Taking Simple Actions Can Make a Big Difference
Here are some of the many simple actions we can all adopt in our home, work and social lives to help combat the impact of climate change.
Did you know that: Britons waste the equivalent of two power stations worth of electricity each year by leaving gadgets on standby. If everyone boiled only the water they needed to make a cup of tea, we could save enough electricity to run practically all the street lighting in the country.
Buying locally will help to reduce CO² emissions. Transporting our food long distances produced 19 million tonnes of carbon dioxide pollution in 2002.
Between 1990 and 2003, the average distance people walk has fallen by 19%. Walking or cycling instead of driving short distances helps to reduce carbon pollution and is a good form of physical activity.
These are just a few of the reasons why we should all act now. Below are a just a few of the actions we could all start to take.
For a fuller list of actions download our Climate Change Actions file (PDF - 55KB)
1. Saving Energy
- Don't leave electrical items (e.g. the TV) on standby
- Turn off lights off and reduce (or turn off) the heating in unused rooms
- Turn down the thermostat to 21o C (or less)
- Put on extra clothing instead of turning up the heating
2. Transport
- If you don’t know already, find out where the local bus services can take you
3. Cutting waste and recycling
- Use your kerbside recycling collection and local 'bring' sites
- Avoid over-packaged products
- Use your own shopping bag
4. Care for where you live
- Get active in an Environment or Conservation Group
- Report fly-tipping and abandoned vehicles
- Become an Every Action Counts - Community Champion
5. Ethical Shopping
6. At home
- Drink tap water rather than paying for bottled water
- Put lids on pans when cooking
- Boil just enough water for hot drinks
- Cut down on meat and dairy produce,
7. Water Use
- Don't leave taps running.
- Fit a water saver in your toilet cistern
- Flush the toilet less often
8. In the Garden
- Avoid buying peat compost
- Use a watering can (not a hose or sprinkler) and water plants in the early morning or late evening
9. On Holiday
- Avoid souvenirs made from endangered species
- Don't change your hotel towels daily
- Use local public transport
