Climate anxiety is now a very real thing; as extreme weather is impacting lives across the world and damaging the environment. Even though weather is changing rapidly and global warming is rising beyond 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold recommended by the International Panel of Climate Change (IPCC), we are not ‘cooked’ yet. Yes, the planet is changing and we have to adapt, but there are still a variety of outcomes that can happen, some are better scenarios than others. We are projected to be 2 – 3 degrees warmer than pre-industrial levels by 2100. But every 0.1 degrees Celsius counts and the higher global warming gets, the worse the outcomes will be in terms of extreme heatwaves, floods, damage to our ecosystems, food and water shortages, and generally having an adverse impact on our daily lives.

Getting to Net Zero is vital to stop global warming. The atmosphere will keep on warming up if there are more greenhouse gases emitted than the environment can absorb. Net Zero means we will be only creating emissions that can be entirely absorbed by the environment and therefore stop heating the planet. Fighting to keep global warming as low as possible by getting to Net Zero as soon as we can is still worth it.

So what can we do? First thing to do is to reduce your own carbon footprint. You can take tonnes off your carbon footprint regardless of what your government is (or is not) doing. There are many suggestions on this website on how to do this and we would recommend reading the ‘Do the big things first’ article because it suggests actions which are the most effective ways to cut your carbon footprint. The second thing to do is to push for change outside your home and actively improve your environment by becoming an activist. There are lots of exciting and easy ways to be activist. You can also meet new people, have new experiences and learn new skills at the same time! Here are a few suggestions:

Plant trees for free from your phone

One of the easiest ways to improve the environment with very little effort is to download the apps Ecosia and Treeapp. Ecosia is a web browser like Google and Yahoo. If you use Ecosia, the advert revenue will go towards tree planting around the world. It has been very successful since its launch in 2009 and they have planted 250 million trees. Treeapp requires you to watch a 30 second advertisement and the revenue will go towards their tree planting projects in a country of your choice. These apps make it possible to plant hundreds of trees a year with no effort or money involved and this will offset your carbon footprint by several tonnes of carbon emissions a year.

Make the world a better through your hobbies

There are local community groups springing up around the globe who support the environment. These include voluntary groups such as repair cafes, community gardening clubs and tree-planting groups which improve our environment and reduce waste. This can often be found online and on social media. The Repair Café organisation, started in the Netherlands, have a website showing where they are located across various countries and you can even start one yourself!

Sign petitions and go to protests

Petitions send a powerful sign to politicians about the level of interest and attention the public have on certain issues. There are international pressure groups such as Avaaz, Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace, who regularly have petitions aimed at national governments and international organisations to protect environment from destruction around the world. Extinction Rebellion hold non-violent protests and are currently focusing on local action on local issues in countries they operate in. It is likely that there are local activist groups in your area which can be found online and social media. You can even think about what change you would like to see in your local area. This could include better public transport links, more cycling lanes, more tree-lined streets or improved recycling facilities. The more action politicians see, the more incentivised they are to take green issues seriously.

Change your bank account and pension funds

Make sure your money is not financing the destruction of our planet. How you do this will depend on what country you live in. In the UK, choose to open a bank account with a bank that invests sustainably, such as Triodos, Ecology Building Society and the Co-operative bank. There are pension schemes which choose to not invest in fossil fuels. The best is a scheme with the Royal London Exchange and Aviva. Also visit www.makemymoneymatter.co.uk to campaign and apply pressure on pension funds and banks.