Now that the COP26 climate summit is over, I felt that the momentum has slowed down regarding climate change in the media. Therefore this post is a quick reminder of the simple changes you can make to help us become more sustainable and stave off global warming.
1) Make an effort to walk or cycle more. Even if it is just swapping one journey a week, it will make a difference. Can you manage getting up ten minutes earlier and walking to work or school instead of getting the car out?
2) Have a meat-free day every week. It is easy and fun to come up with or follow vegetable-centred recipes. I have recently started to have more vegetables in my main meals, choosing vegetable lasagnes and pasta dishes over my traditional chicken or bacon meals.
3) Make time for educating yourself about climate change. Check out one of the many documentaries which are informative and thought-provoking. Greta Thunberg has a few programmes on the BBC iPlayer and Netflix has ‘Our Planet’ or ‘Cowspiracy.’
4) Clean and recycle waste products. Just because your yoghurt pot is dirty, don’t pop it into your normal household waste. Rinse it and recycle it. Recycling centres often reject unclean items so a quick rinse makes a difference.
5) Plan a holiday involving rail or sea. Try and swap your next jet-set trip for one using the rail, or even using a ferry or ship. Planes are the ultimate polluters and taking time to find alternative ways to travel is really important. For me, Eurostar is the key for trips to Europe.
6) When keeping fit, avoid cars. So many people drive somewhere to go for a walk or cycle. Rather than driving to the gym or taking your pet in your car to a park, find a closer alternative. Try home workouts or walking to the gym. Go for a run around your block. It sounds silly but so many car miles are taken up getting to a leisure venue in preparation for fitness activities.
Sorry if I am sounding as though I am saying obvious things but we have to do as much as we can to make changes. Let’s face it, our governments are nodding their heads but facilitating very little actual change. If you want more thoughts about climate change, check out this blog post.
