Personal choices

Research has shown that making small changes to our lives can have a huge impact in reducing carbon emissions. Apparently, we can help avert climate collapse by making just six fairly easy lifestyle changes.

The research by Leeds University found that if we undertake these six personal commitments, we can achieve 25% of the emissions reductions we need to make to keep global heating down to 1.5C.

• Eat a largely plant-based diet, with healthy portions and no waste
• Buy no more than three new items of clothing per year
• Keep electrical products for at least seven years
• Take no more than one short haul flight every three years and one long haul flight every eight years
• Get rid of personal motor vehicles if you can – and if not keep hold of your existing vehicle for longer
• Make at least one life shift to nudge the system, like moving to green energy, insulating your home or changing pension supplier
  (From an article by Matthew Taylor in The Guardian)

Four of the reserve’s residents endangered by the changing environment: [1] Common toad [2] Adder [3] Water vole [4] Bechstein’s bat

Some of these might be more difficult to attain than others. For instance, I am a vegetarian who last went anywhere on a plane in 2013 but my three year old laptop is full of glitches and might soon need replacing. I would find life very difficult without a car but I bought my winter coat in a charity shop several years ago and I found my toaster by the side of the road wearing a sign that said Free To A Good Home.

We must try. We only have to look back at the storm-ridden winter to see how urgently we need to make changes.

All the pictures are of species in the reserve subject to a UK Biodiversity Action Plan.
Header image: white-letter hairstreak by Paul Green (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) flickr.com