Lifestyle leadership in the climate emergency
There are many ways you can change change your lifestyle to reduce your impact on global warming. These include:
- getting off gas
- using 100% renewable energy
- eating a low emissions diet
- adopting zero emission transport
- reducing your consumption emissions
- investing ethically
- supporting draw down efforts
- getting your friends to do the same
|
Climate Friendly
|
vs. |
Climate
Safe |
Area |
Climate Friendly |
Climate Safe |
Energy |
100% renewable energy |
Energy Positive |
Diet |
Low emission diet |
Very low emission diet |
Transport |
Low emission transport |
Zero emissions transport |
Consumption |
Low emission consumption |
Very low emission consumption |
Banking and Super |
Move your money |
Move your money |
Drawdown |
Help drawdown |
Be net negative |
Spread the word |
Tell friends, family and workmates |
Join a climate emergency campaign |
In this section:
- Energy
- Diet
- Transport
- Banking and Super
- Consumption
- Drawdown
- Spreading the word
ENERGY
The energy many of us use in our homes or at work comes from fossil fuels such as coal, gas or oil. Extracting and then burning these fossil fuels releases greenhouse gases and heats our planet.
Climate Friendly
To be Climate Friendly you would need to:
Climate Safe
To be Climate Safe you would need to have done ALL of the above plus:
The energy many of us use in our homes or at work comes from fossil fuels such as coal, gas or oil. Extracting and then burning these fossil fuels releases greenhouse gases and heats our planet.
Climate Friendly
To be Climate Friendly you would need to:
- Get off gas and go 100% electric AND
- Go 100% Greenpower - choose the most environmentally friendly option such solar or wind
- Reduce your energy use through energy efficiency and behavioural change, this saves you money and helps reduce demand on fossil power at times of peak demand.
- Make some of your own renewable energy by installing solar, wind power, micro hydro or combination
- Use a battery to share your extra power at times of peak demand reducing the demand for gas peaking plants and in the future will help build a stable renewable-based energy grid
Climate Safe
To be Climate Safe you would need to have done ALL of the above plus:
- Be NET ENERGY POSITIVE by exporting more renewable energy than you take from the grid without having sold your renewable energy certificates*
- If you live off grid in a remote or rural setting then you can be climate safe by: supplying all your energy needs from renewable sources and not have sold your renewable energy certificates, noting that a fossil fuel powered generator backup is fine for emergency situations but not regular charging.
DIET
Diet is one of the critical areas you can immediately take action on to reduce your global warming impacts. The best thing about diet is you can change your diet the next time you go to shops.
Why? Food production produces greenhouse gas emissions from land clearing, fertiliser use, transport, refrigeration, food processing, manure management and methane released from the guts of animals and rice farming. All have a very large impact on global warming. Some studies put it at more than 50% of the warming caused.
However the biggest source of emissions is from our consumption of beef, lamb and dairy so avoid these foods. Rice has one the highest emissions for a non based animal food and should also be avoided, particularly in the Australian context where there are other options.
Climate Friendly
To be Climate Friendly you would need to:
Climate Safe
To be Climate Safe you would need to have done ALL of the above plus:
*Groups such as Less Meat Less Heat, Vegetarian Victoria or Vegan Australia have information that can help you reduce emissions from your diet.
Diet is one of the critical areas you can immediately take action on to reduce your global warming impacts. The best thing about diet is you can change your diet the next time you go to shops.
Why? Food production produces greenhouse gas emissions from land clearing, fertiliser use, transport, refrigeration, food processing, manure management and methane released from the guts of animals and rice farming. All have a very large impact on global warming. Some studies put it at more than 50% of the warming caused.
However the biggest source of emissions is from our consumption of beef, lamb and dairy so avoid these foods. Rice has one the highest emissions for a non based animal food and should also be avoided, particularly in the Australian context where there are other options.
Climate Friendly
To be Climate Friendly you would need to:
- reduce your consumption of beef, lamb, dairy and rice to a minimum*
- where possible buy food grown locally or within your state
- buy food grown in season
- don't waste food
Climate Safe
To be Climate Safe you would need to have done ALL of the above plus:
- remove high emissions food such as beef, lamb, dairy and rice from your diet*
- grow food at home or locally if possible - this can help reduce emissions, save you money, and allow you to grow fresh high nutrient food while giving you some insurance against future climate related food shortages and price increases.
*Groups such as Less Meat Less Heat, Vegetarian Victoria or Vegan Australia have information that can help you reduce emissions from your diet.
TRANSPORT
The extraction and burning of oil and gas to power cars, trucks, planes and diesel trains etc. releases greenhouse gases and heats our planet.
Climate Friendly
To be Climate Friendly you would need to:
Climate Safe
To be Climate Safe you would need to:
The extraction and burning of oil and gas to power cars, trucks, planes and diesel trains etc. releases greenhouse gases and heats our planet.
