Today’s children are set to inherit a world where ecological diversity is shrinking and that could have dire consequences. This, along with climate change and plastic waste will have a real and noticeable effect on the quality of life for today’s school children.
Make a difference
We believe that small changes can make big differences. Using less energy, recycling more, being smarter about transport and being careful with our waste can reduce our impact on the world.
We know that as a society, we are not going to wake up tomorrow and start making these big life changes in one fell swoop. But we are making progress.
Almost 20 years ago in the UK, only 12% of household waste was recycled, even though over 60% of what we threw away was recyclable. In 2017, over 45% of household waste in the UK is recycled.
Today, recycling plastic bottles, tins, card, and food is as easy as throwing it into a household bin. Something that was once seen as an effort is now a normal part of our lives. And we know we can do even more. For instance, Wales is aiming to become zero waste by 2050.
Every little helps
By making small changes to how we live, we can make a bigger impact on the world. If we slowly introduce these changes into our lives we are more likely to stick at them. This is about changing our habits on a permanent basis.
Things we can do include:
- Insulate our homes
- Check if we can recycle our waste before we put it into the bin
- Turning our thermostat down by a couple of degrees
- Using sensors on lights in the workplace or school
- Turn off plug sockets and electrical equipment when they are not being used
- Grow plants that attract bees to encourage the biodiversity needed
- Send our old clothes to recycling rather than landfill.
In a previous blog we looked at more ways we can make energy savings.
And of course, installing LED lights is a small change that can make a big impact on reducing energy usage. Our hope is that in the not too distant future, every school and every office building in the country will have LED lighting. It may seem like a little thing, but together we can make a big difference in ensuring clean air, a stable climate and healthy biodiversity for future generations.
