimes allow myself to have cheese. In general though, cutting out meat is a huge way to reduce the impact of resources it takes for agricultural production. It takes about "2500 gallons of water, 12 pounds of grain, 35 pounds of topsoil and the energy equivalent of one gallon of gasoline to produce one pound of feedlot beef." Earth Save

 

E911: What's your best eco-friendly hack?

Shawn Hook: The easiest one is recycling and reusing grocery bags. But I also have a SodaStream so I haven't purchased cans or soda in years. It's a good hack to reduce waste if you like soda!

 

E911: How do you hope to see the world change in the near future? 

Shawn Hook: I hope there can be more empathy and people taking it upon themselves to practice acts of selflessness, especially when it comes to taking care of the planet.

 

E911: What do you think the world will look like in 10 years?

Shawn Hook:I think artificial intelligence is going to take a huge leap in the next 10 years. Hopefully that leap will help find cures for diseases and improve the health of our planet. 

 

Check out the video for Shawn’s brand new single, Holding On To You on his website now.