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Tackling climate change will be one of the most important things this generation does, and everyone needs to get involved. Every day, more and more people are taking actions to help reduce carbon emissions and tackle other environmental problems. Here are some ideas about how you can help.
Where to Start
The biggest effects most people have on climate change come from
- energy used at home;
- travel; and
- the food they eat.
Most other environmental problems, like pollution or loss of rare animals, are also a result of everyday demands for food, products and energy.
1. Greener Home: Saving Energy and Water
Burning fossil fuels to heat your home or produce electricity releases carbon emissions, which cause climate change. The energy you use at home is likely to be your biggest contribution to climate change. About 80 per cent of it goes on heating and hot water, so this is a good place to look for savings.
Adjust your thermostat.
Turning your thermostat down, or your air-conditioning up, by just one degree could reduce carbon emissions and cut your fuel and electricity bills.
Buy energy-saving products.
When buying products that use energy – anything from light bulbs to fridges and freezers – look for energy-efficient models. Some countries and regions have energy-efficiency labels to help you choose.
Improve your insulation.
More than half the heat lost, or cool air contained, in your home escapes through the walls and roof. Cavity-wall insulation could be cost-effective to install and could save you money each year on fuel bills.
2. Greener Travel Choices: Getting Around
Personal travel accounts for around a quarter of all the damage individuals do to the environment, including climate change effects, and most of this is from cars.
Choose fuel-saving cars.
If you're buying a new car, look for a fuel-efficient car. This will cut your carbon emissions and save you money. Many countries have labels to help you choose one that will use less fuel, and some governments offer tax initiatives to help you pay for greener vehicles.
Drive less.
Reduce the number of short trips you make in the car. Walking, cycling or taking public transport will help reduce local air pollution and carbon emissions. Walking and cycling can also help keep you fit.
Fly less, stay longer and offset CO2 emissions.
Think about how you could get what you need without flying. For example, try holidaying closer to home and travelling by rail or sea. If you have to fly, think about offsetting your CO2 emissions. This means paying money to projects that reduce CO2 emissions in other ways, like setting up renewable energy projects. Otherwise, you could consider options for reducing flights (e.g. taking fewer, longer breaks if possible, instead of several short ones).
3. Greener Food Choices: Eating and Drinking
Producing, transporting and consuming food accounts for a large chunk of most people's effect on climate change. Some foods have a much bigger impact on the environment than others.
Waste less food.
Wasting food wastes all the energy needed to make it. Also, if this ends up in landfill, it produces methane, a greenhouse gas judged to be more than 20 times as powerful as carbon dioxide. Throwing less food away produces less methane and reduces other harmful environmental impacts from producing, packaging and transporting food.
Buy climate-friendly foods.
The following tips can help you choose food with a lower carbon footprint:
- Meat and dairy foods have a much bigger effect on climate change and the environment than most grains, pulses, fruit and vegetables.
- Buying fresh and unprocessed foods can mean fewer carbon emissions, because processing food and freezing or refrigerating it uses a lot of energy.
- Buying food grown outdoors in season can help reduce CO2 emissions, because it doesn't need heated greenhouses.
- Buying food that has travelled less can also be a positive choice, as it reduces transport emissions, particularly in comparison to produce transported by air.
Buy wildlife-friendly foods.
Some food is made in ways that are more wildlife friendly (e.g. without using pesticides). Other food supports the countryside and local communities (e.g. by creating local jobs). Find these by looking for environmental or organic labels that operate in your country or region, or by choosing retailers that are trying to stock greener food.
4. Recycling and Cutting Waste
Reusing and recycling instead of throwing items away will mean less waste and less energy needed to make new items. It also saves on the raw materials needed to make new paper, metal, glass and other items. Saving energy helps tackle climate change.
Reuse and repair.
Avoid waste in the first place, by reusing, upgrading and repairing items. Try saving money by upgrading computers and hanging on to mobile phones, rather than replacing them. Avoid disposable items, and pass things on when you've finished with them.
Recycle more.
Nearly two thirds of all household rubbish can be recycled. In many nations, recycling can be collected in similar ways as rubbish. If not, check if there are local waste and recycling centres and see what they can accept.
Get composting.
Composting food waste can help reduce emissions that cause climate change. Another idea is to see if your local government or other organisation collect kitchen and garden waste from your home.
5. Greener Shopping
Here are some ways to help the environment when you shop.
Take a bag.
Hang on to your shopping bags and take some with you when you next go to the supermarket, or buy a reusable one.
Green Labels
Use any available local or national labels to choose products that have a lower impact on the environment (e.g. energy-efficient appliances and cars, and sustainable fish). For example, if applicable, using labels to buy sustainable wood and peat-free compost will protect important natural habitats that help balance climate change effects.
Buy recycled.
Look out for recycled products. Recycled paper, kitchen rolls and toilet tissue are among the products now widely available.
Ask for greener choices.
If you can't find what you want, or need more information about greener choices, ask in shops. The more people ask, the more shops will think about stocking greener choices.
Reference:
DirectGov National Web Archives & Workplace Options (Ed.) (Reviewed 2018 [Ed.]). Greener living: A quick guide to what you can do [Archived 2012, October] (Global Edit). Retrieved 10 October 2018 from the National Web Archives of DirectGov at www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/webarchive