leeds town hall

Stop Climate Chaos Leeds is affiliated to the national Stop Climate Chaos campaign and supported by TIDAL: Trade Injustice and Debt Action Leeds

 

How green can you get?

Compiled by Matt Carmichael

Do you change the world from the outside or the inside? Why not both? Feeling guilty about climate change is useless and counterproductive. So is fear about the consequences. Neither of them will stop the planet from overheating. What we need is hope and hope comes from action. That’s why this guide counts all the measures included as positively “green”, whilst acknowledging that some make more difference (dark green) than others (light green).

How to use this guide:

  1. Tick off the ones you already do. Feel good.
  2. Given your current circumstances, decide on the next one. Do it. Feel good.
  3. Refuse to close your mind or point the finger. Instead, return to step 2.

I haven’t done all these things myself and I don’t know anyone who has, so we can all do better, step by step!

Section 1: Do yourself a favour

(things which save you and your money)

  • Insulate your house
    It’ll save you loads in heating bills and your council may help to pay for it.
  • Lower energy appliances
    Need a new fridge or cooker? Get the A-rated one. TV? Go for low Wattage.
  • Reuse plastic and paper
    These take a lot of energy to make, so re-using saves the environment.
  • Low-energy bulbs
    How many have you got? You can even get ones for dimmer switches now.
  • Vampire Slaying
    Appliances on standby suck energy no-one needs. Turn everything off when not in use!
  • Greener Cleaners
    Eco-products for the kitchen and bathroom are safer for you and your children, too.
  • Go for a walk
    Why drive when the walk will reduce your risk of heart attacks and obesity?
  • Be a rotter
    Compost all the waste you can. No garden? Use a mini wormery to feed your houseplants.
  • Homeland holidays
    Plan a break in the UK and save on travel costs.
  • *Use recyclable batteries
    Rechargeable batteries cost less over their lifetime and pollute much less.
  • Cook from scratch
    Using fresh ingredients to make your dinner is healthier and less expensive.
  • Drive greenly
    Keep your tyres pumped up, don’t carry unnecessary loads and go easy on the accelerator.
  • Take the bus instead of a taxi
    If there’s a bus service it’s cheaper and a lot greener
  • Freecycle your stuff
    Don’t chuck it! Someone might want it. And get free stuff! www.freecycle.org
  • Stop the junkmail
    Sign up to the Mailing Preference Service to stop unwanted post. www.mpsonline.org.uk

Section 2: A Little goes a long way

(small changes which make a big difference)

  • Green electricity
    Ecotricity and Good Energy can supply all electricity from renewable sources. www.uswitch.com
  • Save water
    Treat water as the precious stuff it is. A meter could save you money too.
  • Separate your green waste
    Use your green bin and local recycling facilities.
  • Baby steps
    Use greener nappies
  • Organic food
    Organic food does not rely on heavy industry, it’s healthier and keeps the soil alive.
  • Organic wine
    Same principles apply: www.festivalwines.co.uk
  • Repair instead of replace
    Fix it if you can. Landfill sites are filling up. Shipping waste is not on.
  • Cut down on the meat
    Meat production uses vast amounts of land and water.
  • Get the green option
    Everything from golf tees to paint ­ whenever you can.
  • Choose the greenest car
    They come with efficiency ratings too.
  • Green gadgets
    Solar backpack anyone? Wind-up torch? Eco-kettle?
  • e-campaigning
    Your favourite green charity will send you easy-to-do action requests via email
  • Take the train
    ­ instead of the car or plane.
  • Reduce pawprints!
    Eco-pet care! http://environment.guardian.co.uk/whatcanido/story/0,,1880483,00.html

Section 3: Walking lightly on the Earth

(reducing your ecological impact is becoming a priority)

  • Cut the car
    Car-sharing, lift-sharing, mopeds and bikes are all a lot better than business as usual.
  • Eco travels
    Travel for longer, less frequently, and try to avoid flying if you can.
  • Buy local
    Farmer’s markets and local shops help cut energy used to transport foods.
  • The great Outdoor Gym
    Volunteer and get a work-out! www.cvni.org/greengym/
  • Launder your finances!
    What is your money being invested in? www.ivillage.co.uk/print/0,,551842,00.html
  • Grow your own
    There’s nothing more satisfying than eating your own food from the garden or allotment.
  • Go veggie
    ­ and cut your ecological footprint drastically.
  • Cottoning on?
    Ordinary cotton farming is extremely water and pesticide intensive. Go organic.
  • Fit solar panels
    If you have a South-facing roof, not shaded, you can be your own power station!
  • Join the movement
    TIDAL, WWF, Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, Christian Aid, Oxfam - get stuck in!
  • Know your stuff
    Have you seen Al Gore’s “An inconvenient truth”? Or read George Monbiot’s “HEAT”?
  • Pass it on
    If the next generation uses energy like we do, it’ll be too late. Teach your kids the new rules.
  • Pester power
    Try to persuade your office/sports club/faith community to change their ways.
  • Go organic in the garden
    Make your garden self-sufficient and reap the rewards.
  • Eco-extensions
    If you’re doing building work, have you thought about insulation, heating, lighting etc?

Section 4: That’s deep, man

(counter-cultural boat-rocking)

  • Take the “1 Tonne Challenge”
    Get your carbon emissions down to a tonne a year.
  • Join the no-flyers
    Until solar planes are invented, the single biggest thing you can do is stop flying.
  • Get elected
    Become a councilor or MP and push for serious changes in law.
  • Go vegan
    Dairy products need a lot of land and water too.
  • Change jobs
    Is your job part of the problem? If you can’t change it from the inside, is it time to move on?
  • Set up a local power station
    Localising energy production (wind and solar) could be the future.
  • Refuse the refuse
    Leave unnecessary packaging at the till for the shop to deal with, and explain why.
  • Join the Slow Food movement
    Enjoy growing, cooking and eating food. www.slowfood.org.uk
  • Know your stuff 2
    Read “Ecological debt” by A Simms, and “The Ecologist” and “Resurgence” magazines
  • Build or buy an eco-house
    Be a pioneer. We’ll all need them one day.
  • Simple Living
    Resist consumer culture. Make sure everything you own is beautiful, practical or both.
  • Find your roots
    Listen to environmental leaders in your faith community. Wisdom is better than knowledge.
  • Start a green business
    Pioneer a new kind of economy which doesn’t take the planet for granted.
  • Buy wilderness
    Preserving untouched land could save us all.
  • Direct Action
    Tackle injustices the Gandhi/Martin Luther King way.

The next step:






A note about “Offsetting”

You may be wondering why offsetting carbon emissions is not mentioned here. The short answer is because it won’t make any difference to global warming. It also actually destroys ecosystems and local economies in many places. The major environment charities WWF, Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth are all looking for ways to tackle Global Warming, but none of them endorse offsetting. You have to ask yourself: do you want a conscience salve, or do you actually want to cut your carbon emissions? More on this here.

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