Climate change is underway, and affecting the entire planet. Headlines detailing extreme weather events seem to come day after day, yet people in powerful positions deny its full impact. As Greta Thunberg, the 16-year-old Swedish climate activist puts it;
“Adults keep saying, we owe it to the young people to give them hope. But I don’t want your hope, I don’t want you to be hopeful, I want you to panic”.
It seems people are indeed panicking, overwhelmed by the magnitude of issues facing the planet, leaving them feeling powerless. This feeling is for many fuelled further by the perception that individual contributions will not have an impact, as it is common knowledge corporations stand for the majority of carbon emissions and environmental pollution. This has led to a new phenomenon of ‘eco-anxiety’, a fairly new physiological disorder afflicting individuals who worry about the environmental crisis. If you feel ‘eco-anxiety’ is impacting your health, or if you for other reasons, care about the impact you have on the environment, there are a number of factors in the decisions you make which might help you not only feel better, but also do the right thing for the climate.
- What you eat
According to the World Wide Fund (2008) The UK food chain accounts for 19% of UK greenhouse gas emissions, with 12% being accounted for by meat consumption. By switching to a flexitarian diet, eating mainly plant based, with small amounts of higher standard meat, fish and dairy, you will experience a number of benefits to your health and your environmental footprint. What it not to be forgotten, is the tremendous impact this diet might have on your finances – just making the switch away from meat for four meals a week could save your roughly £600-800 annually.
- How you travel
Travels can expand our minds, promote intercultural understanding, and provide wonderful content for Instagram. Unfortunately, it also severely impacts our planet. Instead of flying – simply try and take the train. Instead of taking the car to university or work, get on your bike or take a walk. This is not only going to have an impact on climate, it will also impact your pocket.
- What you buy
The fashion industry has a disastrous impact on the environment. In fact, it is the second largest polluter in the world, just after the oil industry. As the industry grows, so does its damage. Did you know, that every clothing piece in the world gets used an average ten times before it ends up in landfill? In the UK alone it is estimated £140 million worth of clothing goes to into landfill each year. What can we do instead? It’s easy! Try to not by single-use clothing, shop from sustainable sources with stricter environmental focus, and buy as much as you can second-hand!
