How to reduce your environmental footprint | WWF

Summary

This video offers four practical tips to reduce your environmental footprint: adopt a plant-based diet to lower food-related emissions, choose sustainable and long-lasting products, opt for eco-friendly travel methods, and switch to clean energy. It emphasizes the collective impact of individual actions and encourages community involvement for a sustainable future. The WWF's My Footprint app is highlighted as a tool to track and reduce your ecological impact.

Takeaways

• 🌱 Your environmental footprint includes all activities that impact the planet, such as food consumption, energy use, purchases, and travel.
• 🥗 Adopting a plant-based diet can significantly reduce your carbon footprint, as meat and dairy production contributes to a large portion of greenhouse gas emissions.
• 🛒 Consider the life cycle of products when you buy, and opt for long-lasting, secondhand, or sustainably sourced items to minimize environmental impact.
• 🚴‍♂️ Choose more sustainable modes of transportation like trains or cycling, and consider local holidays or alternative travel options to reduce emissions.
• ✈️ If flying is necessary, explore carbon offsetting schemes that are gold standard accredited to mitigate your environmental impact.
• 🏡 Switching to clean energy for home use can greatly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which account for over 20% of the UK's total emissions.
• 💡 Simple habits like turning off lights and avoiding standby power usage can contribute to reducing your energy-related footprint.
• 🌐 Individual actions, when combined with collective efforts, can influence businesses and governments to adopt more sustainable practices.
• 🗣️ Engaging in conversations about sustainability and advocating for policy changes can amplify the impact of individual efforts to reduce footprints.
• 📱 Utilize tools like WWF's My Footprint app to track and challenge your lifestyle choices, joining a community striving for sustainable living.

Q & A

What is an environmental footprint?

An environmental footprint is the total impact a person or organization has on the environment, including the food they eat, energy they use, things they buy, and the way they travel.

How can one calculate their environmental footprint?

One can calculate their environmental footprint using a footprint calculator, which is often available online and takes into account various lifestyle factors.

What is the impact of the food system on greenhouse gas emissions?

The food system contributes to a large proportion of greenhouse gas emissions, with meat and dairy having a higher carbon footprint compared to plant-based foods.

Why is adopting a plant-based diet beneficial for the environment?

Adopting a plant-based diet reduces the environmental footprint by decreasing the demand for meat and dairy, which have higher carbon emissions, and promoting the consumption of vegetables, beans, and grains that are more sustainable.

How can one reduce food waste to lower their environmental impact?

Reducing food waste can be achieved by buying locally and seasonally, planning meals to avoid over-purchasing, and being mindful not to waste the food that is bought, as food waste contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions.

What is the mantra for sustainable consumption?

The mantra for sustainable consumption is 'reduce, reuse, recycle,' which encourages minimizing consumption, extending the life of products, and recycling materials to reduce waste.

Why is buying products that are built to last considered sustainable?

Products that are built to last reduce the need for frequent replacements, which in turn lowers the overall environmental impact by decreasing resource use and waste generation.

How can one tell if a product is sustainably sourced?

Products that are sustainably sourced often have labels or signs, such as the FSC logo for paper products, indicating that they come from responsibly managed sources.

What is the significance of recycling products instead of sending them to landfill?

Recycling products prevents harmful toxins and greenhouse gas emissions from being released, as products sent to landfills take centuries to break down and contribute to environmental pollution.

How does travel contribute to an individual's environmental footprint?

Travel, especially by car and air, contributes significantly to an individual's environmental footprint due to the emissions produced. Opting for train, cycling, or reducing travel can help lower this impact.

What is carbon offsetting, and how can it help reduce the environmental impact of flying?

Carbon offsetting involves investing in projects that reduce or remove an equivalent amount of greenhouse gas emissions to compensate for the emissions generated by flying, thus balancing out the environmental impact.

Why is switching to clean energy important in reducing one's environmental footprint?

Switching to clean energy reduces reliance on fossil fuels, which are major contributors to greenhouse gas emissions, and supports the green economy by promoting renewable energy sources.

What simple actions can be taken at home to reduce energy consumption and lower the environmental footprint?

Simple actions like switching off lights when not in use and not leaving devices on standby can significantly reduce energy consumption and lower the environmental footprint.

How can individual actions collectively make a difference in reducing environmental footprints?

Individual actions, when combined with those of others, can create a movement that influences businesses and governments to adopt more sustainable practices and policies, leading to a broader impact on reducing environmental footprints.

What is the WWF's My Footprint app, and how does it help users reduce their environmental impact?

The WWF's My Footprint app breaks down an individual's environmental footprint into simple challenges, allowing users to take actionable steps towards living more sustainably and joining a community committed to reducing their impact.

