Simple steps each of us can take to live more sustainably

What is it about?

This book is packed with practical tips for how you can reduce your carbon footprint. Each set of suggestions is graded as ‘simple’, ‘hard or expensive’, ‘innovative or life-changing’. For example, in the section on household food and waste, ideas include: • Simple: stop eating meat on a Monday. Grow some of your own vegetables. Buy others at farmers’ markets. Reduce food waste. • Hard / expensive: Become a vegetarian. Join or start a community farm. Keep chickens. Compost. • Innovative / life-changing: Go vegan. Live a zero-waste life. The section on green energy offers: • Simple: Purchase green energy credits from your power company. • Hard / expensive: Install solar panels or a small windmill. • Innovative / life-changing: Go off the grid all together. There are sections on what you can do in your school (e.g. install solar energy) or business (e.g. audit the emissions from your operations and plan how to reduce them). There are sections on how to conserve water (e.g. modifying your toilet tank), cut waste (e.g. don’t buy things that are over packaged), support a green economy (look for socially responsible investments), transform your travel (purchase carbon credits; use public transport; make your next car a hybrid).

Featured Image

Photo by Danist Soh on Unsplash

Photo by Danist Soh on Unsplash

Why is it important?

KEY TAKEAWAY: Each of us can make a contribution, but many of us need guidance – and persuasion. We need to know that our small sacrifices are worthwhile. And we need inspiration and ideas for each change we could make. These practical steps are a good starting point for how those in developed economies can reduce their impact on the environment. This research relates to the following Sustainable Development Goals: • SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production • SDG 13: Climate Action • SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy