5 easy ways you can fight climate change every day

Climate change – it’s happening. A one degree rise since the 19th century has brought a myriad of issues. Now, the focus is on capping the rise at 1.5 degrees Celsius.

But it’s not all doom and gloom.

The good news? We don’t have to wait around for others to make a difference. We can make changes to our day-to-day lives this very moment to help reverse the effects of global warming. Not sure how? Don’t worry, here are five ways you can make a positive difference right now.

Fight climate change tip #1

Get energy Smart

Still using dirty energy? You wouldn’t believe how easy it is to switch to 100% renewable energy. And…it probably will save you money! All you need to do is go to an energy comparison site like this one and filter the options by green/renewable deals. You’ll see how much you’ll save and how easy it is to have all your household energy from renewable sources.

Also – the age of estimating how much your bills cost, or how much energy you use, is over. Smart meters are in, and with them, a new age for power usage. Smart Energy GB can help you get one in minutes here. You’ll be able to set energy saving goals, save a bit of extra cash and reduce your emissions as a household.

Fight climate change tip #2

Get on your bike…or a train

Last year, transport was the largest source of UK CO2 emissions. A massive proportion of our emissions came from the 30million+ vehicles registered on our roads. Essentially, transport is where the battle could be won or lost, and if we can all either shun that short car ride in favour of a bicycle or train or car share, we’ll be hitting CO2 emissions right where it hurts.

Planning on taking a long journey up north to see family? Planning on heading south to the seaside? Catching a train will create about a quarter of the emissions of driving a car on your own.

If you have to drive, the more people in the car the better. There are a few carpooling sites that not only help you to fight climate change, they’re also great for meeting new people… Try out BlaBlaCar, LiftShare or GoCarShare.

Fight climate change tip #3

Buy different

Everything we buy has a story. Whether it’s in the raw materials used for the product, the transport involved in getting it to you or how recyclable it is, every product has an impact on the planet. Here are our tips for shopping for the planet:

• Buy local. Buy your food, clothes and other stuff from local producers. Getting stuff shipped or flown round the planet has a hidden but really pretty big carbon footprint.

• Buy second hand. Own that retro look, save money, support charity shops.

• Buy less. It’s that easy. You’ll save money, won’t have to go to the shops and you’ll be protecting the planet. Three wins!

Fight climate change tip #4

Flex your diet

A meat eater’s diet can produce around 3.3 tons of Co2 a year, comparatively, a flexitarian can produce around 1.9. Flexitarians are people who consume anything from 6–15 meatless meals a week, calling on pulses, vegetables and fruits to fill the void. And guess what, it’ll save you lots of money too.

Anything from jackfruit to seitan to tofu, flexitarians are using these meat substitutes in a myriad of ways. If you’re not so confident with these, here are some great home-cooked classics in vegetarian form to give you some inspiration.

Fight climate change tip #5

Pass it on

Word of mouth is more powerful than any social platform, or blog, or article (don’t overlook us when you’re mentioning it though!). Next time you’re at dinner, or with your colleagues, and something vaguely related to climate change comes up — stick your two pence in.

You’re not going to get everybody on side, but you’re bound to pique the interest of one or two… that’s how revolutions start.

Bonus tip

Make a donation

If you want to do more than you can in your day-to-day life to fight climate change, head over to our home page to learn more about the amazing organisations you can support in the fight against climate change.

We’re in the early stages of our journey, but our goal is just as big; give people the power to fight climate change. So, if you’re taking any of these steps, or think we could add a few more in, get in touch with us here.