In the Wylde blog this week we’re talking about combating climate change from home. As the COP26 summit closes and the media is filled with the reviews and for the most part disappointment of the global Climate Change Conference, we’re looking at what differences we can make on a much smaller scale – at home. Obviously, governments and large companies have a significant role to play in the fight against climate change but that doesn’t mean us as individuals, can’t make an impact. It’s very easy to feel overwhelmed and powerless – especially with so much information and so many obstacles – making small changes to the way we live can really help.
With so many of us having adapted to a new way of working during the past two years, we’re here to with the good news that working from home not only helps to shelter the vulnerable from the Covid-19 virus, but it may be better for the planet too! Obviously, the commute for many of us has diminished if not disappeared entirely. Another advantage is that people who WFH tend to eat lunch at home, therefore reducing the amount of packaged goods they consume.
However, its not that cut and dry – those working from poorly insulated homes will have to have the heating on for significantly longer. One could argue that if the office remains open and it’s the choice of the employee to work from home, then the office will still be using the same amount of power to light and operate the space whether fully occupied or not.
So, how do we lead a lower-carbon lifestyle from home? The first step is to minimise waste. This can take on many forms – minimising wasting heat or electricity by turnng off lights, using radiator valves and pre-set timers, repairing, recycling and repurposing items from clothing to furniture. Reducing food waste and being aware of packaging and trying to minimise products with single-use plastics is important too!
Being a ‘conscious’ consumer goes a long way and allows us to make a positive impact just through making informed choices on what we’re buying and who we’re buying from. Big companies are accustom to adapting and changing to suit their customer’s demands and trends, so we can make a difference by adjusting what the demand is right the way through to the supply chain.
Whether it’s reducing your consumption of meat and or dairy products, it could be driving an electric car, it could be insuring that your investments aren’t in fossil fuels or other environmentally damaging practices, it could simply start by changing your bulbs at home to LED bulbs. Whatever you choose to do – make a start combating climate change from home!
