Filed under: Climate change, Environment, healthy planet | Tags: Climate week, Healthy Eating, Lancaster University
A new survey by Lancaster University has indicated that if everyone in the UK became vegetarian then the benefit to the environment would be the same as taking half the nation’s cars off the road.
The research was lead by Professor Nick Hewitt who said “informed dietary choices can make a significant difference to greenhouse gas, reducing food-related emissions by around a quarter.”
The analysis showed that eating a balanced diet is good for the environment as well as you. This is because red meat, processed food and dairy products create the largest carbon footprint of all food types surveyed, compared to chicken, fish, vegetables and pulses that have a relatively low impact.
The upcoming climate week campaign is also encouraging us to ‘eat low carbon’ with food consumption believed to equate to 20% of the UK greenhouse gas emissions. The campaigns website shows you that you can eat great tasty food while reducing your carbon footprint with fantastic recipes from top chefs to show you how.
Filed under: Climate change, healthy planet | Tags: climate change, Climate week, environment
Climate Week is a supercharged national campaign to inspire a new wave of action on climate change. It culminates in thousands of events and activities, planned by organisations from every sector of society. Showcasing real, practical ways to combat climate change, the campaign aims to renew our ambition to create a more sustainable, low-carbon future.
Climate Week is backed by every part of society – from the Prime Minister to Paul McCartney, the NHS to the Met Office, the TUC to the CBI, Girlguiding UK to the National Association of Head Teachers. It is supported by a Headline Partner Tesco, and four Supporting Partners: EDF Energy, H&M, Nissan and SodaStream. During the first Climate Week in 2011 over 3,000 events were attended by half a million people across the UK.
To find out more about getting involved in Climate Week go to www.climateweek.com
For more information on Healthy Planet please email conservation@healthyplanet.org
Filed under: Climate change, Environment, healthy planet | Tags: climate change, environment, Greenhouse Gases, Pollution, Saving Energy
Government figures released this month have revealed that in 2010 UK greenhouse emissions rose for the first time in several years. Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Davey said that the exceptionally cold weather that year was responsible, as it had led to an increase in domestic fuel consumption.
He added: “One year won’t knock the UK off meeting its long-term emission reduction targets, but it serves to underline the [need] for insulating homes in order to cut bills and emissions”
Insulating your home could be seen as an unaffordable extravagance in the present economy. However, government insulation grants are available for all home owners, with savings up to 100% depending on eligibility. To find out more please visit: government-grants.co.uk.
While this survey highlights the need to reduce our heating bills it is important to remember that there are many other ways to reduce the energy you use at home and save you money!
So here are five simple ways to be more energy efficient at home:
- Use energy efficient light bulbs. Each bulb could save you up to £7 a year.
- Don’t leave unused electrical items on standby. While this saves a few seconds according to Friends of the Earth your appliances can still use up to 70% of their active energy, costing you lots of money for doing nothing. It is also believed that switching off extends the life of electrical appliances.
- Turn down your heating. By reducing the temperature by 1% the Energy Savings Trust believe you will save 10% off the cost of your heating bill and that you won’t even notice the difference.
- Look after your boiler. After 10 years boilers begin to become less and less efficient, while newer models convert the energy more effectively.
- Change your energy supplier. While not saving energy this can lead to savings of over £100 a year!
Filed under: healthy planet, Recycling | Tags: Community, Recycle, Reuse, Stuff For Free
Stuff For Free has proved an incredibly successful community reuse project, with over 150,000 books, 80 televisions, beds, musical instruments, cameras, game consoles, toys, clothes and much more having already been donated and given away. Now Healthy Planet has decided that it wants to get the kids in on the action.
This weekend’s special half-term event is being opened by CBBC Star Priyanka Patel from BAFTA nominated TV show “Sadie J” and with lots of fun activities organised, (including book signings from children’s author Nick Halliday on Sunday) it promises to be a great weekend of ‘give and take’!
Everyone is invited to come along to this giant swap shop at the Vision Warehouse in Acton on 11 and 12 February. You can donate your unwanted stuff between 9am and 12pm on either day. Then, in the afternoon from 1pm till 3pm everything needs to be taken away!
Stuff For Free highlights how it is better to reuse and recycle, rather than just sending useful items to landfill. As well as giving cash-strapped Londoners a chance to get things they may not have been able to afford.
For more information visit the Stuff For Free website.
Filed under: healthy planet, Recycling | Tags: environment, Plastic Bottles, Recycle, Reuse, Three Rs
While most of us recycle, it is not in itself an answer to the effect our waste has on the environment.
While recycling is, of course, better than throwing things in the bin, it is much better to stop things from becoming rubbish in the first place.
Take plastic. The more it is melted down and reprocessed the weaker the plastic becomes, meaning that it eventually becomes a waste product anyway. It also uses a lot of energy in the recycling process.
So while recycling can help reduce the strain on our natural resources it should not in itself be considered the answer to our waste problems. That’s why it’s good to remember the three Rs; Reduce, (then) Reuse and (then) Recycle.
The three Rs formula sees recycling more as a last step in what you can do to minimise your effect on the environment, rather than a first step. If you can find ways around the need to recycle, you will be helping the environment more.
You can do this in many ways, from being more aware of the packaging your goods come in, to choosing reusable items rather than disposable ones. Here are some simple things you can to make a difference:
At home
- Recycle
- Compost your food waste
- Use reusable containers
- Reuse, repair or renovate instead of buying new
- Recharge your batteries
- Stop junk mail
- Don’t leave lights on and use energy saving light bulbs
- Donate your unwanted items instead of throwing them away
- Insulate your home
While shopping
- Use reusable shopping bags
- Buy CFC free products
- Buy in bulk, as it saves on packaging and money!
- Shop locally and buy local ingredients
While travelling
- Walk or cycle when possible
- Use public transport
- Car pool
- Avoid taking unnecessarily short journeys in the car.
- Keep your car tires inflated, as it saves rubber and petrol!
- Recycle your engine oil
