Seven helpful habits

“I run it like the crop of kismet, I run it like a dilettante.
I run it like I’m happy, baby, like I got everything I want.”

Lilacs by Waxahatchee

You can start changing your life and making a difference the minute you decide to. And every littlest change you make matters, however small it feels. Every change snowballs from the moment you first make it.

6 Ways to turn it around

We simply use too much of everything. Plastics, metals, gadgets, petrol, all of it. Britain is one of the biggest contributors to Earth Overshoot, and we’ve got way past the point where we can keep on doing that. We’re over-drawn at the carbon bank, and still spending far more than we earn.

So, think before you buy, before you use: Do I need this? Am I getting the most from it? Could someone else use it better?

1. Waste less so you need less.
2. Use less, as much as you need, not as much as you want.
3. Get more from what you use, don’t give up on broken things, don’t junk what someone else could be using.
4. Switch from high carbon options to low carbon ones.
5. Be realistic and stop doing the things that can’t be justified.
6. Take responsibility and start doing the things that help.

When you buy something, think about where it came from, what impact it’ll have while it’s in your possession, and what you’ll do with it after you’re done.

The 7^th Way is to make some noise

Get other people to think about what they’re doing – your small changes can make a huge difference if enough people take them up, so make yours and inspire others to do the same.

Around your neighbourhood

Get to know your neighbourhood, nobody can know it as well as someone who lives there. Find out who’s got what problems, what worries. Talk about what you’re doing about climate and nature and why every single chance that you get. Show others how it’s done. Get things going where you live.

At work

No matter where you work, you work with people, for people, linking up with other people – suppliers, customers, investors, inspectors… All work includes people you can talk to, people you can choose to work with – or not.

In the world

What you do matters, and the more people you get on your side, the more effect you’re having:

• Get your money talking – make organisations earn your cash.
• Start petitions – so when you say something to someone they know it’s not just you.
• Start community groups – we’ll help.
• Stand for things – a governor, a trustee – get elected.

“You and me together, young and strong,
We’re gonna be elected, elected, elected,
Respected, selected, call collected.”

Elected by Alice Cooper