Outlines

00:00

🌍 Understanding Your Environmental Footprint

This paragraph introduces the concept of an environmental footprint, which encompasses all activities that affect the planet, such as eating, energy use, purchasing, and travel. It encourages viewers to calculate their footprint using a provided tool and sets the stage for the video's main content, which are the four ways to reduce one's environmental impact.

🥦 Adopting a Plant-Based Diet

The first method to reduce one's environmental footprint is by changing dietary habits towards a plant-based diet. This is because meat and dairy production contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions. The paragraph suggests consuming more vegetables, beans, and grains, and looking for sustainably sourced meat and fish. It also highlights the importance of reducing food waste, as it accounts for a large portion of global greenhouse gas emissions.

🛍️ Conscious Consumption

The second method focuses on changing what and how one buys. It promotes the mantra 'reduce, reuse, recycle' and encourages purchasing durable and secondhand items. The paragraph also advises looking for labels that indicate sustainable sourcing, such as the FSC logo for paper products. It warns against the long-term environmental damage caused by sending products to landfills, emphasizing the need for recycling to prevent harmful toxins and emissions.

🚴‍♂️ Sustainable Travel Options

The third method discusses the impact of travel on one's environmental footprint and suggests alternatives to reduce emissions. It recommends traveling by train or cycling instead of using a car and considers local holidays or traveling by train or boat to reduce the need for air travel. For unavoidable flights, carbon offsetting through accredited schemes is suggested. The paragraph emphasizes the importance of considering the environmental impact of travel choices.

⚡️ Switching to Clean Energy

The final method to reduce an environmental footprint is by switching to clean energy sources. The paragraph points out that home energy use contributes to over 20% of UK greenhouse gas emissions, making the switch to renewable energy providers a significant step. It also offers practical tips like turning off lights and avoiding standby power for devices. The paragraph concludes by emphasizing the collective impact of individual actions and the importance of community and policy changes in fostering sustainability.

Keywords

💡Environmental footprint

An environmental footprint refers to the impact human activities have on the environment in terms of resource use and pollution. In the video, this concept is central as it discusses how individual actions contribute to the overall ecological impact. The script mentions that this footprint includes food consumption, energy use, purchasing habits, and travel methods.

💡Greenhouse gas emissions

Greenhouse gas emissions are gases that trap heat in the Earth's atmosphere, contributing to global warming. The video highlights that a significant portion of these emissions come from the food system, particularly from meat and dairy production. Reducing these emissions is a key strategy for mitigating climate change.

💡Plant-based diet

A plant-based diet consists primarily of foods derived from plants, such as vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, and fruits. The video suggests adopting a plant-based diet as a way to reduce one's environmental footprint by lowering the carbon emissions associated with meat and dairy production.

💡Sustainable sources

Sustainable sources refer to products that are produced using methods that meet current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. The script encourages viewers to look for sustainably sourced meat and fish, which have a lower environmental impact compared to intensive farming practices.

💡Reduce, reuse, recycle

This mantra is a common guideline for sustainable living. The video emphasizes reducing consumption, reusing items to extend their life, and recycling materials to minimize waste. It's mentioned as a way to decrease the environmental footprint associated with product life cycles.

💡Life cycle

The life cycle of a product refers to the stages a product goes through from production to disposal. The video suggests considering the life cycle when purchasing items, advocating for buying products that are durable and can be reused or recycled to reduce waste and emissions.

💡Sustainably sourced products

Sustainably sourced products are those that are produced with minimal harm to the environment and in a way that supports ecological balance. The video mentions looking for labels and signs, such as the FSC logo for paper products, to identify sustainably sourced products.

💡Landfill

A landfill is a site for the disposal of waste materials. The video discusses the environmental harm caused by landfills, including the release of harmful toxins and greenhouse gases. It encourages recycling to prevent products from ending up in landfills.

💡Carbon offsetting

Carbon offsetting involves funding projects that reduce emissions to balance out the emissions produced by an individual or company. The video suggests carbon offsetting as a strategy for those who must fly, to reduce the environmental impact of air travel.

💡Renewable energy

Renewable energy comes from natural sources or processes that are constantly replenished, such as sunlight, wind, and water. The video encourages switching to renewable energy providers to reduce the carbon footprint of home energy use and support the green economy.

💡My Footprint app

The My Footprint app, mentioned in the video, is a tool that helps individuals calculate and understand their environmental impact. It provides challenges and a community platform for users to engage in sustainable living practices, illustrating how technology can facilitate environmental awareness and action.

Highlights

Your environmental footprint includes all actions impacting the planet, such as food, energy, purchases, and travel.

A quarter of greenhouse gas emissions come from the food system, with meat and dairy having a higher carbon footprint.

