Some ideas... obviously all dependent on your personal circumstances and abilities, but worth a try if you can! I think the most important way is just to discuss it - then your impact comes from more than just your actions but others too:) Beauty: - Use a flannel and cleanser instead of makeup wipes - Use a bar of soap as opposed to a liquid with an applicator - better still, one that's packaged in paper Washing clothes: - Put them on a colder wash (30/40degrees - the soap will do just fine for most!) - Use powder instead of individually wrapped tabs Shopping: - Show your values in your shopping: avoid certain unethical brands, buy fairtrade etc - shops will recognise the demand soon enough - Buy loose-leaf tea + a strainer to go with it - most tea bags have plastic in them! An investment but the money can be made up! - If you need to buy new clothes, make sure they're natural fibres (cotton, silk) as opposed to plastics (polyester, nylon) - Eat locally + seasonally - Buy fruit + veg without packaging (don't use the small plastic bags provided in shops; put things from the shelf to your basket, + then in your own bag after paying!) especially when sometimes as a student it's difficult to use e.g. a whole packet of carrots before one goes off, buying what you know you'll definitely eat reduces your food waste too
just to add to that like Lucy said donating clothes/ thrift shops are very important!! And instead of using dryer sheets for laundry like you mentioned use dryer balls which can last like up to 1,000 loads or more and are obviously eco-friendly
Can I add to that list? - fabric sanitary pads or alternatives -cloth diapers -learn to cook demple fast, healthy meals to avoid packaged or take away - don't use dryer sheets. Plenty of countries are fine whitout them. Also - avoid the dryer whenever possible - don't replace appliances you can be whitout -share tools, appliances, toys, stuff..in your community (lawn mowers, hand mixers, drill, even a vacuum..) - if possible, grow some food
if becoming a vegetarian isn’t your thing BUY LOCALLY not only does this cut the aviation point you made but also rids the risk of illegal deforestation in the amazon (80% of which is for pasture l)
In one documentary they said chicken is the most sustainable animal to farm (I think it was Di Caprio's documentary) Of course plant based is best, but maybe as a transition or for people with restrictions..chicken?
@Justin Lakely I see what your saying (although I do think that it would benefit us a lot if more of the massive influencers and brands raised awareness). I we can stop this if we get all the governments on board. The problem is that the people with the money and power in society aren't do much to help and are causing a lot of the problems.
eating less meat and dairy is THE most important thing that we as individuals can do for the planet !! it cuts your carbon footprint by around 50% 🌿 livestock produce the most greenhouse gas emissions, are the leading cause of deforestation, and eating 1 hamburger is the same as showering for 2 months straight!! also having a sustainable wardrobe is huge, buying fast fashion from brands like ASOS, HnM and Boohoo is so bad for the planet, it all ends up in landfill, and besides that, their workers never earn a living wage 🌱
Cutting out plastic is actually THE most important thing. Dairy and beef (most red meats actually) is the meat that is what shouldn’t be eaten because cows produce methane gas so it’s really bad for you. Whereas chicken and other meats don’t have much of a carbon footprint. Also lower the amount of driving you do and walk and bike. Thrifting and buying sustainable clothes is definitely correct! Also buying sustainable beauty products (including shampoo conditioner, soaps, makeup and etc) as well as detergent and dishwashing liquid that’s safe for the environment is a very good idea. Instead of using paper towels, use rags or old T-shirt’s, and same for cotton rounds either use old cotton T-shirt’s cut up or you can also buy reusable cotton rounds. Stop buying aluminum foil and plastic wrap and buy beeswax wrap and silicone baking mats.
Methane from cows isn’t actually the biggest problem, it’s all the resources you have to use to keep the animals alive until (land use, producing feed, etc). Would super highly recommend the document Cowspiracy to learn more about the issue.
(also eating less meat is actually healthy because our society has started completely overconsuming meat and you can discover some delicious vegetarian and vegan meals)
Actually, helping elected leaders fix the broken energy market is the biggest thing we can do individually, because if we get that done together it will be far better than changing your whole lifestyle to be zero emissions: citizensclimatelobby.org/why-carbon-fee-and-dividend
@Justin Lakely - Michael Crichton, the fiction writer? No, I don't put as much value into what he writes compared to what scientists publish in peer-reviewed scientific journals. The summary of which is what we know about climate change, and here it is conveniently put into two-pages by NASA, NOAA, the DOE, National Academy of Sciences, and many others, in the Fourth National Climate Assessment (Highlights section): science2017.globalchange.gov/chapter/executive-summary/ If fiction writers are where you go for your science, I can understand how you are so confused. Here is a response to Crichton's book from real scientists: www.ucsusa.org/global-warming/solutions/fight-misinformation/crichton-thriller-state-of.html Try this. First, read the Highlights section in the Executive Summary of the NCA4 linked above. Then look at the IPCC's special report on 1.5 degrees C of warming (summary for policymakers - www.ipcc.ch/sr15/). Then consider what nearly every economist says we should do to fix the energy market failure that is causing the over-production and use of fossil fuels, and restricting competition and innovation in better solutions: clcouncil.org/economists-statement/. Then maybe you'll see why I support the bipartisan bill now in Congress called the Energy Innovation Act (energyinnovationact.org) and why I'm so excited for Canada that they have chosen an effective, efficient, equitable approach to address climate pollution from fossil fuels.
Here’s the thing: it is important to differentiate between climate issues and environmental issues. Plastic litter and recycling are environmental issues, not climate issues. If you use a cotton bag when you go grocery shopping instead of getting a plastic bag you have to use the cotton bag up to 7500 times for it to be beneficial for the climate. The most important things you can do if you want to cut down on your CO2 footprint is to use less energy, whether it be flying less, driving less or eating less red meat. Picking up litter and recycling is great for the environment, but it doesn’t make much difference to the climate.
Fully agree with that, I just think it is important to point it out because I see so many people who mistakenly believes the two are the same and goes on and on about plastic litter and reducing plastic consumption and branding it as a climate issue when it isn’t.
Of course opinions vary so I'm going to offer an alternative view point :) Environmental and climate issues interact with one another massively - recycling and using longer lasting items does have environmental benefits at face value, but combating the throw away culture we have today reduces demand for synthetic, often plastic based, products. This in turn reduces emissions from manufacture, transport and sourcing the resources needed which often require a lot of processing to get to the desired components and produce unhelpful waste. I hope my understanding makes sense and is interesting :)
I would like to insert something here. If you become vegetarian/vegan remember to still try and support indigenous people!! Yes I understand the ethics of both but indigenous people always respect and know their land and animals for centuries! So if you can’t give up animal products then get them locally or if you have an indigenous population buy from them. Thank you Lucy for this lovely video!
Having cows at all is so absurd. If people stilll want to drink milk or eat meat (i don't know why people would want to but whatever) they should eat chicken and drink goats milk (pork is a problem for water, fish ist extremly overfished, and need a lot of food, milk and beef is obvious(other comments in the thread))
For students who need to save money but still want to help the environment and eat nice food, I recommend the app 'too good to go'. It's an app that will sell the stuff shops have left at the end of the day for cheaper. It's all the things they will throw out when no one buys it. So you also don't know what you will get. It's definitely worth a try!
not sure if these have already been covered but while it can be expensive but for example, you dont need to buy sustainable clothing, but buy clothes from second hand stores, rather than buying from Zara, H&M which are fast fashion stores, which also have horrible working conditions, etc. so there's that added bonus of not supporting those! Reused clothing for sure can be much cheaper than new ones! And if you cant afford to buy organic, you can buy products like cucumber or broccoli without plastic wrapping, instead of ones with wrapping. Usually the costs of those aren't much greater if there is one at all! So it's about any changes you can think of big or small!! :)
yes!! it kind of bugs me when people buy a brand new £200 shirt from an “ethical/sustainable” brand when it’s so much easier & cheaper to just buy secondhand! i’ve found so many great things on eBay & Depop 🌱🌱
olivia jade how do you find things on ebay, like what do you search for? i never find anything.. and i live in a small town so my local thrift doesnt have anything i like :(
at uni i have to walk everywhere because i can’t drive and there aren’t any bus routes near me but walking has honestly changed my life!! I know it’s not easy for everyone but walking has not only reduced my carbon footprint, but also increased my fitness levels and saved me money!! there are so so many benefits and at first it can feel like a chore, but when you’ve got good music or podcasts to listen to, good comfy shoes and a strong backpack, anything seems possible! it used to take me 25mins to walk the mile to uni and now i can do it in 15 - honestly life changing!!
