These are some of the small but powerful steps any household can take to make a difference for climate action…
Need to buy something, but not sure who to support? Check out this useful article from the Financial Times: https://www.ft.com/climate-leaders-europe-2021
Calculate your household’s carbon footprint. Just key “carbon footprint calculator” into your search engine and have a play – there’s quite a few to choose from, including one supplied by the WWF.
Alternatively why not use the Earth Hero app on you phone – this informative site not only makes keeping track of your carbon footprint enjoyable, it has numerous suggestions and tips on how to step more lightly on the earth. There is also a community of likeminded people across the world, whose support and presence in itself is highly uplifting.
When your current energy deal ends, switch to a provider using 100% renewable sources. Switching should be simple and easy with no loss of supply. Sign up to Martin Lewis’ MoneySavingExpert.com Energy Club and they will automatically tell you when a better deal is on offer, and you can set your preferences to only show 100% renewables.
Listen to free podcasts about sustainability and climate change. The BBC Radio 4 “More or Less” programme can be eye-opening on statistics we hear about in the news – some climate related, some not. BBC also has a podcast series called “39 Ways to Save the Planet”. These podcasts can be accessed from the BBC Sounds app on most devices.
Swap one household item for a more eco alternative and see if you like it. Some ideas:
- Toilet roll: Try bamboo alternatives which you can buy online e.g. Naked Sprout.
- Cleaning products: It’s not just what’s in the product, but whether they come from an ethical company. Try Bio-D, or Greenscents, which offer 5L bottles so you are cutting back on plastic too.
Shop local.
- Did you know Menston has its own Fish Man with a sustainable approach who delivers to your door every Monday? Paul Hewitt 07767 242634
- For milk and eggs delivery try Malcolm Barker on 07530 205359. Ask for glass bottles instead of plastic cartons.
Cut down on plastic: •Online – •
- Online: Try GoPlasticFree.Org – even if you don’t buy anything from their shop, you may be surprised and inspired at the range of possibilities now on offer.
- Locally – shop for all dry foods, household cleaning products and personal cleansers at Waste Not (Burley and Ilkley) or Like Nana Did (Otley).
Leftovers: Step away from the bin! With a bit of know-how, your leftovers can be magically transformed, saving you money. We love Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s book ‘Love your Leftovers’, and you can find free recipes from this book online (lemon and yoghurt pudding, lunchbox salads, potato peel soup). If you key “leftover milk” (or whatever you have) into a search engine, a recipe is bound to pop up.
Biodiversity & Wildlife: why not join our local wildlife group, who are actively trying to provide and protect habitats for nature to thrive? Menston Area Nature Trust (MANT) run working parties around the village and in Weston Woods, near Otley, which they now own. They also are actively managing Miss Porritt’s field in the centre of Menston, to improve the variety and quantity of nature there, along with Swift projects and wilder gardens, hedgehog highways and much more. See their website: https://mant.org.uk/
Books: to read or listen to on audio:
- Wilding by Isabella Tree
- Rebirding by Benedict MacDonald
- No One is Too Small to Make a Difference by Greta Thunberg
Gardening
- Buy peat-free compost if you can. Demand has increased supply so this is now much easier to get hold of. Try Wilko, or Wickes.
- Extend the life of shop-bought ‘living’ herbs. There are usually many plants packed into a single pot: you can split these into individual pots to grown on. Youtube has videos showing you how to correctly harvest basil leaves so the plant will “grow back” and last you much longer (we are talking several weeks if not months).
Green Finance: companies are upping their game on this, recognising that more and more consumers are making choices based on what is ethical and green, from the types of funds their pensions are invested in, to the environmental policy and carbon footprint of the company providing bank accounts. This information is usually readily available online on company websites but if you can’t find it, just ask them.