A greener home can help save the planet.

Climate change has hit the headlines recently with scientists warning that if we don’t make changes to the way we live, then there could be serious consequences including drought, extreme heat, flooding, and poverty for hundreds of millions of people.

What is climate change? 

According to Nasa, whilst climate change includes global warming, it also refers to the broader range of changes that are happening to our planet, including rising sea levels; shrinking mountain glaciers; accelerating ice melt in Greenland, Antarctica and the Arctic; and shifts in flower/plant blooming times.

How can we help prevent climate change by just living in our homes?

There are various changes we can all make in our everyday lives to help to prevent climate change.  Here are just a few;

• Go ‘Greener’ – take steps to reduce your carbon footprint by finding alternative ways to travel.  Walk or cycle and use public transport wherever you can.  If you have to travel by car, consider car sharing or switch to a hybrid or electric vehicle.
• Eat sustainably – food production largely contributes to global greenhouse emissions, the majority of which are from the production of meat and dairy products.  Vegetarian dishes are much more widely available and should be considered as part of daily diet choices. 
• Be more energy efficient – employ energy efficient practices in the home.   Insulating your home can help reduce emissions with the added bonus of reducing heating bills. Switch lightbulbs to LED lightbulbs.  Consider use of renewable energy sources where possible such as solar.
• Waste less food – Food waste is a major source of methane ( a major greenhouse gas).  Be more mindful when food shopping, using lists and only buying what you need. Explore recipes to use up leftover foods rather than throwing away. 
• Reduce water consumption – by using less water, less energy is used to treat and pump the water, thereby reducing carbon emissions.
• Reduce, Reuse and Recycle – According to WWF, it is important to remember that everything we purchase has an environmental footprint which encompasses the materials used to produce it, the pollution emitted from production of the product and finally the packaging which ends up in landfill.