Hi Lucy! I work for an environmental non-profit in the US, and we've noticed that nature-based solutions to climate change are often overlooked but are REALLY important, and have the added bonus of helping conserve biodiversity and improving our air/water quality. These might include solutions for climate change mitigation (reducing greenhouse gases - e.g., planting trees, replacing lawns with meadows/prairie) and adaptation (enhancing the resilience of ecosystems and human communities for dealing with the effects of climate change - e.g., enhancing wildlife corridors, creating/restoring wetlands). They can be undertaken by individuals, but are certainly more effective at the larger scale of companies/governments, so I would encourage your viewers to think not only about what they can do in their own yards/gardens, but also contacting government agencies and their favorite companies and encouraging them to participate in nature based climate change mitigation and adaptation.
Toe Bro It’s great, usually it’s a really ironic ad that’s promoting bottled water or something aha & that is me! Thank you so much! A natural ginger :)
Great video! I'm a student from Finland, and in my student apartment building we have a shared electric car that we can rent for a really cheap price. I think it's a great solution to support students not having cars but still giving them access to one when we need it 🚗💚
Great stuff! Here's another idea: move your money to an ethical bank! Many of the top highstreet banks invest heavily in fossil fuels. Switch your accounts (it's very easy) to an ethical bank (e.g. Cooperative, Triodos), and write a letter to your ex-bank explaining why you have stopped using their services x
I ethically bank! Mainly to avoid my money being invested in the arms trade but now I know about the fossil fuel investments I’m even more glad I do it’
I'd just like to add that dairy actually has just the same impact as beef since they come from the same animal! obviously appealing to government is important but I think the idea that individual impact is less important allows us to carry on our incredibly damaging habits. cutting out meat and dairy is actually the biggest thing you can do for the planet, and while writing to your MP is good, if you aren't willing to look into aiming for doing the BIGGEST thing available, it's hard to call yourself an environmentalist some statistics below (I recommend you watch cowspiracy!! life changing)... animal agriculture is the leading cause of greenhouse gas emissions (more than all of transportation combined), contributes to up to 91% of deforestation (lower figures put it around 70%), is the leading cause of species extinction and ocean dead zones, as well as being incredibly inefficient on water use (56% toward feed for livestock in the US) and land use (occupying 1/3 of the world's ice-free land). this isn't mentioning how with the land and feed fed to livestock we could feed the whole planet (we're currently growing enough to feed 10 billion), or that 80% of antibiotics go to livestock
(this coming from a vegan) individual change isn't going to be the biggest impact on the issue. Everyone should be reducing their meat and dairy intake but the governments and businesses need to be doing more. Governments can increase tax on meat and dairy which will probably reduce it for example. And much much more. Just being a vegan is great, but actually affecting government will do much more in the long run. Being an activist is just as important as making individual changes even if you can't statistically measure the carbon footprint impact of it.
I love that you’re using your platform for such important social issues, and expressed intelligently in a way that doesn’t lessen the value we can place on beauty, fashion etc. Change is still possible! But we have to make the difference now 💚
If you're a university student (in the UK at least) I really recommend trying to pass environmental motions in the Students Union and pushing your university to be more green. In Swansea Uni we recently got the university to divest from fossil fuel investment. As well as getting rid of coffee cups, plastic cutlery, plastic bags.... I really recommend going through institutions as you can have a massive impact!
you shared an interesting article before about the privilege of sustainability and i think that’s so true it costs money to make these small changes like buying local buying organic supporting local businesses electric cars sustainable clothing it’s SO expensive. people from lower income areas just can’t afford this
Yes it can be expensive but for example, you dont need to buy sustainable clothing, but buy clothes from second hand stores, rather than buying from Zara, H&M which are fast fashion stores, which also have horrible working conditions, etc. so there's that added bonus! And not buying organic, but rather a cucumber or broccoli without plastic wrapping, than ones with wrapping. Usually the costs of those isn't big if there is one at all! So it's about any small changes you can think of big or small!! :)
Tuuli Markkanen yes you’re right! great point! charity shops are great... even better than buying from sustainable fashion chains however with non organic foods, it’s not the packaging that’s the worse it’s how they’re grown people think non organic just means pesticides but food is grown on an industrial scale fruits and veg in tower block green houses with artificial lighting and these use a lot of fossil fuels organic is grown in the ground-can also be environmentally detrimental with the removal of forest and peatland so which is worse is a judgment call i guess aaah it’s difficult
@@wil3481 hey thanks for your reply! Yeah for sure there are bad sides with everything but I guess it's just the lesser or two evils and I know not everyone can do everything but even if it's one organic shop a month then that'll help too. So just where change can be made it great! But it's incredibly difficult sadly but we will keep working and spreading the message! 🙌🏼
And if you don’t live in LA there are like *no* thrift shops. Here in the Netherlands the only thrift shops that exist are so expensive?? Or they don’t have any like nice clothes (I’m doing my best to buy sustainable/second hand stuff, but the place where you live and the income you have can make it hard)
Yes making changes to the way we live and try becoming more sustainable with the alternatives we have seems to be more expensive than remaining in a sort of "boble", but I 've actually heard that the countries with less emissions and overall more eco-friendly are the poorest African countries! Since they don't have certainly technologies and are more connected to the earth their way of life just doesn't polute like ours! So if we take a page from their book and think that less is more and instead of replacing certaind things in our lifestyle we just ditch it, than maybe it isn't as expensive as it seems! I don't know if I made sense, but yeah!
I'm by no means a pro, I just started out (because...fear for future) but here are some things I'm trying right now (None of this is substitute for policy change - protest my friends!) : -Reusable cups are your friend if you're a caffeine addict like me, but if you forget either A) try to drink in and use a mug instead or B) make sure you put your cup into recycling (most starbucks' have a green tray next to the bin where they will recycle them for you) - Avoid makeup remover wipes (or really any wipes if you can help it). Switch to cleanser and water. Again, if you have to use one, do not flush it!! Fatbergs are a problem and also gross - Try and buy loose vegetables and take a tote to carry them instead of buying plastic packaged stuff or using the plastic bags (if they use paper ones, that's fine too, just recycle or reuse it). I don't have a farm shop near me, so this is the best alternative - Be a "Shitty Vegetarian" i.e. be a vegetarian like... 98% of the time if you can't do 100% of the time -just...make it less weird for people you know. Normalise having a reusable container on you. I know a lot of people who turn their nose up at stuff like this. Just treat it as if it's a thing everyone does and you're not special for doing it. People tend to then make those choices themselves if they see someone who doesn't have to go out of their way to do these things.
What needs to change in the uk is that EVERYTHING in supermarkets is covered in plastic that really doesn’t need to be... don’t tax plastic bags ban them !!! And also don’t put sooo much plastic that really doesn’t need it and then if there’s leftover food give it to food banks
Melanie Murphy would love if you made a video like this too! Maybe we could start a movement of every influencers spreading more awareness about climate change with their incredible platforms. Love you both ❤️
As someone who spent a week fighting the fight with Extinction Rebellion in London and sitting in roads and chaining myself to a big pink boat when I should have been writing my two dissertations (hey for multitasking with one hand on the laptop and the other in a lock-on right? 😂), thank you so much for making this video. Climate change is just so, so important and both individual changes and a HUGE systematic overhaul are required. I really value that you went beyond the basics like minimising your consumption and mentioned lobbying and protest. Using your influence to raise awareness is big.
@@lucymoon it's worth it tbh, nuclear power is going to be a far better option for our future than wind turbines or solar panels; especially if we can use fission
If you are a university student get involved with the fossil free/people and planet/zero carbon society. If there isn't one at your uni, start one! People and planet is the largest student activist network in the UK; they support students in social and environmental justice campaigning and can help you run a campaign at your uni if you're not sure where to start. One of their focuses is fossil fuel divestment i.e. lobbying universities to stop investing in fossil fuels.
As an urban planner with a focus on sustainable mobility, I'd like to add that not only not flying matters, but also the way you get around every day. In cities we usually have great public transport options for longer trips. For shorter trips I like to walk or take my bike - as long as I feel save. Being physically active while getting from A to B is not only healthy - and can make a gym membership obsolete - but also increases individual and collective quality of life. Since we often sit in front of a screen the whole day, moving can decrease risk of certain diseases and not contributing to CO2 and NO2 emissions by not using motorized vehicles improves air quality for everyone. Unfortunatelly electric cars just produce emissions somewhere else - where they are built and where the energy that powers them comes from. So if you can, use your bike, public transport or walk. As long as you stay safe, you do yourself and the world some good without much effort :)
According to Oxfam the richest 10% of people emit 49% of the world’s total lifestyle consumption emissions so individual changes make a massive difference. Individual impact is also more notable in certain lifestyle choices than in others, diet for example can make up 20% of an individual’s greenhouse emissions - this is without accounting for the land, water and human cost. Agriculture is using 70% of the world’s freshwater supply with around 1,000 litres needed to produce a kilogram of grain, whereas 43,000 litres will produce a kilogram of beef. Eating a vegan diet one day a week could save 1,100 gallons of water, 45 pounds of grain, 30 sq ft of forested land, and 20 lbs CO2. Also investing in the circular economy - flea markets, charity shops, depop, eBay is a great way to reduce waste.
