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Climate Change & Environment

Category: small actions

Although small actions might not solve the climate crisis, they remind us that we are intrinsic parts of the world and its ecosystems.
- Kimberley R Miner

  • Think before you flush

    How and when to save water at home. Read more

  • Look into time-of-use tariffs

    They allow energy firms to incentivise customers to move their electricity use to times when the grid has more renewable energy than it needs. Read more

  • Thinking about selling on Vinted?

    Steps you can take to make this a greener option. Read more

  • Use a shopping list

    People who check their fridge and use a shopping list waste less food. Ian Williams in The Conversation, 18 May 2026. Read more

  • Plug-in solar

    Plug-in solar panels should soon go on sale in the UK for around £500. They can produce about 10% of a typical household’s energy, depending on how they are positioned. If you are thinking of buying panels, there are practical considerations, and paperwork to be done. Read more

  • Buy clothes from a reselling platform (or a charity shop)

    A vow to “buy nothing” is hard to keep. A vow to “buy second hand” gives you a treasure hunt. Fashion is a big polluter, so buying lots of outfits from the high street is problematic. Resellers such as Vinted, Depop and eBay, or charity shops, can provide a guilt-free solution. Read more

  • Buy sustainable and Fairtrade flowers

    The General Synod of the Church of England has approved a motion to use sustainable flowers - flowers that they have travelled shorter distances, used less packaging and have been grown without chemicals, high energy inputs or an excessive amount of water. It may seem a small thing, but there are 12,000 churches. Read more

  • Declutter

    Look around your house for the things that you don't use any more, and remember that everything comes with a cost of ownership. Half a dozen paperback fiction books in good condition are worth £10-£20 to a charity shop, and you get back some shelf space and have less dusting to do. Read more

  • Don't buy wrapping paper

    A few years ago I took the decision not to buy wrapping paper, not just at Christmas but for birthdays, Valentine's Day and the rest. Using something else instead will test my ingenuity, I thought. Read more

  • Indulge in grains, vegetables and dips twice a week

    Numerous studies warn about the harmful effects of a meat-heavy diet. But for “meat-attached” eaters, going cold turkey (or cold tofu) rarely works. Instead, use positive framing. Not “eat less of this”, but “eat more of this”. Change “meat-free Monday” to “hummus-heavy Mondays”. Read more

  • Nudge

    I posted on the Ferrero UK website to say that, although Mrs B likes their chocs I don't buy them because they are overpackaged - Ferrero Rocher is packaged in hard plastic, competitors like Lindt use mainly cardboard. I got this email in return. Read more

  • Plant a Tredge

    The Royal Horticultural Society is urging us to plant 'tredges' - plants that work either as a standalone tree or as part of a hedge. Read more

  • Pick up Plastic

    This is a picture of plastic waste (here expanded polystyrene) on its way to becoming microplastics. If you see something like this please pick it up and put it in a bin. Read more

  • Support your Refill Shops

    Almost the refill shops that I know of have gone now or have had to move to a corner of a garden centre; those that remain are an endangered species and they need our support. Read more

  • Take the Pledge

    The pledge was produced in the US during World War II. We could do worse than adopt these principles now. Read more

  • Use Toilet Towels

    Our use of toilet paper is much reduced, so much so that New Loo Roll Day has become an event in our house. Read more

  • Use a Repair Cafe

    An item repaired for free by volunteers reduces waste to landfill, and saves carbon emissions from making [and distributing] a new one. It can also save you money. Read more

  • Use the NESO app

    It shows where GB's electricity is coming from and a forward view of its carbon intensity. You can use it to align your demand with low-carbon supply. Read more

  • Write to your MP

    Influencing policy is a stronger action than adjusting your individual behaviour.  A letter written to your local MP can echo in the higher echelons of power. It takes 15 minutes; low-effort, high-impact. Read more