Adopting a more plant-based diet is beneficial for reducing your environmental footprint.

Eating a balanced diet with vegetables, beans, and grains is a great way to reduce your footprint.

Sustainable sources of meat and fish have a lower environmental impact compared to intensive farming.

Buying local and seasonal food and reducing food waste can significantly lower your carbon footprint.

Globally, food waste contributes 8 to 10% of all greenhouse gas emissions.

The mantra 'reduce, reuse, recycle' is a good guide for sustainable purchasing.

Buying products built to last and considering secondhand items can reduce environmental impact.

Checking for sustainably sourced product labels, like the FSC logo, is a smart consumer choice.

Recycling products instead of sending them to landfill helps reduce harmful toxins and emissions.

Travel contributes significantly to a person's environmental footprint.

Using trains or cycling instead of cars can reduce emissions.

Reducing air travel or opting for local holidays can have a positive impact on your footprint.

If flying is necessary, consider carbon offsetting through gold standard accredited projects.

Switching to renewable energy providers can reduce home energy-related emissions.

Simple actions like turning off lights and avoiding device standby can also lower your footprint.

Individual actions, when combined, can lead to significant collective change.

Engaging in sustainable habits, advocating for policy change, and joining communities can amplify your impact.

The WWF's My Footprint app offers challenges to help individuals reduce their environmental footprint.

Transcripts

In this video, we're going to share four ways.

You can reduce your environmental footprint.

But first, what is your footprint?

Your footprint is made up of all the things you do that impact the planet.

That includes the food you eat, the

energy you use, the things you buy, the way you travel, all of it.

Now you can calculate how big your footprint is using our footprint calculator,

but for now, let's get cracking.

Number one

Change what you eat. A large proportion, around a quarter of all of our

greenhouse gas emissions come from our food system.

Meat and dairy have a much higher carbon footprint than plant-based food.

So one of the best things you can do for our planet to reduce your footprint,

is to adopt a more plant-based diet.

So by eating a healthy and balanced diet that consists of more varieties of vegetables, beans,

and grains, is one of the greatest ways

you can reduce your footprint.

And if you do eat meat and fish then look out

for more sustainable sources

as these tend to have a much lower environmental footprint

than intensive farming.

Consider buying locally

and seasonally, and try not to waste the food that you do buy.

Globally around a quarter of all food

that's bought isn’t eaten, and this contributes 8 to 10% of all greenhouse gas emissions.

So think about that next time you see an old bag of salad in the fridge.

Number two

Change what you buy. A pretty good mantra to live by is reduce, reuse, recycle.

Every product you buy has a life cycle.

So consider buying things that are actually built to last,

and consider thrifting or buying secondhand where you can.

Another great way of trying to reduce your footprint

is to check out labels and signs for sustainably sourced products.

On paper, that's the FSC logo.

And once you've finished using a product,

check to see if it can be recycled, rather than sent to landfill. Products sent to landfill are responsible

for harmful toxins being released, and greenhouse gas emissions.

These take centuries to break down.

So what might seem convenient in the moment only builds up problems

for future generations.

Number three

Change how you travel.

Travelling often takes up a significant proportion of a person's footprint.

Consider traveling by train, or cycling, instead of taking the car to reduce your emissions.

Reducing flying can also have a huge impact on your footprint.

Recent times has shown us

you don't need to travel far to have great experiences.

So consider holidaying in the UK

or consider taking the train

or a boat to your destination instead.

If flying is your only option, then carbon offsetting

is a credible and accredited scheme.

Look out for gold standard accredited projects.

Number four

Switch to clean energy. The energy we use in our homes are responsible

for more than 20% of all greenhouse gas emissions in the UK.

So switching to a renewable energy provider is a great way to reduce your footprint

and support the green economy. Simple things like switching off your lights

when you're not in the room, and not leaving devices on standby

are the great ways to reduce your footprint.

We know now more than ever how connected we all are, how our actions impact the people around us,

and how their actions impact us.

So while individual actions like switching to more sustainable habits in

your everyday life might seem small, actually, collectively,

they make all the difference in the world.

Doing what you can to reduce your footprint,

talking to friends and family about it, calling for policy change.

It all adds up, and before long you're part of a movement of people that governments

and businesses simply can't ignore.

And when that happens, businesses are forced to reduce their footprints.

And governments bring in laws that make it easier

for businesses and individuals to reduce their footprint too.

And it all begins with a single step.

There's even an app for that! Check out WWF's My Footprint app,

which breaks down your footprint into simple challenges that you can take on.

Join a community of people who are

also doing their bit to live more sustainably,

and discover how you can make a difference one step at a time.

Link in the description below.

So that's it for today's video.

We hope you enjoyed and you found it informative.

So make sure you subscribe, so you never miss a video.