I was chatting with this one boy for about 4 weeks now and I care about envirement so so much like I use as little plastic as I can and I don't eat meat (but I'm only 16 and my whole family eats meat so it's not easy to become vegan right now but I really really want to become one and so I'm talking to this boy, right? And I started talking about this topic and he said that he doesn't care about it and it's not his business. And you know what I did? I stopped talking to him. Like it's so ignorant and he is 2 years older than me and he should be aware of what's happening but he doesn't care at all. Was it stupid of me to stop talking to him just because of this one thing or was it ok?
It can be really difficult trying to navigate these disagreements over plant-based action with friends and family. I think cutting off someone that ignorant who you didn't really know sends a valuable message as hopefully he will recognise it means you care more about the environment than your relationship with him. In the case of your family, if you can demonstrate that buying plant-based products (even just for you) would be cheaper/the same price and that you can all still eat together - just as long as you manage to cook yourself a meat replacement - it would be very hard to argue against. For example, when I was still living with my parents I convinced my mum to start buying long life soya milk from Aldi as it was only 55p per litre (I am aware of the controversy surrounding soy products but at the time it was the cheapest option we could find). At mealtimes when the rest of my family were eating something like sausages as the main part of the dish, I would still eat the same meal as them but switch the meat ones for Linda McCartney's (which are often on offer at Tesco for £1 a pack).
Thank you and all the people in the comments sharing advice and motivating. THIS is what we need! You're all awesome! I'm trying to make changes in my local area too, good luck to you all!
Another thing to get your local city/town leadership to work on is bike trails or bike lanes. (And public transport) Having better bike lanes means more people will use them to commute. And try bike to work month in May!! Totally agree with the meat and flying point you made. But also buying local and secondhand mean that you’re not contributing to a trucking/shipping supply chain and you are not creating more waste with packaging. Great video! Glad you’re talking about this and using you’re platform for this!
I love that you’re talking about important current issues - this reminds me of an AM WITH AMY style video in the best way possible, would love to see more like this xx
Here are a few of my suggestions... Find strike for climate on Facebook etc for protests near you. This is the collective movement for all the student/pupil protests. The ones I've been to have been perfect for younger people. Plus the movement is getting quite big now Also maybe try doing something in your school (if you still are at school). We have set up an environmental committee (mostly for sixth form) where we organise recycling, do assemblies, plant things, and talk to the catering staff about plastic waste and stuff, and other stuff lol. (Plus it'll look really good on your CV!!) Also if you are in the U.K. then there is a really easy way to get parliament to listen!! There is on the official parliament website a petitions thing, if it gets to 100,000 signatures I think (might be wrong on that number) then they HAVE TO discuss it in parliament. So always sign any green ones that you see floating about!
I'm 14 and me and my friend are trying to set up an eco committee in school too. We want to do assemblies and things because it's so fustrating how many people just don't care about climate change. I've also been to strikes I hope things will change but it's so hard.
Amelia Fox yeah it's infuriating how much young ppl like us try and care, yet our resources are much more limited that that of older ppl with big businesses etc. Good luck with your club! (we made an Instagram for ours, and that really boosted support- especially when we wrote the username on all the whiteboards in classrooms)
Love that you're using your space to discuss such an important issue. Even doing a little can make a huge change if everyone does it - we just each need to do the best we can with what we've got. :)
Thank you for using your platform to talk about this-can’t believe climate change is such a huge issue and it still isn’t as talked about as it should be🌱
Bloody love you Lucy. So important, and I love that you addressed meat and a reasonable way to help when you have other dietary issues or are just not ready for the vego life. You've inspired me to try really hard to educate my family so we can start making more changes in my house hold and this was such a good approach - think ill use this on them.
i just want to say thank you for using your platform to raise awareness for this. i hope more people do this! it is definitely a very urgent situation!
thank you so much for making this video! i've been doing a lot of research on zero waste and sustainability lately and am really trying to implement as much change into my life as possible. it's so scary how the world has changed so drastically in the last few decades, but hopefully us humans can create solutions and act on them!
Changing your energy supplier to one that uses renewable energy sources is another good one and fairly easy to do- once it's done you don't even have to think about it! In the UK there is Bulb and I'm sure there's a few others.
I did something recently where I wrote a letter to everyone who represents me at the state and federal level (I'm in the US) that just talked about how scared I am about climate change. I feel like one of the biggest frustrations I have is that most elected officials are old enough that this literally doesn't matter to them; they will be dead before things get too much worse. So I tried really hard to put them in my shoes -- talking about how this makes me feel like I have no future, how angry I am that people knew about the problem and could have acted to fix it before I was born but didn't. I encouraged them to do whatever they could to fix the problem but didn't make any super specific policy recommendations. It was cathartic to write and hopefully it made an impact. I highly recommend people try it!
Hey Lucy, I have some tips! I'm also gluten intolerant and on top of that, I have a cow's milk allergy (yeah I know). I was veggie for well over a year when I was diagnosed with a (borderline coeliac) gluten intolerance. I never really considered going back to eating meat but I do have some tips. I'm now more of a pescatarian. 1. It's 100% possible and wonderful to be veggie and GF. All of the free from sections in any supermarket are packed with stuff to help you there. Most Quorn products are GF, Aldi has a wonderful free from section, you're spoilt for choice now really. 2. If that is an issue (you mentioned disordered eating so I don't want it to be an anxious thing), then going pescatarian is such a good idea! I live near the Scottish coast so pole and line caught fish is easier to come by, but fish is a fantastic way to get a bunch of nutrients and if you can get it sustainably, then you're golden. 3. I can tell you from personal experience that the thing that IS near impossible when you're GF is going vegan! I tried super hard but unless you have tonnes of time to shop around, it's going to make you hyper-aware of your food and that's going to mess you up. Being veggie or pesci is a lot easier than it looks. You're definitely right in saying that beef is the big one, but all factory farming is an issue that we have got to tackle. We really do vote with our money and the moment we buy some sausages we tell the company that we're ok with the amount of water and energy and grain that is taken to get to that packaged snack. I sound SO vegan-or-die right now but if any time is the time to care...it's now. If we want the companies to change, we have to force them! Animal agriculture is so destructive and the best thing to do is to not support it.
I'm a part of extinction rebellion youth and scared as well, and need people to realise the urgency! Thanks for using your platform to bring this to more people's attention.
Thank you so much for this Lucy! I've been feeling so down recently because I've felt that there's nothing I can do since my MP already fully supports calling a climate emergency, I'm already a vegan (kind of accidentally from being a lactose intolerant vegetarian) and my ehlers-danlos syndrome has meant I've been unable to go to any extinction rebellion protests. But this video has both restored my faith in people, and reminded me of other things I can do, such as buying long lasting clothes and effectively reducing my waste production. Unfortunately lots of ways of reducing waste are more difficult with a disability, for example needing to get things delivered when I am unable to go out generates a lot of packaging, but by being mindful of where I buy from I can ensure that the amount of packaging is as small as possible and is recyclable. Another idea for anyone who is able is plants! Even just having a house plant in your room contributes to removing CO2 from the air, and if you have any outdoor space bee friendly flowers are excellent for local ecosystems. You can even grow your own food, be it through herbs on your windowsill, or fruit and veg if you have a garden! It is the ultimate way to reduce the emissions created by transporting food, and it'd be good for your bank balance too!
I love this! Glad there’s others out there who are seeing how important this is 🙌 For old clothes you can also cut them up and use them as cleaning cloths, also saves on buying kitchen paper!
Buy carbon offsets every time you fly! There should hopefully be an option when you’re purchasing but if not look up carbon offsets online to purchase some. Wouldn’t it be great if we made this a compulsory part of flying ❤️
Thank you so much for this video. I think for a lot of people right now it's a lot of talk and no action (like people posting for earth day but using disposable plastic cups every day instead of reusable). I'm an environmental ethics and policy major (didn't even know this was a thing until I got to college) and I feel a personal call to do exactly what you're saying, make big policy changes to save the world from disaster. Your tips about personal change are also really great too, and I'd say on top of that everyone encourage their friends to do the same! I could go on and on but just THANK YOU for using your voice to promote this unbelievably important topic.
Great video Lucy! A great way to use your platform :) One slight scientific correction: cows fart out methane not carbon dioxide. This is a problem because methane is also a greenhouse gas that is 34 times more powerful at trapping atmospheric heat over a 100 year period than CO2! (And it’s 86 times more powerful over a 20 year period - yikes!)