Climate Friendly
To be Climate Friendly you would need to:
- significantly reduce use of transport related fossil fuels to a minimum
- rarely use planes
- use public transport
- use active transport such as riding or walking
- if getting a car, choose a full electric or an electric car with range extender
Climate Safe
To be Climate Safe you would need to:
- use only zero emissions transport options such as:
- walking or riding a bike
- trams in Victoria from 2018
- 100% electric car charged by 100% green power or your own renewable energy if you didn't sell your renewable energy certificates.
BANKING AND SUPER
All most all of us use banks and superfunds and some may have investments in shares. Some of our money is being used to support global warming activities or other anti-social or anti-environmental activities.
Market Forces is an Australia campaign group that focuses on getting people to move their money away from bad banks and super funds. Unfortunately current campaigns only focus on the fossil fuel side of global warming and not other climate-damaging activities.
Climate Friendly
To be Climate Friendly you would need to:
Climate Safe
To be Climate Safe you would need to:
All most all of us use banks and superfunds and some may have investments in shares. Some of our money is being used to support global warming activities or other anti-social or anti-environmental activities.
Market Forces is an Australia campaign group that focuses on getting people to move their money away from bad banks and super funds. Unfortunately current campaigns only focus on the fossil fuel side of global warming and not other climate-damaging activities.
Climate Friendly
To be Climate Friendly you would need to:
- move your money from banks, superannuation funds, and shares from institutions and business involved in fossil fuel production
Climate Safe
To be Climate Safe you would need to:
- you will need to do your own research and move your money from banks, superannuation funds, and shares from institutions and business promoting or supporting ALL climate damaging activities, including beef, lamb, dairy production, land clearing and native forest destruction.
CONSUMPTION
If we are serious about reversing global warming we need to tackle the issue of consumption. In the past when humanity has faced dire emergencies, people have tightened their belts and adopted rationing and even donated household goods to the cause.
Until a significant proportion of our economy is zero emissions, pretty much everything we consume creates greenhouse gases somewhere in its manufacture, transport or sale, so every time we reduce our consumption we reduce emissions. If we consume 50% less, our consumption emissions also drop by 50%.
When purchasing products and services, choose ones that are promoted as carbon neutral or using 100% green power to help build a negative emissions economy.
Consumption also contributes to many other social and environmental problems around the world, so when consuming also consume ethically by buying from companies using certification systems such as Fairtrade, No Sweat, Ethical Clothing Australia, Organic or Bio Dynamic.
Climate Friendly
To be Climate Friendly you would need to:
Climate Safe
At this stage in our response to the Climate Emergency there really is no way to be Climate Safe with our general consumption, so we have provided a few ideas on how you might be more climate friendly with your consumption:
If we are serious about reversing global warming we need to tackle the issue of consumption. In the past when humanity has faced dire emergencies, people have tightened their belts and adopted rationing and even donated household goods to the cause.
Until a significant proportion of our economy is zero emissions, pretty much everything we consume creates greenhouse gases somewhere in its manufacture, transport or sale, so every time we reduce our consumption we reduce emissions. If we consume 50% less, our consumption emissions also drop by 50%.
When purchasing products and services, choose ones that are promoted as carbon neutral or using 100% green power to help build a negative emissions economy.
Consumption also contributes to many other social and environmental problems around the world, so when consuming also consume ethically by buying from companies using certification systems such as Fairtrade, No Sweat, Ethical Clothing Australia, Organic or Bio Dynamic.
Climate Friendly
To be Climate Friendly you would need to:
- minimise your consumption in general
- purchase products and services that are carbon neutral or use 100% green power in production
- consume ethically
Climate Safe
At this stage in our response to the Climate Emergency there really is no way to be Climate Safe with our general consumption, so we have provided a few ideas on how you might be more climate friendly with your consumption:
- give up a luxury - choose a luxury you don't really need and is probably unhealthy for you (beer, coffee, cake) and donate the money you would have spent to a Climate Emergency campaign group.
- set a consumption reduction target - set a personal or family consumption reduction goal of 25%, 50% or 75%.
- swap from material consumption to service consumption - rather than giving yourself a new thing, go and get a massage or join a dance, karate or yoga class instead.
- be frugal - live a much simpler life on less.
HELPING DRAWDOWN
Not only do we have to stop putting emissions up in the atmosphere – we need to remove our past emissions if we wish to stop a climate catastrophe and restore a safe climate.
There are limited options to draw down past emissions at the moment but these include:
You can support draw down directly by planting trees locally or on farms and encourage the creation an use of biochar.
