Climate actions49

Choosing a sustainable bank means that your money is doing good and supports the causes you care about while you are asleep. Legacy banks use your money to finance planetary destruction by lending money to evil industries like the fossil fuel, meat and dairy, or weapon industry. Sustainable banks only invest in industries that make the planet and our societies thrive. They invest in renewable energy and other impact industries. Switching your bank is one of the most impactful and easiest climate actions available, that most people don't have on their radar.

Embracing a plant-based diet minimizes the environmental footprint associated with meat production, conserves land and water resources, and lowers greenhouse gas emissions, promoting a healthier planet.

Air travel will be one of the last sectors to become low carbon. Until then, we need to reduce air travel to a minimum and choose other ground based travel modes. Especially short to mid-range flights, within one country should be replaced by train, bus or if need be a (shared, electric) car. The easy and specifics to implement this climate action will vary across the world, but within Europe it is simple and often comes with the same or faster end-to-end travel times. Ideally, domestic fossil-fuel flights are banned and train travel made reliable and cheap.

Conducting an energy audit for your home is something not everyone can do. Those that do own a house or apartment where they can make these changes should consider it. The result will give you clarity how you free your property from fossil fuels and make it more independant and how much it will cost. You may realise that you can save money with going fully electric, installing solar, heat pumps, adding a wallbox or insulation. Usually these assessments are free and get you started into the right direction.

Electronic waste is the fastest growing waste stream next to fast fashion. Today there are trustworthy services that buy and refurbish pre-loved electronics and resell them back. This expands the lifespan of the products, gives you a cheaper price while providing the same experience as new devices. You will get a return policy, warranty and fully functional often modern devices.

By purchasing second-hand items, you reduce the demand for new products and the energy needed for their production, contributing to lower carbon emissions and resource consumption.

Investing in green funds directs your capital towards sustainable initiatives, such as renewable energy projects and eco-friendly businesses, fostering innovation and driving positive environmental change.

- Electronics - Appliances - Furniture - Clothes - more

Electric cars are not the sole solution. Within cities the best and fairest solution for all is to use shared services.

Money is one of the biggest and most effective levers individuals have. Unfortunately money especially from insurances and banks is still used to fund harmful industries like deforestation (big meat) and the fossil fuel industry. The good news is, there are sustainable providers and once you did the switch you don't have to think about it anymore.

1/3 of the food we produce is being wasted or lost in the process along the value chain. Consumers are one part of the puzzle. Try to plan your meals, use opened items from your fridge quickly and pay special attention to animal products. Wasting animal products like meat or dairy uses the most resources in production and therefore has a big impact when not wasted. Ideally reduce meat and dairy products to a minimum.

- Car sharing - Public transport - E-Bike or bike - etc -

Money is one of the biggest and most effective levers individuals have. Unfortunately money especially from insurances and banks is still used to fund harmful industries like deforestation (big meat) and the fossil fuel industry. The good news is, there are sustainable providers and once you did the switch you don't have to think about it anymore.

Opting for alternative modes of transportation or reducing air travel within a continent helps lower greenhouse gas emissions, preserving the environment and mitigating climate change.

Cruise ships are major polluters and no direct sustainable alternatives are in sight (although some of the providers claim so) The best is to switch to smaller-boat sailing adventures. This is one of the "climate actions" where not doing it, is unfortunately the best option to date. The future will thank you.

Once you completed your home energy audit, you know what the most effective ways are to transition to a low carbon, electrified home are. Make sure to work with professionals who know the current subsidies for your region and how you can combine different systems best like insulation, solar, energy storage, heat pump, power wall or charging station. Also don't forget to share your hopefully positive experience with your neighbours, friends, community and colleagues to spread the word and start a movement.

Flying is one of the activities where no direct sustainable alternatives are available. The best you can do is to limit intercontinental flights to as little as possible. Best once in a few years until we get zero-emission intercontinental flights. The second best option is to stay longer or combine the trip with additional activities like a workation, to get the most out of it.

Some people rely on a car e.g. in rural areas or people with special needs. If you can afford an electric car and don't have a shared alternative available to you, go do the switch. While you are at it. Advocate for more shared options like public transport, bike infrastructure or car sharing. Living car free has a bigger impact than going electric with many side benefits. This will help create a fair and just world for all.

