By Nathan Findlay –
Today (5 June) is the United Nation’s World Environment Day. It is celebrated every year to encourage awareness and action for the protection of the environment.
This year the focus is on ‘resetting’ humanity’s relationship with the environment.
Throughout the pandemic, we’ve seen many signs of how humankind’s reduced output has had a dramatic effect on ecosystems and the environment.
Most notably, David Attenborough’s recent documentary ‘The Year Earth Changed’ showcased nature’s resilience and ability to recover and thrive.
Every three seconds the world loses enough forestry to cover a football field. This is just one of the many crazy statistics that people do not see.
It is estimated that we have already lost 50% of our coral reefs and by 2050 that number will have increased to 90%
CO2 emissions are another big player in global warming. From things like cars to burning fossil fuels. But countries are starting to make a change towards this.
In the UK, from the 1st of January 2030, there will be no more new sales of petrol or diesel cars. This has been put in place to try and push the movement of electric vehicles.
Many companies have already taken a massive turning point in their production and have started to focus on electric vehicles.
The UK also currently offers are £0 road tax if your vehicle is eclectic, this is a great incentive for people to switch over to electricity early.
These are just a couple of reasons as to why World Environment Day is so important and why there needs to be more awareness and coverage as to what we are doing to our own world.
What can be done locally?
We recently posted an article on some small but achievable ways to be more environmentally friendly, so please check that post out when you can.
Beyond that here are a few more lifestyle changes that collectively can have a big impact.
We’ve already seen through the pandemic how a big reduction in the use of petrol and diesel vehicles can make a difference.
- Think about the amount of packaging there is on the product you buy, consider switching to products with more environmentally friendly packaging.
- Turn off lights and electrical devices completely when you are not using them.
- Try to be efficient with your water usage, take shorter showers if possible and turn off the taps when brushing your teeth.
- When recycling, take extra care to look at what parts of what you’re throwing away are actually renewable. Not every part of a product is always recyclable.
- Think about a change in vehicle, either by going with a hybrid or fully electric. Also, consider other forms of transportation beyond individual car usage.
- Work out the optimal amount of heat you need for your home, to make sure you’re not overheating and wasting energy.
Some of these tips are small, some represent a larger change and would require some investment, but regardless, the change that it would represent if we all came together to make these changes would be massive for not just the planet, but our own wellbeing.