7 easy healthy climate actions

1. Walk and cycle You do not have to cycle 45 km (over 1.5 times the 27 km circumference of CERN's accelerator) to work as Dr Tim Smith does every day he goes to CERN to get the health benefits of physical activity (30 minutes daily is sufficient, an hour better still)
2. Eat more plant-based foods A much plant richer diet protects you more from heart disease, diabetes and cancer. You do not need to become a vegan as many of the strongest and fastest athletes do to improve their performance and health. When asked on The Game Changers movie  "How did you become as strong as an ox without eating meat?” the weightlifter replied “Have you ever seen an ox eat meat?" Good point!
3. Refuse single use plastic: Help us do without the trillions of plastic bags, straws, bottles, cutlery, cotton swabs and cigarettes (that contain plastic) that end up in our food and water we drink (as plastic particles), environment, ocean and waterways (as plastic pollution & microplastics).
4. Change search engines Still using Google? Time to change your search engine to Ecosia which uses money from search ads to plant trees (over 119 million trees planted). Still not convinced? Watch this video with Ecosia CEO Christian Kroll and you will be (unless you work at google and you may decide to change company or business model)
5. Get informed and inform others on climate solutions Use Media Biased / Fact Based website to score sources for bias and factfulness (even for technical websites such as Cleantechnica). Share information from credible sources by adding some information, summarizing, making links or connecting with other sources. Jigar Shah is a good example of thought-provoking information sharing on Linkedin.
6. Experiences not stuff "...rather than buying the latest iPhone or a new BMW, Gilovich (A psychology researcher) suggests you’ll get more happiness spending money on experiences like going to art exhibits, doing outdoor activities, learning a new skill, or traveling."
7. Switch to clean energy & go electric: There are at least 4 ways to "convert" your electricity at home to renewable clean energy: 1) Switch to a utility clean energy programme 2) Buy renewable energy certificates 3) Community solar 4) Rooftop solar. Whether car, lawn mower, leaf blower, hedge cutter, or heating/cooling system (heat pump) make the next one electric. Install roof top solar with a battery instead of buying a diesel generator.

One week to prepare for climate change solutions by Antoinette Vermilye

1) MON: walk and cycle

(where is your local public transport (timetables and special tariffs). What can you do to mitigate taking a car, basket on your bike, skateboard, raingear, wheely basket

2) TUES: eat more plant-based foods

Write a list of 6 -10 recipes - identify your local farm, organic zero waste store. When are your local farmers markets, make bulk food cooks in advance to eat one freeze one - have a shopping list on your phone that keeps a regular list along with foods in season

3)WEDS: refuse single use plastic

You will need a reusable shopping bag, produce bags, reusable water bottle, (save old glass jars and sew old t-shirts to convert into produce bags) - list what else you can avoid and what you need to do so

4)THURS change search engines :

Simple: https://www.causeartist.com/search-engines-help-impact-world/

5) FRI: get informed and inform others on climate solutions

Research 5 movies, books and websites and give some time to this.

All of the above are climate solutions - there are bigger ones and there are reading lists on climate solutions

(Some books: The World We Made, Jonathan Porritt, Project Drawdown, Paul Hawken, The Future We Choose Christiana Figueres and Tom Rivett Carnac

6) SAT: experiences not stuff

Create a journal of experiences to give, make or do

make a meal for someone you love, write to them, go for a hike and notice nature, or pick up trash, or paint, draw, sew, chat with a friend on an distanced walk, or phone. Make a vegetable garden - let the rest go wilder.

Appreciate and maximise what we have.

7) switch to clean energy & go electric

Octopus energy in the UK

or ask your electricity provider for info on renewable energy options

Can you install solar panels, or geothermal; hang your clothes out to dry instead of a dryer

What steps can you take as a checklist

After this week's prep you should be ready to go!!!