Features / Environment
How easy is it to reduce your carbon footprint?
Eating less red meat, driving an electric car, holidaying in the UK, insulating your home and installing solar panels are the most important actions you can take to reduce harmful carbon dioxide emissions and benefit your quality of life.
These are the findings according to a new project launching in Bristol to encourage people to make simple but impactful changes to their lives to help combat climate change.
One Home is a not-for-profit website which helps people to take action on climate change by giving practical solutions.
is needed now More than ever
So how are people across Bristol already reducing their carbon footprint?
Lindsay Berresford (pictured above) lives in Easton with her husband David and three children Isaac, Skylar and Autumn.
Lindsay and David – who own their own business, Quirky Campers, designed and built their eco-home after buying a plot of land near the Bristol & Bath Railway Path.
“We’ve always tried to live in a way that minimises our impact on the planet, but having children definitely cemented this approach to life,” says Lindsay, who usually gets around Bristol on her electric cargo bike which can fit in all of her three children.
When the family want to make a trip outside Bristol, they hire a car.
Lindsay adds: “We enjoy living in a home that is warm in winter and cool in summer, and having minimal energy bills. Hopefully our children are growing up to understand that we are living in a world with increasingly limited resources and we must adapt therefore our lifestyles.”
John Moule installed solar panels on his garage roof in Knowle
John Moule lives in Knowle with his wife Sharon and two children, Spike and Toby. Two years ago, he had solar panels installed on his garage roof at a cost of £6,500 and he expects to break even on the investment by 2022.
John says: “When we moved into our house nearly three years ago, installing solar panels was one of the first improvements we wanted to make. For us, it’s really important that we set an example to the children on being careful with our energy use and the benefits of sustainable energy.
“I’m increasingly conscious that communities in less wealthy and more exposed places – both in the UK and across the world – will suffer the effects of climate change first. Taking steps to tackle this in whatever way is achievable is important to me.”
Other actions that John is looking into include installing a battery that has the capacity to store the energy harvested from the panels so that he can use that energy when the panels are not generating, for example at night.
Gaby Amiel stopped eating meat for environmental reasons
Gaby Amiel lives in Knowle with his wife Sue and two children Elodie and Gabriel. Last year, he decided to stop eating meat for environmental reasons.
Gaby had been thinking about becoming vegetarian for several years, and in 2017 decided to give it a go for a month and ended up sticking with it.
“Climate change threatens everything and, for me, it’s a matter of personal conscience that motivates me to take actions that have a positive outcome for the planet, my children and me,” Gaby says.
“The rest of the family do occasionally eat meat, but as a treat, which I believe is a healthier and more sustainable approach.”
To share your climate actions and encourage others to do the same, use the #OneHome hashtag across social media. For more information, visit www.onehome.org.uk
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