Actions You Can Take
The results of the Impact Carbon Calculator tool for Withyham Parish Council showed that as a Parish our consumption is high compared to the national average in all areas (consumption of goods and services, housing, travel, food and diet). This is where switches as individuals, households and communities can make a real difference. There are so many switches you can make to start reducing the carbon impact you have – and some are minimum effort and really easy!
Travel – Can you use your car less and start walking, cycling, car sharing or make journeys by public transport?
Food – You can start planning your meals and making a shopping list before heading to the shops, using up what you already have and reducing food waste by using leftovers in tasty recipes, sharing with neighbours, or composting. Use the BBC’s Food Calculator to find out the impact of your food on the climate.
Energy – Turn off the lights when you’re not in the room. Switch appliances off rather than leaving on standby.
To measure where your home is losing heat head to our Thermal Imaging Camera Project, and check out our Thermal Imaging Camera Resources and Next Steps Guide for grants and information about making your home more energy efficient. Also, check out Wealden District Council’s Guide to improving the energy efficiency in your home.
Banking – Choose paperless banking. Ever thought about the green credentials of your bank? Find out if your bank contributes to the fossil fuel industry or not using Bank.Green.
Clothes – The fashion industry has a high environmental impact, support sustainable fashion by buying pre-loved from charity shops, markets and online, swapping and donating what you are no longer using, and repairing what you have and still like!
Water – add water saving measures in your home, like rain butts to collect water for the garden. Check out the South East Rivers Trust’s Everyday River Heroes project to find out more about what you can do to help with water quality and scarcity.
The South East Climate Alliance has lots of resources and ideas for individuals looking to reduce their climate impact.
Get Involved!
Wealden District Council have created a map which shows projects that are being run locally which are helping with the mitigation of and effects from climate change, and you can head over to our Citizen Scientists page to find projects which you can get involved in too.
Check out the Resources list on the Climate and Ecology home page for even more groups and information about climate and ecology related projects and actions.
