Positive Possibilities

Nature holds many opportunities to create a more sustainable world. Energy can be produced through renewable resources, trees and other plants can absorb carbon dioxide, and there are many nature-based solutions we can turn to, for example flood protection using trees and bushes. We just need to appreciate nature a bit more and take care of it – we can do this by planting new trees, picking up rubbish, and providing homes and food for bees and other animals.

Read about how we can help nature help protect us! >

We all need to get places, but how we do so can have a big impact on the climate. Most vehicles run on fossil fuels, which means they emit carbon dioxide, which contributes to climate change. There are some ways of getting around that don’t cause as much – or any – carbon emissions, such as taking the train, driving an electrical car, or by practicing active travel. What is active travel, you ask? It’s when you use your body to get around, through for example walking or cycling. If more people walked or took the bike to school and work, we’d see fewer emissions, cleaner air, and more space for humans and nature.

Read about what we can do for the climate in terms of transport >

How and what we use (and waste) has a big impact on the environment. All the stuff in our life has caused - and will cause - greenhouse gas emissions in some form. Waste itself contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, for example when it is burned or landfilled. When something is wasted, that also means that we need to extract and produce the same material and thing again. By using less and using biodegradable materials, we can lower the climate impacts of waste.

Read about what we can do for the climate in terms of waste >

Fashion shouldn’t cost the earth, but quite often it does! The clothes and accessories we buy and wear were once produced, sometimes with large carbon footprints. What contributes to the climate impact of fashion is also how quickly fashion gets out of date and how much we shop because it’s cheap. The best thing we can do is shop less, and when we need something, mend what we have, borrow from a friend or buy second hand.

Read about what we can do for the climate in terms of fashion >

Energy doesn’t have to be the drain it is. We use energy for almost all aspects of our life – from the alarm clock in the morning, through to toasting bread, maybe working or attending school from home, scrolling through Instagram, and watching telly in the evening. Even our water and heat usage are tied up with energy, and they all cause greenhouse gas emissions. What we need to do in terms of energy can be divided into two: one the one side we need to use more renewable energy, and on the other we need to use less energy overall.

Read about what we can do for the climate in terms of energy >

A quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions come from food production so by making more environmentally-friendly food choices, we can take a real bite out of the problem. We all need food to survive, so it’s not about eating nothing at all, but rather about eating the foods that are the best for the planet and the best for human health. These happen to be mostly the same – plants almost always have lower environmental and climate impact than animal foods, because they are more efficient. So by eating more plants, for example, we can take not only bite-sized pieces out of your food footprint, but real chunks! Water is also important – water treatment contributes to more greenhouse gas emissions than you might think.

Read about what we can do for the climate in terms of food and water >

Nature holds many opportunities to create a more sustainable world. Energy can be produced through renewable resources, trees and other plants can absorb carbon dioxide, and there are many nature-based solutions we can turn to, for example flood protection using trees and bushes. We just need to appreciate nature a bit more and take care of it – we can do this by planting new trees, picking up rubbish, and providing homes and food for bees and other animals.

Read about how we can help nature help protect us! >