Wow this video is so impactful, I hope more people with a platform use it like you do, you are really making such a big difference. I’m so motivated to improve my acts against climate change... THANK YOU 💜
When it comes to our consumption habits, checking out the second hand options first is also a great way to reduce your carbon foot print and you can save a lot of money! Especially when it comes to clothing and electronics. Facebook market place, rebuy, ebay and depop are great for this apart from local second hand shops of course. And adopting the same mentality when it comes to things you want to get rid of, always ask friends and family first if someone wants it before you throw something out. I recently decluttered a lot of clothes and my friends wanted all of them, it's so great to see them wear and love the things that I didn't love anymore! Another thing in western countries is the amount of food waste, which causes a lot of carbon emissions and waste of valueable resources of course. Make sure you don't buy more fresh than you actually can eat in time. In my building there's a certain place in the entrance hall where people always leave food they don't want to go to waste when they leave for a longer time, and someone always takes it, I think that's such a great thing. Just today I got some fruit from there!
Ways I am combating climate change: sold my car, not flying, reducing my meat intake, living with my parents, not having children, and reducing my waste. I know that by doing these things, I am making a difference.
We as a family eat meat probaby once or twice a month, and I cook a lot from produce which reduces plastic a lot. We use cloth diapers when at home but it's getting difficult (she's bothered by all the fabric between her legs when walking), we changed our heating system, buy some second hand clothing..there is a looot of room for improvement still!!!
Brands could do a lot more. Stop sending out huge press releases of every shade of foundation for one person wrapped in a load of plastic that goes straight in the bin. Stop sending so many free products without even checking first of the person wants and will use them. Stop flying bloggers across the world for PR parties that could just be in the UK. Stop sending constant marketing emails encouraging people to buy fast fashion so often. Bloggers should stand up to this too.
It might be a bit controversial to say this, but please vote for politicians that have an active climate policy, and hold them accountable for their promises. And for those living in countries that don't oblige voting: please go to the polls. Your vote matters more than you think.
Since you mentioned Greenpeace, I think it's worth mentioning that their stance on nuclear power plants isn't actually very eco friendly. Don't get me wrong, I wish we could just have 100% renewable energy, but the technology isn't there yet unfortunately and closing down functioning nuclear power plants doesn't help the cause. Nuclear isn't perfect: is expensive to set up and (at least with the technology that's currently in mainstream use) there's always the issue of waste material. But, just look at Germany. We've seen what happens when we start carelessly closing down nuclear power plants. After the Fukushima incident (which wasn't even as devastating as Initially reported) the German government pledged to close down every single nuclear power plant, but they've since then moved towards coal and other fossil fuels to compensate... In the public mind, nuclear is this dragon's tail we shouldn't be tickling, but we keep forgetting how much damage fossil fuels have done and are still doing. Coal power has actually even been shown to have caused more cancers than nuclear even when you take into account the major catastrophic events that have happened with nuclear (of which there are very few) Thanks for coming to my TED talk.
As an influencer, you receive lots of products / clothing/ ect. Those often result in large amounts of plastic waste. Would you consider removing yourself from mailing lists as to lessen your personal plastic footprint? (remember reading about another influencer doing this). Or go and buy more second hand clothes to reduce clothing consumption?
use mircoplastic free face and body washes. Just check the labels of the products you're using for micro-plastics. I think it's something sometimes people forget about, because it's beginning washed away, and into the ocean. I can't remember the statistic for it, but micro-plastics are a a large portion of the plastic in the ocean. A lot of animals eat the micro-plastics by accident. Also, got an Eco-friendly ad before your vid! Love this
I recently started using a menstrual cup, as well as reusable bottles and coffee cups. All our biodegradable waste goes into compost, and we always make an effort to buy second hand. All small things but they all help a little 💚🌎
@Xanatos Wolfe Breathing releases CO2, lol. Carbon dioxide exists in the world no matter what we do. The real issue with food waste is methane, and composting doesn't produce nearly as much methane as sending food waste to a landfill, so it's a better alternative.
Love this! Cows excrete methane which is a more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide which means its more damaging to the environment! Reducing meat is also way more effective than only sourcing locally and organically so it’s such an easy thing to change that everyone can do!
Lovely video!💙 Also shopping sustainable or secondhand (as well as environmental is a very important human rights issue because of the fast fashion victims)
Reducing dairy consumption saves money as well as improves cardiac health, clears skin, reduces fat percentage of your body and increases BMI , its a win-win situation
stop buying fast fashion. thrift or ask family and friends if they have clothes they don’t want. if you have the money, look into buying sustainable brands (they are more expensive but it’s worth it imo). kristen leo on youtube has fantastic videos that go in depth about fast fashion, climate change and how you can help. watch the true cost on netflix as it’s about fast fashion. use goodonyou.eco/ to see how ethical the brands you wear are! buy bamboo toothbrushes and hair brushes. @happy_earthco on instagram sells bamboo toothbrushes if you want to support small businesses. you can also find them on amazon. buy local produce! the farmers market is a good place to look! talk to your school if they sell plastic straws at your canteen or talk to a teacher about it so they can make an impact. ask them to switch to paper straws (my teacher was able to make them switch!) use a metal straw or better yet, don’t use straws at all sell your unwanted clothes. thrift shops are getting way too many clothes so most of them end up in land fill. give them to family and friends or use depop ect. bonus is you get extra cash
another thing you can do is change your default browser to ecosia.org. they're helping make a positive impact on the environment by planting trees when people make searches using this browser. it is the exact same as google to use and it is also free for you so really doesn't change your life that much. its a very simple thing to do to help towards climate change :)
I can think of ways to improve on most things (even planning to having a baby soon and we’re looking at muslins and terry towelling) but nappy bags/dog poo bags? What do you use? Also is cat litter recyclable?
As a Geologist I can say climate change is a normal function of planetary development. The rocks we have are proof of climate change. Change is the norm.
How to make other people help the climate: - Don't show them pictures of a turtle with a straw in their nose, they will hate the topic immediately - Make this about them and their wellbeing - they will be such pure humans and detoxified from all that microplastic if they drink out of glass bottles. Shopping locally is so ethical and tastes better anyways and they'll have such a nice figure if they stop eating meat. Minimalism is trendy right now anyways, so they can do it too and live their best life without cluttered heads. Tell them to live their dreams and somehow they will change the climate in pursuit of their ideal self.
While this is a bit overexaggerated, also not coming off as judgemental is so important. People will stop listening the moment they feel attacked, so you need to be straightforward and honest but not guilt tripping or rude
This is very sad but also absolutely the truth. Once you can convince someone (by however much exaggeration) that their own life would be better off by making these changes, they suddenly become interested. It's similar to the way plenty of people donate to charity because it makes them feel good, not necessarily because they actively want to help a particular cause.
And for anyone who struggles with menstrual cups, non-plastic pads are available in a fair few supermarkets or you can get washable period underwear. Basically, anything but plastic applicators and normal pads!
And we need to stop saying this messages like' Guys we need to stop climate now help' how about actually doing something instead of wanting to get views and likes on your message
not only aviation in flying.... most detrimental is the transport of your international goods
Buy locally! support local businesses!
wil woooooo!
i’m sorry but when i read the first bit i thought of the bee movie... oops
Ravenclaw Studying true
Some ideas... obviously all dependent on your personal circumstances and abilities, but worth a try if you can!
I think the most important way is just to discuss it - then your impact comes from more than just your actions but others too:)
Beauty:
- Use a flannel and cleanser instead of makeup wipes
- Use a bar of soap as opposed to a liquid with an applicator - better still, one that's packaged in paper
Washing clothes:
- Put them on a colder wash (30/40degrees - the soap will do just fine for most!)
- Use powder instead of individually wrapped tabs
Shopping:
- Show your values in your shopping: avoid certain unethical brands, buy fairtrade etc - shops will recognise the demand soon enough
- Buy loose-leaf tea + a strainer to go with it - most tea bags have plastic in them! An investment but the money can be made up!
- If you need to buy new clothes, make sure they're natural fibres (cotton, silk) as opposed to plastics (polyester, nylon)
- Eat locally + seasonally
- Buy fruit + veg without packaging (don't use the small plastic bags provided in shops; put things from the shelf to your basket, + then in your own bag
after paying!) especially when sometimes as a student it's difficult to use e.g. a whole packet of carrots before one goes off, buying what you know you'll
definitely eat reduces your food waste too
just to add to that like Lucy said donating clothes/ thrift shops are very important!! And instead of using dryer sheets for laundry like you mentioned use dryer balls which can last like up to 1,000 loads or more and are obviously eco-friendly
Can I add to that list?
- fabric sanitary pads or alternatives
-cloth diapers
-learn to cook demple fast, healthy meals to avoid packaged or take away
- don't use dryer sheets. Plenty of countries are fine whitout them. Also
- avoid the dryer whenever possible
- don't replace appliances you can be whitout
-share tools, appliances, toys, stuff..in your community (lawn mowers, hand mixers, drill, even a vacuum..)
