Climate Change: 7 Realistic Things You Can Do To To Help The Planet

It’s no secret that we need to change our relationship with the planet and adapt our habits to make sure we are doing our bit to protect the planet. We often discuss our carbon footprints and the effects of climate change, but what’s arguably more important is to discuss what we can do to change the conversation without dramatically having to change our lifestyles. What’s incredible in 2021 and 2022, is caring for the planet is no longer something you have to do alone, we are seeing people show more and more support for climate change, and this trend is only going to continue as the problem shouts louder.

 

So, what are 7 things you can do to help climate change in 2022?

 

By reducing your consumption of animal protein by half, you can cut your diet’s carbon footprint by more than 40%

This is always a tough win, reducing meat consumption for some people is easy, and for others seems like an impossible task, why give up something that you love so much, will it really make that much difference? Honestly, it will, giving up meat is the best thing that anyone can do for the planet, but understandably, it’s not realistic, so an alternative to giving up completely is to give up sometimes, say 2 or 3 days a week where you don’t eat meat and try out new meals using more fruit and vegetables. Not only is this great for the planet, but it’s also great for your health. Plus, who doesn’t love learning how to cook new meals? A personal favourite I tried recently was this delicious vegetable curry using sweet potato rather than beef.

 

How does food waste add carbon to the atmosphere?

Wasting food is often something that is overlooked in the fight against climate change, but each time we waste food, we are wasting all the time, energy, and resources that went into producing it. Buying food that we don’t eat is often really annoying for us as we feel like we are wasting money, but it’s also really bad for the planet. If we all only bought the food we actually eat, it’s estimated that food production could reduce by a third, which would be amazing for saving the carbon produced by livestock, using in farming, vehicles involved in the transportation of food, and machines used in the production and packaging of our food. Not only this but food decomposing in landfills releases a lot of methane into the atmosphere, another gas responsible for heating up the planet. So just one key message here which benefits everyone. Buy it, eat it.

 

Do the clothes you wear actually make any difference to your climate footprint?

The biggest issue with fast fashion isn’t the way the clothes are produced or the way they are moved around. It’s but ultimately the way they are disposed of which is causing the climate to suffer the most. Here in the UK, we buy more clothes per person than any other country in Europe, which is a problem as we always need to clear out our wardrobe space to make space for new trends and styles.

This desire for the latest fashion isn’t going to change, but we can change how we manage it, and make environmental disposal fit our lives as seamlessly as possible. Instead of throwing clothes away, make sure they are always recycled if not in wearable condition, or given to a good cause if they’re new, but just not for you. You can find your local fashion recycle points online, or any charity would be happy to take them if they are in good condition. While you’re dropping off your old clothes, you could always browse for a new vintage look and keep the cycle going.

 

What is the best way to avoid plastic?

How can we get away from plastic? For most things that are plastic, there is usually a more expensive or inconvenient sustainable version – but that doesn’t have to be the case. This list includes 100 ways to reduce plastic, and they are handily arranged in relative order of difficulty. Some things such as carrying bags, your own shopping bags, and a water bottle are so easy and will make a big difference. So to reduce your use of plastic, start at the top, and make your way down to the bottom. You might get stuck, but that’s okay, just skip and move on to the next. Even doing just 10 of these 100 things will make such a huge difference to your plastic use and be really positive for the environment.

 

How much can forests fight climate change?

The preservation of forests, trees, and woods is fundamental to the long-term habitability of the planet. We often hear the Amazon rainforest described as Earth’s lungs, and it’s an analogy that should be taken literally. Plantlife is the most effective way of removing carbon from the atmosphere and preventing the climate from getting hotter. Now, it’s not practical for everyone to plant trees in their gardens and campaign to save trees in their local area, as great as both those things are! But what you can do is support amazing causes like Ecologi, who plant trees on your behalf. Team Embryo recently signed up to Ecologi, so a big shout out to our fantastic marketing team for making this happen and helping us do a bit more for the planet.

 

Power your home with renewable energy

Powering our homes is a minefield, especially with the current price of wholesale gas that is crippling many of us. It’s more important than ever that we look to green suppliers to start taking our energy from hydro, solar, and wind, as well as making our homes as energy-efficient as possible. One company doing really well at supporting green energy is Octopus, which offer 100% renewable energy, and a fantastic service, too. You can read more about how energy was focused on during COP-26 in Glasgow, and how we should be working with the environment rather than against it when it comes to energy consumption in another of our recent posts.

 

How to get around and keep it green

It seems obvious, but driving an electric car can reduce your carbon footprint by over 40%. Now, this doesn’t initially seem quick, and it sounds very drastic, so 2 other options to consider forgoing greener are changing your car, or switching to public transport for more of your journeys. We all like nice things, and often a car is high on the list of nice things we like to have, so why change your comfy BMW, for a 1 litre Corsa? Especially when you’ve worked so hard, but this change can have a massive impact, plus the extra cash you secure from the change can be used to invest in green funds, so your money is doing its bit to prevent climate change as well.

 

Final Thought

We’ve talked a lot about how personal decisions can impact the climate and what action you can take to improve your own impact on the world. But if you’re thinking on behalf of a business, one of the best things you can do is partner with suppliers and services who share your values of protecting our planet. So, if you’re looking for a digital marketing partner, why not give us a try? We’re ready and waiting to help grow your business and some lovely trees.