What you can do
Every single one of us can help to tackle climate change and prepare for the impacts.We all have an impact on the environment through our use of resources and burning fossil fuels for everyday activities such as driving cars and heating our homes. If we all try to make the most environmentally sustainable choices in our lives then we can make a real difference.
Reduce your carbon footprint
Consider the environmental impacts of:
- The energy used in your home
- The way you travel
- The food you eat
Do everything you can to reduce your carbon footprint and not only will you be making less of an impact on the environment, but you’ll probably find that you’ll also save money and lead a more healthy lifestyle.
Save water in your home
Increasing water efficiency in your home reduces the amount of energy used for water treatment and can save you money and fight climate change at the same time.
Other things you can do
Here’s a list of other simple things you can do that will help reduce your carbon footprint by 10 per cent:
- insulate your home
- turn down your central heating by one degree
- use energy efficient lighting and appliances
- try not to fly. Choosing to forgo even one flight a year can significantly reduce your overall carbon footprint.
- car share
- ride your bike for short journeys
- eat local, seasonal, fresh, unprocessed food
- reduce the amount of waste you produce and re-use or recycle as much as you can
- whenever you buy something, go for the most eco-friendly option
Prepare for the impacts of climate change
Even if we stop all greenhouse gas emissions tomorrow we will experience climate change for another 30-40 years. In the UK we need to be prepared for more frequent floods, droughts and heatwaves.
Protect your home from floods
The Environment Agency is the leading organisation for flooding in the UK. We can help you to prepare for a flood and if you sign up to our free flood warning service, when a flood is likely to happen we’ll let you know about it.
- How will climate change affect flood risk?
- Am I at risk of flooding?
- How can I be prepared?
- Our free flood warning service
Insulate your home
Home insulation in your walls and your loft not only reduced the amount of energy you need to heat your house, it will help to keep your home cool if there is a heat wave.
Improve your water efficiency
Using water efficiently in your home saves water being taken out of the environment and so reduces the risk of drought. If you're able to harvest rainwater and recycle grey water this will make your home and garden more resilient during water shortages.
Using water efficiently in your home saves water being taken out of the environment and so reduces the risk of drought. If you're able to harvest rainwater and recycle grey water this will make your home and garden more resilient during water shortages.
More ideas
Linked below is a story by G.R. Mantard about how he saw the climate change film ‘The Age of Stupid’, and was inspired to calculate his carbon footprint and learn how to reduce it.
There are many websites that hold a wealth of information to help you to reduce your personal impact on climate change. You may find the websites below helpful:
English Heritage's Climate Change and Your Home website helps people who own or manage houses to understand more about the potential impacts of climate change and ways to save energy.
Climate Change and Your Home
Full Credit : http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk
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