- if possible, grow some food
Love this!! Transport=STOP USING CARS
if becoming a vegetarian isn’t your thing BUY LOCALLY
not only does this cut the aviation point you made
but also rids the risk of illegal deforestation in the amazon (80% of which is for pasture l)
In one documentary they said chicken is the most sustainable animal to farm (I think it was Di Caprio's documentary)
Of course plant based is best, but maybe as a transition or for people with restrictions..chicken?
Thank you for being one of the very few influencers, who decided to talk about climate change... really, thanks
I agree, it would help so much if more influencers raised awareness , thank you so much xx
@Justin Lakely I see what your saying (although I do think that it would benefit us a lot if more of the massive influencers and brands raised awareness). I we can stop this if we get all the governments on board. The problem is that the people with the money and power in society aren't do much to help and are causing a lot of the problems.
eating less meat and dairy is THE most important thing that we as individuals can do for the planet !! it cuts your carbon footprint by around 50% 🌿 livestock produce the most greenhouse gas emissions, are the leading cause of deforestation, and eating 1 hamburger is the same as showering for 2 months straight!! also having a sustainable wardrobe is huge, buying fast fashion from brands like ASOS, HnM and Boohoo is so bad for the planet, it all ends up in landfill, and besides that, their workers never earn a living wage 🌱
Cutting out plastic is actually THE most important thing. Dairy and beef (most red meats actually) is the meat that is what shouldn’t be eaten because cows produce methane gas so it’s really bad for you. Whereas chicken and other meats don’t have much of a carbon footprint. Also lower the amount of driving you do and walk and bike. Thrifting and buying sustainable clothes is definitely correct! Also buying sustainable beauty products (including shampoo conditioner, soaps, makeup and etc) as well as detergent and dishwashing liquid that’s safe for the environment is a very good idea. Instead of using paper towels, use rags or old T-shirt’s, and same for cotton rounds either use old cotton T-shirt’s cut up or you can also buy reusable cotton rounds. Stop buying aluminum foil and plastic wrap and buy beeswax wrap and silicone baking mats.
Methane from cows isn’t actually the biggest problem, it’s all the resources you have to use to keep the animals alive until (land use, producing feed, etc). Would super highly recommend the document Cowspiracy to learn more about the issue.
(also eating less meat is actually healthy because our society has started completely overconsuming meat and you can discover some delicious vegetarian and vegan meals)
Actually, helping elected leaders fix the broken energy market is the biggest thing we can do individually, because if we get that done together it will be far better than changing your whole lifestyle to be zero emissions: citizensclimatelobby.org/why-carbon-fee-and-dividend
@Justin Lakely - Michael Crichton, the fiction writer? No, I don't put as much value into what he writes compared to what scientists publish in peer-reviewed scientific journals. The summary of which is what we know about climate change, and here it is conveniently put into two-pages by NASA, NOAA, the DOE, National Academy of Sciences, and many others, in the Fourth National Climate Assessment (Highlights section): science2017.globalchange.gov/chapter/executive-summary/
If fiction writers are where you go for your science, I can understand how you are so confused. Here is a response to Crichton's book from real scientists: www.ucsusa.org/global-warming/solutions/fight-misinformation/crichton-thriller-state-of.html
Try this. First, read the Highlights section in the Executive Summary of the NCA4 linked above. Then look at the IPCC's special report on 1.5 degrees C of warming (summary for policymakers - www.ipcc.ch/sr15/). Then consider what nearly every economist says we should do to fix the energy market failure that is causing the over-production and use of fossil fuels, and restricting competition and innovation in better solutions: clcouncil.org/economists-statement/. Then maybe you'll see why I support the bipartisan bill now in Congress called the Energy Innovation Act (energyinnovationact.org) and why I'm so excited for Canada that they have chosen an effective, efficient, equitable approach to address climate pollution from fossil fuels.
Here’s the thing: it is important to differentiate between climate issues and environmental issues. Plastic litter and recycling are environmental issues, not climate issues. If you use a cotton bag when you go grocery shopping instead of getting a plastic bag you have to use the cotton bag up to 7500 times for it to be beneficial for the climate. The most important things you can do if you want to cut down on your CO2 footprint is to use less energy, whether it be flying less, driving less or eating less red meat. Picking up litter and recycling is great for the environment, but it doesn’t make much difference to the climate.
Fully agree with that, I just think it is important to point it out because I see so many people who mistakenly believes the two are the same and goes on and on about plastic litter and reducing plastic consumption and branding it as a climate issue when it isn’t.
Of course opinions vary so I'm going to offer an alternative view point :) Environmental and climate issues interact with one another massively - recycling and using longer lasting items does have environmental benefits at face value, but combating the throw away culture we have today reduces demand for synthetic, often plastic based, products. This in turn reduces emissions from manufacture, transport and sourcing the resources needed which often require a lot of processing to get to the desired components and produce unhelpful waste. I hope my understanding makes sense and is interesting :)
I would like to insert something here. If you become vegetarian/vegan remember to still try and support indigenous people!! Yes I understand the ethics of both but indigenous people always respect and know their land and animals for centuries! So if you can’t give up animal products then get them locally or if you have an indigenous population buy from them. Thank you Lucy for this lovely video!
The problem with cows is more about the production of methane rather than CO2. Methane is 23 times more damaging for the environment than CO2!
Having cows at all is so absurd. If people stilll want to drink milk or eat meat (i don't know why people would want to but whatever) they should eat chicken and drink goats milk (pork is a problem for water, fish ist extremly overfished, and need a lot of food, milk and beef is obvious(other comments in the thread))
For students who need to save money but still want to help the environment and eat nice food, I recommend the app 'too good to go'. It's an app that will sell the stuff shops have left at the end of the day for cheaper. It's all the things they will throw out when no one buys it. So you also don't know what you will get. It's definitely worth a try!
not sure if these have already been covered but while it can be expensive but for example, you dont need to buy sustainable clothing, but buy clothes from second hand stores, rather than buying from Zara, H&M which are fast fashion stores, which also have horrible working conditions, etc. so there's that added bonus of not supporting those! Reused clothing for sure can be much cheaper than new ones! And if you cant afford to buy organic, you can buy products like cucumber or broccoli without plastic wrapping, instead of ones with wrapping. Usually the costs of those aren't much greater if there is one at all! So it's about any changes you can think of big or small!! :)
Tuuli Markkanen yes! The fact that companies like this are still doing business is COMPLETELY unacceptable. We are better than Forever 21.
yes!! it kind of bugs me when people buy a brand new £200 shirt from an “ethical/sustainable” brand when it’s so much easier & cheaper to just buy secondhand! i’ve found so many great things on eBay & Depop 🌱🌱
Brands like zara, GAP use child labour, forever 21 exploits Palestinian labour etc. Avoid these.
rlly helpful to discuss that sometimes buying 'sustainable' clothing and food can be quite expensive and to think about alternatives :) x
olivia jade how do you find things on ebay, like what do you search for? i never find anything.. and i live in a small town so my local thrift doesnt have anything i like :(
at uni i have to walk everywhere because i can’t drive and there aren’t any bus routes near me but walking has honestly changed my life!! I know it’s not easy for everyone but walking has not only reduced my carbon footprint, but also increased my fitness levels and saved me money!! there are so so many benefits and at first it can feel like a chore, but when you’ve got good music or podcasts to listen to, good comfy shoes and a strong backpack, anything seems possible! it used to take me 25mins to walk the mile to uni and now i can do it in 15 - honestly life changing!!
Hi Lucy! I work for an environmental non-profit in the US, and we've noticed that nature-based solutions to climate change are often overlooked but are REALLY important, and have the added bonus of helping conserve biodiversity and improving our air/water quality. These might include solutions for climate change mitigation (reducing greenhouse gases - e.g., planting trees, replacing lawns with meadows/prairie) and adaptation (enhancing the resilience of ecosystems and human communities for dealing with the effects of climate change - e.g., enhancing wildlife corridors, creating/restoring wetlands). They can be undertaken by individuals, but are certainly more effective at the larger scale of companies/governments, so I would encourage your viewers to think not only about what they can do in their own yards/gardens, but also contacting government agencies and their favorite companies and encouraging them to participate in nature based climate change mitigation and adaptation.
4ocean.com was the ad before the video!!! things are changing already thank GOD
Sian Bannister Same for me! Also if it’s you in your profile picture I love your hair!! It’s gorgeoussss
I know that this has nothing to do with your comment but oh my god youre so gorgeous
Toe Bro It’s great, usually it’s a really ironic ad that’s promoting bottled water or something aha & that is me! Thank you so much! A natural ginger :)
julz aw thank you so much!!
Sian Bannister same for me!
