Everyday ways to help tackle climate change
By Swarzy Macaly
Climate change is all over my timeline. And so it should be – it’s something that affects my generation. It’ll also have a huge impact on generations to come if we don’t do something now.
But apart from watching the news and feeling bad for endangered pandas, what can I do?
I watched protests gather hundreds of people. But no-one looked like me or my family. I felt like I didn’t belong to the movement and switched off. I was left wondering: where do I fit in?
This feeling of helplessness sparked my interest to take up the challenge and answer one question: what simple, everyday things can I (and anyone else who wants to) do to make a difference?
From customising trainers to showering in five minutes, I’ve tried lots of things that are quick and easy.
And the best part is, you can do them too.
Reboot your wardrobe
My journey started with trainers and the need to keep them box fresh. But, I found out that making just one pair of trainers has the same carbon impact as travelling 93 miles on a London bus. Worse still, we buy 25 billion new pairs of trainers every year worldwide!
Like most young people, I keep my kicks clean with a wet wipe and some specialist trainer cleaner. But thanks to my boyfriend Chiko, I found out that trainers are not only great when they’re clean… they’re even better when they’re customised. A lick of paint goes a long way to give my shoes a much-needed upgrade, while still being kind to the planet. And the best part is, customised kicks mean no-one else in the world has trainers like mine.
Top tip: Rotating your trainers and pairing clothes to create different outfits is a much more creative way of staying fashionable, especially as buying fewer clothes and shoes means less impact on the planet.
Episode 1: Trainers
Fresh food makes a difference
Next on my list was food. I LOVE a burger, but my challenge was to make a climate-friendly meal. Eating meat 3-5 times a week takes the same amount of energy as heating a home in the UK for 255 days, so it was a no-brainer that my meal was going to be meat-free. I called on my Auntie Grace for her tips and tricks on how to make a vegetarian meal I’d want to sink my teeth into.
Food waste is a big problem for the climate, so I dug deep in my fridge to see what hidden gems I could find. It made sense to use up what I already had – especially after learning that food consumption harms the planet more than cars and household electricity combined.
Top tip: Choosing local produce means it’s travelled less and has a lower impact on the climate. Looking at the label before you buy is a foolproof way of helping the planet.
With the expertise of Auntie Grace, we went from the market to Masterchef as she helped me whip up a menu of four dishes and two drinks. Her cooking is always five star and everything tastes better when your belly and purse is full.
Episode 2: Food
Make your tech last longer
Most of us can’t live without our phones, but the impact they have on our planet is huge. Every year, we throw away over 2 billion phones which makes a significant difference to the climate – who knew that producing just one new smartphone has the same carbon footprint as driving 193 miles in a car?
Rather than throw away your phone when it’s stopped working, what can you do instead?
Thanks to a ‘repair party’ in North London, I met phone saviour Junaid, who replaced my cracked screen in no time. It was significantly cheaper than buying a new smartphone and a lot less impactful on the climate. Now I can get back to watching my favourite shows on the go.
However, I learnt that watching one video online uses as much energy as leaving a lightbulb on for nearly two days.
Top tip: Instead of rinsing your 4G data, connect to Wi-Fi wherever you go and watch videos in groups.
Episode 3: Tech
Cut down on hot water
My last challenge was all about the home. As heating water is the second largest source of home energy use, I decided to challenge my brother, Nathan, to shower in less than five minutes. Sparing his afro, he managed it in an impressive 2 minutes and 26 seconds, but I took the crown with a time of 2 minutes and 12 seconds.
Admittedly a two-minute shower is far from ideal when you want to wash your hair. But on a day-to-day basis, cutting down your shower time is a great way to reduce your impact on the planet.
Out of all the possible solutions, these are just some of the lessons and life hacks I’ve learnt along the way. But I hope they’ve opened up the conversation for others to take the challenge and find out what they can do to help fight climate change.
Episode 4: Home