Climate Friendly
To be Climate Friendly you would need to:
Climate Safe
To be Climate Safe you would need to:
Not only do we have to stop putting emissions up in the atmosphere – we need to remove our past emissions if we wish to stop a climate catastrophe and restore a safe climate.
There are limited options to draw down past emissions at the moment but these include:
- stopping logging of native forests and allowing them to recover
- revegetating cleared land
- encouraging farmers to revegetate part of their farms through landcare or agroforestry projects
- build soil carbon with alternative farming practices
- taking our organic waste and turning it into biochar (a stable form of carbon that can support healthy soils)
- support the building of blue carbon through the restoration of sea grass beds.
You can support draw down directly by planting trees locally or on farms and encourage the creation an use of biochar.
Climate Friendly
To be Climate Friendly you would need to:
- purchase offsetting options when given an option
- donate money to or actively participate in programs to restore natural carbon sinks
- purchase or make biochar to put on your own garden
Climate Safe
To be Climate Safe you would need to:
- calculate your remaining emissions from diet, transport, and consumption and ensure you drawdown more than you emit.*
warming SPREAD THE WORD
We really are in a climate emergency and we really need to build public support to grow a campaign to reverse global warming as quickly as possible and you can help do this.
People are social animals and the science tells us we actually don't think all that rationally most of the time. More important than the words of a climate expert are the social signals we are getting from our friends, neighbours, workmates and people in our social circles.
By talking to your friends, neighbours, family and workmates about the climate emergency and encouraging them to become climate safe, you are reaching new audiences and helping move discussion on the climate emergency into the mainstream.
Climate Friendly
To be climate friendly you would need to:
Climate Safe
To be climate safe you would need to do any of the following in addition to the above:
You could start by joining CACE's campaign to get local councils to declare a Climate Emergency. This campaign is gaining momentum and needs people working in every council area around Australia. Contact Adrian or Bryony and we would be happy to chat to you about how to get a campaign going.
If the CACE campaign doesn't excite you we have listed a range of groups working on the Climate Emergency below. You can also join your local climate action group, but not all are working in a Climate Emergency frame.
Political and Education
These groups run campaigns focused on political change and engage broad scale community education:
Education
Research and Education
Research and Strategic Development
We really are in a climate emergency and we really need to build public support to grow a campaign to reverse global warming as quickly as possible and you can help do this.
People are social animals and the science tells us we actually don't think all that rationally most of the time. More important than the words of a climate expert are the social signals we are getting from our friends, neighbours, workmates and people in our social circles.
By talking to your friends, neighbours, family and workmates about the climate emergency and encouraging them to become climate safe, you are reaching new audiences and helping move discussion on the climate emergency into the mainstream.
Climate Friendly
To be climate friendly you would need to:
- spread the message to friends, family and workmates
- regularly put climate emergency posts in your social media - at least twice a week
- attend climate-related public events in your local area
- attend ALL big climate rallies
- identify your home as being climate friendly by putting a climate emergency sticker on your letter box or a climate emergency sign in your front yard (we will be providing information on how to get these soon)
- if running a business, advertise the fact that you are using 100% Greenpower, using the Greenpower customer logo, or another climate-friendly or carbon-neutral scheme.
Climate Safe
To be climate safe you would need to do any of the following in addition to the above:
- join one of the groups campaigning on the Climate Emergency and get active in supporting the campaign
- set up your own local Climate Emergency action group
- donate some money to a Climate Emergency campaign group
You could start by joining CACE's campaign to get local councils to declare a Climate Emergency. This campaign is gaining momentum and needs people working in every council area around Australia. Contact Adrian or Bryony and we would be happy to chat to you about how to get a campaign going.
If the CACE campaign doesn't excite you we have listed a range of groups working on the Climate Emergency below. You can also join your local climate action group, but not all are working in a Climate Emergency frame.
Political and Education
These groups run campaigns focused on political change and engage broad scale community education:
- Climate Emergency Declaration Campaign (CED) - is focused on building demand, within all sectors of society, for a Climate Emergency Declaration and action at the scale and speed necessary to protect all people, species, and ecosystems.
- Save the Planet (StP) - is a formal political party that is exclusively dedicated to the climate emergency and reversing global warming.
- No More Bad Investments (NMBI)- a campaign to introduce the first piece of climate emergency legislation into our parliaments stopping further investments in areas such as coal or gas by our governments.
Education
- Breakthrough runs conferences, events, and speaking tours and produces papers on the Climate Emergency.
Research and Education
- Beyond Zero Emissions (BZE) developing Climate Emergency solutions through the Zero Carbon Australia plan and communicating these through their speaker programs.
Research and Strategic Development
- RSTI (Research and Strategy for Transition Initiation Inc.) develops cutting-edge strategic and policy material for the Climate Emergency campaign and response. Contact Philip Sutton Philip.Sutton @ green-innovations.asn.au