Thank you so much for focusing this video on the macro level and emphasizing the impact of governments and companies!🙌
Great video! I'm a student from Finland, and in my student apartment building we have a shared electric car that we can rent for a really cheap price. I think it's a great solution to support students not having cars but still giving them access to one when we need it 🚗💚
Great stuff! Here's another idea: move your money to an ethical bank! Many of the top highstreet banks invest heavily in fossil fuels. Switch your accounts (it's very easy) to an ethical bank (e.g. Cooperative, Triodos), and write a letter to your ex-bank explaining why you have stopped using their services x
I ethically bank! Mainly to avoid my money being invested in the arms trade but now I know about the fossil fuel investments I’m even more glad I do it’
hey, do you know how i can find ethical banks in my country and find out if a bank is ethical? :)
I am going to do this right away. I didn’t know about this before reading your comment. Thanks so much!
I'd just like to add that dairy actually has just the same impact as beef since they come from the same animal!
obviously appealing to government is important but I think the idea that individual impact is less important allows us to carry on our incredibly damaging habits. cutting out meat and dairy is actually the biggest thing you can do for the planet, and while writing to your MP is good, if you aren't willing to look into aiming for doing the BIGGEST thing available, it's hard to call yourself an environmentalist
some statistics below (I recommend you watch cowspiracy!! life changing)...
animal agriculture is the leading cause of greenhouse gas emissions (more than all of transportation combined), contributes to up to 91% of deforestation (lower figures put it around 70%), is the leading cause of species extinction and ocean dead zones, as well as being incredibly inefficient on water use (56% toward feed for livestock in the US) and land use (occupying 1/3 of the world's ice-free land). this isn't mentioning how with the land and feed fed to livestock we could feed the whole planet (we're currently growing enough to feed 10 billion), or that 80% of antibiotics go to livestock
(this coming from a vegan) individual change isn't going to be the biggest impact on the issue. Everyone should be reducing their meat and dairy intake but the governments and businesses need to be doing more. Governments can increase tax on meat and dairy which will probably reduce it for example. And much much more. Just being a vegan is great, but actually affecting government will do much more in the long run. Being an activist is just as important as making individual changes even if you can't statistically measure the carbon footprint impact of it.
why can’t you tubers make more content like this! you have a good impact on the world lucy x
I love that you’re using your platform for such important social issues, and expressed intelligently in a way that doesn’t lessen the value we can place on beauty, fashion etc.
Change is still possible! But we have to make the difference now 💚
If you're a university student (in the UK at least) I really recommend trying to pass environmental motions in the Students Union and pushing your university to be more green. In Swansea Uni we recently got the university to divest from fossil fuel investment. As well as getting rid of coffee cups, plastic cutlery, plastic bags....
I really recommend going through institutions as you can have a massive impact!
you shared an interesting article before about the privilege of sustainability and i think that’s so true
it costs money to make these small changes like
buying local
buying organic
supporting local businesses
electric cars
sustainable clothing
it’s SO expensive. people from lower income areas just can’t afford this
Yes it can be expensive but for example, you dont need to buy sustainable clothing, but buy clothes from second hand stores, rather than buying from Zara, H&M which are fast fashion stores, which also have horrible working conditions, etc. so there's that added bonus! And not buying organic, but rather a cucumber or broccoli without plastic wrapping, than ones with wrapping. Usually the costs of those isn't big if there is one at all! So it's about any small changes you can think of big or small!! :)
Tuuli Markkanen yes you’re right! great point! charity shops are great... even better than buying from sustainable fashion chains
however with non organic foods, it’s not the packaging that’s the worse
it’s how they’re grown
people think non organic just means pesticides but food is grown on an industrial scale
fruits and veg in tower block green houses with artificial lighting and these use a lot of fossil fuels
organic is grown in the ground-can also be environmentally detrimental with the removal of forest and peatland
so which is worse is a judgment call i guess
aaah it’s difficult
@@wil3481 hey thanks for your reply! Yeah for sure there are bad sides with everything but I guess it's just the lesser or two evils and I know not everyone can do everything but even if it's one organic shop a month then that'll help too. So just where change can be made it great! But it's incredibly difficult sadly but we will keep working and spreading the message! 🙌🏼
And if you don’t live in LA there are like *no* thrift shops. Here in the Netherlands the only thrift shops that exist are so expensive?? Or they don’t have any like nice clothes (I’m doing my best to buy sustainable/second hand stuff, but the place where you live and the income you have can make it hard)
Yes making changes to the way we live and try becoming more sustainable with the alternatives we have seems to be more expensive than remaining in a sort of "boble", but I 've actually heard that the countries with less emissions and overall more eco-friendly are the poorest African countries! Since they don't have certainly technologies and are more connected to the earth their way of life just doesn't polute like ours! So if we take a page from their book and think that less is more and instead of replacing certaind things in our lifestyle we just ditch it, than maybe it isn't as expensive as it seems! I don't know if I made sense, but yeah!
I'm by no means a pro, I just started out (because...fear for future) but here are some things I'm trying right now (None of this is substitute for policy change - protest my friends!) :
-Reusable cups are your friend if you're a caffeine addict like me, but if you forget either A) try to drink in and use a mug instead or B) make sure you put your cup into recycling (most starbucks' have a green tray next to the bin where they will recycle them for you)
- Avoid makeup remover wipes (or really any wipes if you can help it). Switch to cleanser and water. Again, if you have to use one, do not flush it!! Fatbergs are a problem and also gross
- Try and buy loose vegetables and take a tote to carry them instead of buying plastic packaged stuff or using the plastic bags (if they use paper ones, that's fine too, just recycle or reuse it). I don't have a farm shop near me, so this is the best alternative
- Be a "Shitty Vegetarian" i.e. be a vegetarian like... 98% of the time if you can't do 100% of the time
-just...make it less weird for people you know. Normalise having a reusable container on you. I know a lot of people who turn their nose up at stuff like this. Just treat it as if it's a thing everyone does and you're not special for doing it. People tend to then make those choices themselves if they see someone who doesn't have to go out of their way to do these things.
What needs to change in the uk is that EVERYTHING in supermarkets is covered in plastic that really doesn’t need to be... don’t tax plastic bags ban them !!! And also don’t put sooo much plastic that really doesn’t need it and then if there’s leftover food give it to food banks
For everyone living in and around Dublin, Extinction Rebellion have a meeting next Thursday evening at Third Space Smithfield!
I might make it to that, thanks!
@@toastedcheese 💚💚
I LOVEEE this video!
You’re an angel Mel ❤️
Melanie Murphy would love if you made a video like this too! Maybe we could start a movement of every influencers spreading more awareness about climate change with their incredible platforms. Love you both ❤️
I am normally a quiet viewer but I appreciate it just so much that you have adressed the topic and used your platform xx
As someone who spent a week fighting the fight with Extinction Rebellion in London and sitting in roads and chaining myself to a big pink boat when I should have been writing my two dissertations (hey for multitasking with one hand on the laptop and the other in a lock-on right? 😂), thank you so much for making this video. Climate change is just so, so important and both individual changes and a HUGE systematic overhaul are required. I really value that you went beyond the basics like minimising your consumption and mentioned lobbying and protest. Using your influence to raise awareness is big.
I've almost completed a master's degree in physics specifically to work in nuclear science, dedication 100% I am in a lot of debt now
omg congrats! also sorry for your debt x
@@lucymoon it's worth it tbh, nuclear power is going to be a far better option for our future than wind turbines or solar panels; especially if we can use fission
Love this! It's unfortuanate that RUclipsrs don't talk about this more.
If you are a university student get involved with the fossil free/people and planet/zero carbon society. If there isn't one at your uni, start one! People and planet is the largest student activist network in the UK; they support students in social and environmental justice campaigning and can help you run a campaign at your uni if you're not sure where to start. One of their focuses is fossil fuel divestment i.e. lobbying universities to stop investing in fossil fuels.
As a geography student I love this!! More awareness is key!
Thank you so much Lucy!!!!!
As an urban planner with a focus on sustainable mobility, I'd like to add that not only not flying matters, but also the way you get around every day. In cities we usually have great public transport options for longer trips. For shorter trips I like to walk or take my bike - as long as I feel save. Being physically active while getting from A to B is not only healthy - and can make a gym membership obsolete - but also increases individual and collective quality of life. Since we often sit in front of a screen the whole day, moving can decrease risk of certain diseases and not contributing to CO2 and NO2 emissions by not using motorized vehicles improves air quality for everyone. Unfortunatelly electric cars just produce emissions somewhere else - where they are built and where the energy that powers them comes from. So if you can, use your bike, public transport or walk. As long as you stay safe, you do yourself and the world some good without much effort :)
According to Oxfam the richest 10% of people emit 49% of the world’s total lifestyle consumption emissions so individual changes make a massive difference. Individual impact is also more notable in certain lifestyle choices than in others, diet for example can make up 20% of an individual’s greenhouse emissions - this is without accounting for the land, water and human cost. Agriculture is using 70% of the world’s freshwater supply with around 1,000 litres needed to produce a kilogram of grain, whereas 43,000 litres will produce a kilogram of beef. Eating a vegan diet one day a week could save 1,100 gallons of water, 45 pounds of grain, 30 sq ft of forested land, and 20 lbs CO2. Also investing in the circular economy - flea markets, charity shops, depop, eBay is a great way to reduce waste.
