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In a world where Donald Trump has continuously disregarded climate change, and coal consumption is once again #1. It is easy to feel downhearted. But, it's not all doom and gloom! YOU CAN tackle climate change by reducing your carbon footprint.
1. Walk, Bike or use Public Transport
In 2016, the transport sector in the UK accounted for 32% of the nation's total GHG emissions. Opting for active transport like walking, cycling or using a scooter can not only drastically reduce your own carbon footprint but also save money, It's a win, win, win!
If this isn't possible using public transport can significantly reduce emissions. It is estimated that if passenger and mileage on railways were doubled, this could reduce UK transport emissions by 9%.
2. Switch Off
We are all guilty of not doing this, though the average UK household's footprint has reduced significantly, an extra 3.6 tonnes reduction from 8.1 tonnes by 2030 will ensure we reach our 80% nationwide emission target by 2050 necessary for addressing climate change.
You can help meet this by switching off your lights and devices, 4 light bulbs switched off every night can save the same amount of CO2 produced by 20 car trips from London-Paris.
3. Eat Less Meat
Here's some food for thought: livestock farming produces 20-50% of all human-induced GHG emissions, this doesn't even account for the GHGs produced for feeding, processing and transporting meat around the world.
By eating less red meat like beef and lamb you can reduce your footprint by a quarter, good for the environment, animals and your health!
4. Consume Locally Sourced Products
Cut your footprint by up to 7% by eating locally, seasonally produced food and products, as supposed to imported food! Reduce your food miles, energy used for packaging and eat your way to a smaller carbon footprint!
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It's important to remember that climate change is a contextual issue. It requires a multi-stakeholder approach that means we, as individuals have a responsibility and a role in ensuring we meet our climate goals, we cannot rest on our morals and assume that governments, agreements and technology can solve this issue alone.
For more ways on how you can reduce your carbon footprint, check this article out!
Hi!
ReplyDeleteA very inspiration final post which I found very interesting. I have to admit, some of your figures did make me laugh too. The point you raise here is an important one - that we can all do something to tackle climate change. Working collaboratively and understanding what we can achieve I believe is paramount. Do you think that spreading awareness, via processes such as blogging, is important in raising awareness and tackling this issue?
Absolutely, I think it's very easy for us to feel despondent with climate change solutions. The news is quiet negative so you might want to just bury your head in the sand and say it's impossible for you to make a change. But, when you think about collectively we could all make a significant impact by doing changing the smallest thing in our lives.Blogging about what you can do instead of what others or governments are doing enables a positive outlook on climate change that is relatable to individuals.
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