Climate Week Scotland 2018
1st – 5th October is Climate Week Scotland 2018. Climate Week gives Scotland a chance to celebrate it’s status as a leading country in reducing carbon emissions, whilst also promoting new ways we can all contribute towards this as individuals.
Check out the SSN website for a huge list of events taking place all over Scotland that you can join.
Here’s a list of some things you can do yourselves this week to play your part!
1 – Switch to LED bulbs!
This is a really easy solution. Did you know that halogen bulbs are about to become extinct? As of this month, you won’t be able to buy them very easily, but you may still have some lurking around in your house. A typical halogen bulb costs around 5 x more a year to use than an LED bulb. LED bulbs tend to be a bit more expensive initially, but last a lot longer and are much more energy efficient. Maybe this is a good week to get that on the to do list! Book a free visit with one of our Cosy Kingdom energy advisors for more ways to save energy at home.
2 – Ditch the car
This week, why don’t you plan to walk, cycle or take the bus instead of the car on one of your usual journeys for the week. Might sound like something small, but all good habits need to start somewhere and it might end up becoming part of your routine! Great time to get a podcast or some music on and take some time for yourself as well. Put your journey details into our route planner for help planning your journey.
3 – Eat mindfully
Vegetarianism/veganism isn’t for everyone but you can make a big impact by just having one or two meat free days a week. Did you know that agriculture is one of the biggest contributors to greenhouse gases in the world? Beef farming is a huge portion of this. Eating locally, trying not to waste (use leftovers!) and growing your own are all great ways of living sustainably. Greener Kirkcaldy have some fantastic classes on cooking with leftovers that you should look out for – see the events page for upcoming dates.
4 – Consume less, Waste less
You’ve decided you need a new outfit for a wedding or a birthday… chances are you have a friend who is thinking the same. You both have 4 dresses in your wardrobes you spent plenty money on but you can’t wear again as “everyone has seen them!” How about we all start to share more? Most of the time fancy clothes are worn 2-3 times maximum! Same goes for baby clothes, kitchenware, gardening tools etc. We can all share plenty more and will result in less things wasting away in cupboards or inevitably ending in landfill releasing toxic gases as they decompose. Or even worse, in the oceans! Greener Kirkcaldy have a number of classes to help people learn new skills to repair and upcycle including sewing, furniture, bikes and computers. See the events page.
5 – Watch a documentary
Most of the reasons behind my enthusiasm for all things green have come from inspirational programmes and films. Blue Planet is a very popular one that has highlighted us to the problem with plastics, but below are a few fantastic feature length documentaries, most of them you can find on Netflix or look them up online.
- Cowspiracy
- Chasing Coral
- A Plastic Ocean
- Before the Flood
- Minimalism
- Sustainable
So if you are feeling inspired, talk to your friends and get involved in a workshop or a group event somewhere like Greener Kirkcaldy!
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