YES this is the kind of content I want to see
Thx for reading my messages ❤
Good points! Don't forget elections! The EU election coming up especially can make a change in European climate change politics!
I was chatting with this one boy for about 4 weeks now and I care about envirement so so much like I use as little plastic as I can and I don't eat meat (but I'm only 16 and my whole family eats meat so it's not easy to become vegan right now but I really really want to become one and so I'm talking to this boy, right? And I started talking about this topic and he said that he doesn't care about it and it's not his business. And you know what I did? I stopped talking to him. Like it's so ignorant and he is 2 years older than me and he should be aware of what's happening but he doesn't care at all. Was it stupid of me to stop talking to him just because of this one thing or was it ok?
It can be really difficult trying to navigate these disagreements over plant-based action with friends and family. I think cutting off someone that ignorant who you didn't really know sends a valuable message as hopefully he will recognise it means you care more about the environment than your relationship with him.
In the case of your family, if you can demonstrate that buying plant-based products (even just for you) would be cheaper/the same price and that you can all still eat together - just as long as you manage to cook yourself a meat replacement - it would be very hard to argue against.
For example, when I was still living with my parents I convinced my mum to start buying long life soya milk from Aldi as it was only 55p per litre (I am aware of the controversy surrounding soy products but at the time it was the cheapest option we could find). At mealtimes when the rest of my family were eating something like sausages as the main part of the dish, I would still eat the same meal as them but switch the meat ones for Linda McCartney's (which are often on offer at Tesco for £1 a pack).
It's very difficult to be in a relationship with someone who does not share your values.
Thank you and all the people in the comments sharing advice and motivating. THIS is what we need! You're all awesome! I'm trying to make changes in my local area too, good luck to you all!
Another thing to get your local city/town leadership to work on is bike trails or bike lanes. (And public transport) Having better bike lanes means more people will use them to commute. And try bike to work month in May!!
Totally agree with the meat and flying point you made. But also buying local and secondhand mean that you’re not contributing to a trucking/shipping supply chain and you are not creating more waste with packaging.
Great video! Glad you’re talking about this and using you’re platform for this!
I love that you’re talking about important current issues - this reminds me of an AM WITH AMY style video in the best way possible, would love to see more like this xx
Here are a few of my suggestions...
Find strike for climate on Facebook etc for protests near you. This is the collective movement for all the student/pupil protests. The ones I've been to have been perfect for younger people. Plus the movement is getting quite big now
Also maybe try doing something in your school (if you still are at school). We have set up an environmental committee (mostly for sixth form) where we organise recycling, do assemblies, plant things, and talk to the catering staff about plastic waste and stuff, and other stuff lol. (Plus it'll look really good on your CV!!)
Also if you are in the U.K. then there is a really easy way to get parliament to listen!! There is on the official parliament website a petitions thing, if it gets to 100,000 signatures I think (might be wrong on that number) then they HAVE TO discuss it in parliament. So always sign any green ones that you see floating about!
I'm 14 and me and my friend are trying to set up an eco committee in school too. We want to do assemblies and things because it's so fustrating how many people just don't care about climate change. I've also been to strikes I hope things will change but it's so hard.
Amelia Fox yeah it's infuriating how much young ppl like us try and care, yet our resources are much more limited that that of older ppl with big businesses etc. Good luck with your club! (we made an Instagram for ours, and that really boosted support- especially when we wrote the username on all the whiteboards in classrooms)
@@robin1229 that's such a good idea! I will do that too, thank you !!
Just finished watching greta thunbergs interviews and I’m crying. I want to try and help as much as I can. What have we done.
Love that you're using your space to discuss such an important issue. Even doing a little can make a huge change if everyone does it - we just each need to do the best we can with what we've got. :)
Thank you so much. I’ve been trying to tell people and they just keep ignoring me. So thank you so much I appreciate this video
Thank you for using your platform to talk about this-can’t believe climate change is such a huge issue and it still isn’t as talked about as it should be🌱
This video is making me so happy!!!!
Bloody love you Lucy. So important, and I love that you addressed meat and a reasonable way to help when you have other dietary issues or are just not ready for the vego life. You've inspired me to try really hard to educate my family so we can start making more changes in my house hold and this was such a good approach - think ill use this on them.
i just want to say thank you for using your platform to raise awareness for this. i hope more people do this! it is definitely a very urgent situation!
Thank you for sharing & inspiring others 💛
thank you so much for making this video! i've been doing a lot of research on zero waste and sustainability lately and am really trying to implement as much change into my life as possible. it's so scary how the world has changed so drastically in the last few decades, but hopefully us humans can create solutions and act on them!
i really liked the lighting with the curtain open actually! :D
Changing your energy supplier to one that uses renewable energy sources is another good one and fairly easy to do- once it's done you don't even have to think about it! In the UK there is Bulb and I'm sure there's a few others.
I did something recently where I wrote a letter to everyone who represents me at the state and federal level (I'm in the US) that just talked about how scared I am about climate change. I feel like one of the biggest frustrations I have is that most elected officials are old enough that this literally doesn't matter to them; they will be dead before things get too much worse. So I tried really hard to put them in my shoes -- talking about how this makes me feel like I have no future, how angry I am that people knew about the problem and could have acted to fix it before I was born but didn't. I encouraged them to do whatever they could to fix the problem but didn't make any super specific policy recommendations. It was cathartic to write and hopefully it made an impact. I highly recommend people try it!
Hey Lucy, I have some tips! I'm also gluten intolerant and on top of that, I have a cow's milk allergy (yeah I know). I was veggie for well over a year when I was diagnosed with a (borderline coeliac) gluten intolerance. I never really considered going back to eating meat but I do have some tips. I'm now more of a pescatarian.
1. It's 100% possible and wonderful to be veggie and GF. All of the free from sections in any supermarket are packed with stuff to help you there. Most Quorn products are GF, Aldi has a wonderful free from section, you're spoilt for choice now really.
2. If that is an issue (you mentioned disordered eating so I don't want it to be an anxious thing), then going pescatarian is such a good idea! I live near the Scottish coast so pole and line caught fish is easier to come by, but fish is a fantastic way to get a bunch of nutrients and if you can get it sustainably, then you're golden.
3. I can tell you from personal experience that the thing that IS near impossible when you're GF is going vegan! I tried super hard but unless you have tonnes of time to shop around, it's going to make you hyper-aware of your food and that's going to mess you up. Being veggie or pesci is a lot easier than it looks.
You're definitely right in saying that beef is the big one, but all factory farming is an issue that we have got to tackle. We really do vote with our money and the moment we buy some sausages we tell the company that we're ok with the amount of water and energy and grain that is taken to get to that packaged snack. I sound SO vegan-or-die right now but if any time is the time to care...it's now. If we want the companies to change, we have to force them! Animal agriculture is so destructive and the best thing to do is to not support it.
I'm a part of extinction rebellion youth and scared as well, and need people to realise the urgency! Thanks for using your platform to bring this to more people's attention.
Thank you so much for this Lucy! I've been feeling so down recently because I've felt that there's nothing I can do since my MP already fully supports calling a climate emergency, I'm already a vegan (kind of accidentally from being a lactose intolerant vegetarian) and my ehlers-danlos syndrome has meant I've been unable to go to any extinction rebellion protests. But this video has both restored my faith in people, and reminded me of other things I can do, such as buying long lasting clothes and effectively reducing my waste production.
Unfortunately lots of ways of reducing waste are more difficult with a disability, for example needing to get things delivered when I am unable to go out generates a lot of packaging, but by being mindful of where I buy from I can ensure that the amount of packaging is as small as possible and is recyclable.
Another idea for anyone who is able is plants! Even just having a house plant in your room contributes to removing CO2 from the air, and if you have any outdoor space bee friendly flowers are excellent for local ecosystems. You can even grow your own food, be it through herbs on your windowsill, or fruit and veg if you have a garden! It is the ultimate way to reduce the emissions created by transporting food, and it'd be good for your bank balance too!
I love this! Glad there’s others out there who are seeing how important this is 🙌 For old clothes you can also cut them up and use them as cleaning cloths, also saves on buying kitchen paper!
Buy carbon offsets every time you fly! There should hopefully be an option when you’re purchasing but if not look up carbon offsets online to purchase some. Wouldn’t it be great if we made this a compulsory part of flying ❤️
Thank you so much for this video. I think for a lot of people right now it's a lot of talk and no action (like people posting for earth day but using disposable plastic cups every day instead of reusable). I'm an environmental ethics and policy major (didn't even know this was a thing until I got to college) and I feel a personal call to do exactly what you're saying, make big policy changes to save the world from disaster. Your tips about personal change are also really great too, and I'd say on top of that everyone encourage their friends to do the same! I could go on and on but just THANK YOU for using your voice to promote this unbelievably important topic.
