Your carbon
Take the train
footprint
You can help halt climate change by reducing your
carbon footprint – the amount of greenhouse gases
including carbon dioxide (C02), released as a result
of the things you do. Every one of us can make more
climate-friendly lifestyle choices, such as thinking
about what we eat, buying less and reusing and
recycling more, and using low-emission transport.
Eat less meat
Raising animals - in particular
cattle - adds methane to the
atmosphere. Rainforests are
also cleared to provide
grazing for beef cattle.
Importing meat from
abroad uses fossil fuels
and increases emissions.
Every mouthful of beef
we eat may involve the emission
of up to 6,800 times its own
weight in greenhouse gases.
EYEWITNESS Turn it down
Reforestation in Ethiopia A thermostat switches it off when
In 2019, Ethiopians planted four billion the room warms up. Setting it just
seedlings as part of its five-year “Green 1°C (1.8°F) lower saves 235 kg
Legacy” plan to tackle deforestation. This (518 lb) of CO2 emissions per year.
national campaign aims to plant 20 billion Aim for 16–18°C (61–64°F); if you
trees by 2024, to combat desertification are a bit cold, wear more clothes.
and absorb CO2.
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Use your legs
Cars are responsible for a lot of
our greenhouse gas emissions, so
try to use them less – especially
for short journeys, which use far
more fuel per kilometre than long
ones. Use public transport if you
can or, if the roads are safe, walk
or cycle – it will also get you fit.
If the car is the only option, share
the ride or get a lift with friends.
Avoid short-haul flights. A flight
from London to Paris releases
244 kg (538 lb) of CO2 per
passenger, but a high-speed
train releases 22 kg (48 lb) per
passenger. For long-haul flights,
we can check “carbon offsetting”
schemes, which balance the
plane’s emissions by cutting
greenhouse gases elsewhere.
Buy local
Shop locally, on foot or by bus
rather than in the car. Try to
avoid buying foods from halfway
around the globe. Check the
“country of origin” labels, cut
back to just the occasional
exotic treat, and look for other
options from local sources. And
try not to buy things that come
with a lot of packaging.
Switch it off
Huge amounts of greenhouse
gas are created by leaving
electronic equipment switched
on for no reason. Even the
“standby” mode still uses power,
as do chargers if left plugged in.
If you can switch off unused
equipment at the wall without
affecting the data stored in
its memory, then do it.
Recycling
bins take
all kinds
of waste
Reuse and recycle
Throwing things away contributes to climate change by adding to
methane-generating landfill, and encourages us to buy new things
whose manufacture emits greenhouse gases. Use things for as long
as possible. If they cannot be repaired, try to get them recycled.
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