Taylorian

Creative

The climate crisis: how you can change a lot by doing very little Climate change – or the climate crisis as it is increasingly referred to – has begun to dominate the headlines in recent years but what, if anything, can you really do to help? We are here to give you some top tips for really helping to drive change. The answer lies in shifting our social systems of consumption. Scientists say that parts of the UK could reach average temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius in July and heatwaves could reach over 45 degrees Celsius by 2050. We all remember the heat of summer 2022, when wildfires spread (even threatening some of MTS’s buildings) and roads melted. That was the first time that the UK recorded temperatures over 40 degrees, and it was deeply uncomfortable; imagine if that became the norm! This could also lead to widespread and life-threatening health issues; our bodies are simply not evolved to live at such high temperatures. The climate crisis is beginning to reach its climax but while promises are made at global meetings, the needle seems to be moving at glacial pace (a metaphor that will be rendered meaningless if glaciers cease to exist). However, we can put pressure on the biggest contributors to the problem and invest in companies that will ultimately help the planet more than their competitors. We can help by withdrawing our investment in the most environmentally damaging companies such as Coca-Cola – recently declared the worst plastic polluter in the world – who pump out a staggering 200,000 single-use plastic bottles a minute. The clothes we wear also have a huge impact on the environment. The fashion industry accounts for a huge 10% percent of all global emissions – more than 1.2 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide. Choosing a clothing label to invest in will be important for change, therefore, and we recommend Patagonia. Its credentials include a B-Corp certificate (Benefit Corporation), marking it Non-fiction

a staggering $3.8 trillion in fossil fuels. Some traditional UK high street banks are significant contributors; building societies, in contrast, tend to be more ethically run, as well as offering favourable interest rates, as they seek to serve their members, not their shareholders. Some banks are trying their best to help, especially Triodos – also a B Corp – who actively invest in eco friendly projects. You could make more money and redirect your funds away from environmentally damaging projects by simply changing which bank holds your cash. Social narratives and politics have become engrained in the very concept of the climate crisis and most people, perhaps understandably so, care more about how politicians can protect their livelihoods than the planet. The truth is, unless we alter the systems of supply and demand, nothing will change; it doesn’t matter which party you vote for, they should all have the same green ideas. In short, the only way to change the future of our planet is to change the very systems on which our society is currently built. Ask yourself every time you open your wallet or use your contactless card – are you doing the right thing? Together, we can affect the future. Researched and written by Shay Patel, Dhruv Bhanushali, Kayan Joshi, Shay Gera, Advait Rane and Noah Kerr (U3rds)

out as a company which puts environmental and social development before its profits. Patagonia is an active participant in many environmental projects across the globe, such as protecting wild rivers in the Balkans from the building of dams. Perhaps even better than investing in new clothes, you could buy and sell used clothes where possible. You can also do your bit to reduce deforestation for palm oil production. Palm oil is found in half of all supermarket products, and it is directly responsible for the massive destruction of rainforests. It is found most notably in soaps and cosmetics but there are alternatives out there to buy; it is always worth checking the ingredients list of anything you purchase. Palm oil often remains undetected by the average consumer as it goes by many names including vegetable oil; vegetable fat; palm kernel; palm kernel oil; palmate; palmitate; palmolein; glyceryl; stearate; stearic acid; elaeis guineensis; palmitic acid. It is worth being in the know to avoid supporting such harmful deforestation. As well as avoiding palm oil products, also consider shopping somewhere that avoids plastic packaging. The Green Stores in Croxley Green allow you to bring refillable containers to purchase a number of items including pasta and rice. We also recommend reconsidering your energy supplier; not all of them draw their energy from the same sources. Octopus Energy is investing £3 billion in the building of hydrogen plants across the UK and owns 1 in 10 of all the wind turbines in the country. It currently supplies 3 million UK homes with its energy, but further investment will strengthen its ability to bring down the prices of renewables and end an era of fossil fuel dominance. While all energy provided by suppliers is fed into the national grid, investing our money in a supplier that aims to accelerate the production of green energy will help bring about change quicker. The bank you choose to invest in will also have a major impact; since the Paris Agreement in 2016 banks have invested

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