Great video Lucy! Hopefully lots of other creators take note and start using their platform to talk about climate change x
Great video Lucy! A great way to use your platform :)
One slight scientific correction: cows fart out methane not carbon dioxide. This is a problem because methane is also a greenhouse gas that is 34 times more powerful at trapping atmospheric heat over a 100 year period than CO2! (And it’s 86 times more powerful over a 20 year period - yikes!)
Wow this video is so impactful, I hope more people with a platform use it like you do, you are really making such a big difference. I’m so motivated to improve my acts against climate change... THANK YOU 💜
When it comes to our consumption habits, checking out the second hand options first is also a great way to reduce your carbon foot print and you can save a lot of money! Especially when it comes to clothing and electronics.
Facebook market place, rebuy, ebay and depop are great for this apart from local second hand shops of course.
And adopting the same mentality when it comes to things you want to get rid of, always ask friends and family first if someone wants it before you throw something out. I recently decluttered a lot of clothes and my friends wanted all of them, it's so great to see them wear and love the things that I didn't love anymore!
Another thing in western countries is the amount of food waste, which causes a lot of carbon emissions and waste of valueable resources of course. Make sure you don't buy more fresh than you actually can eat in time.
In my building there's a certain place in the entrance hall where people always leave food they don't want to go to waste when they leave for a longer time, and someone always takes it, I think that's such a great thing. Just today I got some fruit from there!
The biggest help would be companies being more environmentally friendly and less wasteful
I saw the title and that's exactly what I've had on the mind, thank you!
Ways I am combating climate change: sold my car, not flying, reducing my meat intake, living with my parents, not having children, and reducing my waste. I know that by doing these things, I am making a difference.
Stream the song Earth by Lil Dicky! All proceeds go to climate change research
yessss such a good video lucy, so helpful 🌎💗
This video is so important.
Yes lucyyyyy 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
We as a family eat meat probaby once or twice a month, and I cook a lot from produce which reduces plastic a lot. We use cloth diapers when at home but it's getting difficult (she's bothered by all the fabric between her legs when walking), we changed our heating system, buy some second hand clothing..there is a looot of room for improvement still!!!
Brands could do a lot more. Stop sending out huge press releases of every shade of foundation for one person wrapped in a load of plastic that goes straight in the bin. Stop sending so many free products without even checking first of the person wants and will use them. Stop flying bloggers across the world for PR parties that could just be in the UK. Stop sending constant marketing emails encouraging people to buy fast fashion so often. Bloggers should stand up to this too.
In terms of flying, there are websites where you can pay to offset the carbon emissions from each flight you take, based on their length.
It might be a bit controversial to say this, but please vote for politicians that have an active climate policy, and hold them accountable for their promises. And for those living in countries that don't oblige voting: please go to the polls. Your vote matters more than you think.
Since you mentioned Greenpeace, I think it's worth mentioning that their stance on nuclear power plants isn't actually very eco friendly. Don't get me wrong, I wish we could just have 100% renewable energy, but the technology isn't there yet unfortunately and closing down functioning nuclear power plants doesn't help the cause. Nuclear isn't perfect: is expensive to set up and (at least with the technology that's currently in mainstream use) there's always the issue of waste material. But, just look at Germany. We've seen what happens when we start carelessly closing down nuclear power plants. After the Fukushima incident (which wasn't even as devastating as Initially reported) the German government pledged to close down every single nuclear power plant, but they've since then moved towards coal and other fossil fuels to compensate... In the public mind, nuclear is this dragon's tail we shouldn't be tickling, but we keep forgetting how much damage fossil fuels have done and are still doing. Coal power has actually even been shown to have caused more cancers than nuclear even when you take into account the major catastrophic events that have happened with nuclear (of which there are very few)
Thanks for coming to my TED talk.
Great job Lucy 👍
LOVE!
Thank youuu
As an influencer, you receive lots of products / clothing/ ect. Those often result in large amounts of plastic waste. Would you consider removing yourself from mailing lists as to lessen your personal plastic footprint? (remember reading about another influencer doing this). Or go and buy more second hand clothes to reduce clothing consumption?
use mircoplastic free face and body washes. Just check the labels of the products you're using for micro-plastics. I think it's something sometimes people forget about, because it's beginning washed away, and into the ocean. I can't remember the statistic for it, but micro-plastics are a a large portion of the plastic in the ocean. A lot of animals eat the micro-plastics by accident. Also, got an Eco-friendly ad before your vid! Love this
And i do hope we actually change xxx
I recently started using a menstrual cup, as well as reusable bottles and coffee cups. All our biodegradable waste goes into compost, and we always make an effort to buy second hand. All small things but they all help a little 💚🌎
@Xanatos Wolfe Breathing releases CO2, lol. Carbon dioxide exists in the world no matter what we do. The real issue with food waste is methane, and composting doesn't produce nearly as much methane as sending food waste to a landfill, so it's a better alternative.
thank you for making such a educational and thought provoking video!!! 🌿
my fav video from u recently! thanks for digging into this topic c:
Would recommend calculating your carbon footprint on WWF website and it breaks down where you emit most CO2 and how you can start to reduce it
Love this! Cows excrete methane which is a more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide which means its more damaging to the environment! Reducing meat is also way more effective than only sourcing locally and organically so it’s such an easy thing to change that everyone can do!
This is such an important video, thank you for making it and using your platform in such a positive way!
thank you so much for this
Lovely video!💙 Also shopping sustainable or secondhand (as well as environmental is a very important human rights issue because of the fast fashion victims)
Reducing dairy consumption saves money as well as improves cardiac health, clears skin, reduces fat percentage of your body and increases BMI , its a win-win situation
Love this 👏
stop buying fast fashion. thrift or ask family and friends if they have clothes they don’t want. if you have the money, look into buying sustainable brands (they are more expensive but it’s worth it imo). kristen leo on youtube has fantastic videos that go in depth about fast fashion, climate change and how you can help. watch the true cost on netflix as it’s about fast fashion. use goodonyou.eco/ to see how ethical the brands you wear are!
buy bamboo toothbrushes and hair brushes. @happy_earthco on instagram sells bamboo toothbrushes if you want to support small businesses. you can also find them on amazon.
buy local produce! the farmers market is a good place to look!
talk to your school if they sell plastic straws at your canteen or talk to a teacher about it so they can make an impact. ask them to switch to paper straws (my teacher was able to make them switch!)
use a metal straw or better yet, don’t use straws at all
sell your unwanted clothes. thrift shops are getting way too many clothes so most of them end up in land fill. give them to family and friends or use depop ect. bonus is you get extra cash
another thing you can do is change your default browser to ecosia.org. they're helping make a positive impact on the environment by planting trees when people make searches using this browser. it is the exact same as google to use and it is also free for you so really doesn't change your life that much. its a very simple thing to do to help towards climate change :)
I can think of ways to improve on most things (even planning to having a baby soon and we’re looking at muslins and terry towelling) but nappy bags/dog poo bags? What do you use? Also is cat litter recyclable?
I really, really appreciated this video!! Thank you so much for making it
As a Geologist I can say climate change is a normal function of planetary development. The rocks we have are proof of climate change. Change is the norm.
How to make other people help the climate:
- Don't show them pictures of a turtle with a straw in their nose, they will hate the topic immediately
- Make this about them and their wellbeing
- they will be such pure humans and detoxified from all that microplastic if they drink out of glass bottles. Shopping locally is so ethical and tastes better anyways and they'll have such a nice figure if they stop eating meat. Minimalism is trendy right now anyways, so they can do it too and live their best life without cluttered heads. Tell them to live their dreams and somehow they will change the climate in pursuit of their ideal self.
zephyr 👌👌👌👌👌 yes
While this is a bit overexaggerated, also not coming off as judgemental is so important. People will stop listening the moment they feel attacked, so you need to be straightforward and honest but not guilt tripping or rude
This is very sad but also absolutely the truth. Once you can convince someone (by however much exaggeration) that their own life would be better off by making these changes, they suddenly become interested.
It's similar to the way plenty of people donate to charity because it makes them feel good, not necessarily because they actively want to help a particular cause.
Mooncups / other menstrual cups!
And for anyone who struggles with menstrual cups, non-plastic pads are available in a fair few supermarkets or you can get washable period underwear. Basically, anything but plastic applicators and normal pads!
And we need to stop saying this messages like' Guys we need to stop climate now help' how about actually doing something instead of wanting to get views and likes on your message
Love this, such a great video and something everyone needs to hear! 🙌🏼💕