Eliminating single-use plastic products from your bathroom reduces plastic pollution in oceans and landfills, protecting marine life, and conserving resources while promoting a healthier ecosystem.

Many people are not separating and recycling correctly. Even though much of the plastic is being burned and called "recycling" it makes a difference. Always separate the different materials from each other. For example remove the paper and the aluminum lid from the plastic yoghurt cup (even if they go into the same bin) and sort your waste into the correct bins. This makes it easier for the machines in the recycling facilities to identify and sort the waste correctly and therefore increases recycling rates and material recovery. Check local recycling guidelines to learn how your bins work.

The world has already enough of everything. Especially in big cities second-hand marketplaces or refurbishing services and malls are available. Buying pre-loved (furniture and home decor) saves you money, extends the lifespans of products and keeps it away from landfills. If you need to carry large items, ask your friends to carry it with you in public transport. Don't be afraid to use allot of space or feel guilty about it. it is a structural problem that will get better the more people demand it. You can also rent a car sharing car (or ask a friend to drive). Usually this is still cheaper than buying a new item.

The two week rule means waiting two weeks before making a purchase. This helps determine if you truly need or want the item, reduces impulse buying and helps you spend thoughtfully and save money along the way. You can apply this to all items you buy, new or pre-loved, electronics, appliances, furniture, fashion and more.

Sharing or renting tools increases the usage of products and helps reduce the amount of rarely needed things in the world. Share your power tools like a drill, ladder, car, anything really with your friends and neighbours. Alternatively you can also rent the items at hardware stores or via sharing communities.

A capsule wardrobe is a collection of essential, versatile clothing items that can be mixed and matched to create numerous outfits. The goal is to have a streamlined wardrobe with fewer pieces, focusing on quality, functionality and ease of mind. Key benefits include: - **Simplified Choices**: Fewer items make it easier to decide what to wear. - **Reduced Clutter**: Less clothing means a more organized and spacious closet. - **Sustainability**: Emphasizes quality over quantity, reduces the need for fast fashion. - **Cost-Effective**: Investing in timeless, durable pieces can save money over time. Typically, a capsule wardrobe includes basics like neutral tops, bottoms, outerwear, and accessories that work well together in various combinations. You can also set a max number of items per category, like max 5 jeans, and always sell one item before you buy a new one in that category.

The type of food is more impactful than how it is packaged. A plastic wrapped vegan stake, is better than a non-plastic wrapped, "local" cow-steak. Therefore, before you worry about a plastic free shopping cart, try to reduce animal products like meat or dairy first. For other daily bathroom essential like tooth paste or shampoo, easy plastic free, solid alternatives exist. For these items you only need to a find a replacement and a store once, and then you can forget about it. For other items, try to avoid plastic where possible, but don't beat yourself up for this. Try to focus on more impactful actions first. In places with bad recycling infrastructure, advocate for it.

Repairing items increases their lifespan and ideally saves you money along the way. If you are skilled you can repair items yourself buy buying the right repair kit if you don't already have it, ask someone you know, or have it repaired by a professional. Additionally you can also advocate for better repairability (especially for electronic devices) on a political level. If you cannot repair them or the repair is too expensive, try to resell it to a marketplace or on second-hand shops and buy a new pre-loved item. This way you spend less and keep things in the cycle. Common items you should try to repair electronics, appliances, furniture, clothes and more.

Opening the windows in the morning will use the cool air from outside to cool down your house naturally, provides fresh air and reduces the need for air conditioning, saving you energy and money along the way. A simple habit to follow. Before you stress about this one, try to switch your energy provider to a renewable one first.

Some phone carriers like [WeTell](https://www.wetell.de/) use the [Ecosia](https://ecosia.com/) model to create maximum positive impact with the profits they make. WeTell uses 100% renewable energy to run their services, advocates for climate action and also is a Purpose company, meaning they are unable to sell the business to greedy investors.

Switching to Ecosia or other impact search engines is a simple one-time action with impact. While searching the web, Ecosia uses it's profits to plant trees and invest in renewable energy worldwide. Today they planted over 200 million trees. They are a Purpose certified company, meaning they are unable to sell the business to greedy investors with bad intentions. They also share their earnings report publicly every month, so you know exactly the impact they have. Visit: <https://www.ecosia.org/>