A recent BBC headline claimed that “Planet-warming gas levels rose more than ever in 2024”. According to the article, CO2 levels in our atmosphere are now 50% higher than when we started burning fossil fuels like coal and oil on a large scale. While efforts have been made to curb the release of greenhouse gases and stop the warming of our planet, it is clear we need to do more to combat climate change.
2024 also saw a continued increase in the earth’s temperature, with averages consistently rising more than 1.5c above the pre-industrial level. Even with the widespread adoption of electric vehicles, renewable energy sources and the creation of more meadows and forests, CO2 levels continue to rise.
The weather is a clear indicator of the effects of the planet warming up, with floods, forest fires, droughts, and record temperatures all over the world. This has a cyclical effect, with the reduced plant life due to extreme weather and forest fires leading to less CO2 absorption by grassland, plants, trees and even ocean acidification threatening aquatic plant life.
Obviously, this is not great news, but rather than becoming blasé about sustainability and giving up, we should see this as a sign to redouble our efforts, both to reduce carbon emissions and protect the green spaces we already have. Here are some ways that we can be a part of the solution, both on a personal scale and by supporting organisations that are committed to reducing carbon emissions.
Ways to reduce your carbon emissions
- Walk or cycle on short trips instead of taking the car. It’s good for your health and good for the planet. For longer trips, use public transport where you can and ride-share rather than driving yourself.
- Adopt the mantra of ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’. Reduce your consumption of new stuff wherever possible, consider reusing items when you can or donate them rather than throwing them away to decay in a landfill, and when you do need to buy new items, choose second-hand or refurbish where you can, or shop for items produced locally. This can save you tons of money as well as reduce the carbon emissions created during manufacturing, transporting, storing and shipping new goods.
- Electricity and heat production create lots of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, so make sure to turn off lights and other appliances when not needed, turn your thermostat down by one degree (you won’t notice) and only use your heating when you need to.
- Choose to deal with companies that have a sustainability policy in place and proven methods of taking action. From banking, pensions, energy providers and even the supermarket you shop at, some brands do more for the environment than others. Check out ethicalconsumer.org to find out more about brands’ sustainability policies and their actions on other ethical issues.
- Eat more local food. Stick to produce that is grown locally and in season – check out local greengrocers, farmers’ markets and other local food sources to reduce the amount of food being unnecessarily flown or shipped all around the world. You could also try growing some food at home – even if you have a small outdoor space or no garden at all, growing just a little rather than buying it can help.
- Eat less meat. Studies indicate that farm animals release a significant amount of methane and nitrous oxide, which are even better (worse?) at causing the greenhouse effect than CO2, not to mention the amounts of food and water needed to raise them. As before, choosing locally produced meat can help to reduce emissions too.
- Reduce single-use plastic. Plastic is made using 99% fossil fuels and is predicted to account for 20% of oil use by 2050. Right now it’s hard to completely avoid plastic, but you can cut down on single-use plastic by choosing products that aren’t wrapped in plastic like vegetables at the supermarket. Leave them loose, use reusable bags, and try taking refillable containers to zero-waste shops. Even something as small as refilling a soap dispenser or swapping to a brand like Smol for household products can make a difference.
This all seems like small potatoes, but if you can take a few of these steps, you will be part of the solution! Supporting sustainable businesses helps show big brands that this matters, and will encourage them to make sustainable changes to keep their customers. Share this with other people along with your own tips for reducing carbon emissions and lead by example.
“Be the change you wish to see in the world” is a famous quote commonly misattributed to Mahatma Gandhi, but regardless of its source, it remains a powerful call to action for all of us.
