Tips & Tricks
Here you can find some simple things you can change in your everyday life that will surely help in our fight against Climate Change.
We also have some bonus tips for trainers, youth workers, and teachers when tackling this problem with their youngsters.
How can you make the difference?
Insulate the house to reduce energy losses
Install solar panels or wind turbines
Choose green energy plans from your utility provider
Putting bottles of water in the freezer when there are few products in the freezer prevents heat from entering and helps maintain the temperature
By reducing showering time you save water and electricity used for heating
Instead of using the elevator, opt, whenever possible, for the stairs; Besides saving energy, it promotes your physical well-being.
Do not leave equipment on stand-by
Avoid turning on the air conditioning in areas of the house that are not in use
Let the food cool down before putting it in the refrigerator
Use the sun and wind to dry your clothes whenever possible
Reduce the amount of time children spend in front of screens. replace it with games, play, or outdoors
Adjust thermostat to save energy for heating and cooling
Use energy-efficient appliances and light bulbs
Repair leaks and install energy-efficient equipment
Collect rainwater for gardening purposes
Use water-efficient appliances
Prefer digital materials: printing less paper will help us protect the forests
Consume less and choose sustainable products
Reuse or repurpose items such as old clothes, supermarket cloth bags, and containers to avoid waste.
Properly recycle waste materials
Donate unused clothing, electronics, and building materials to ensure that others can reuse them too!
Buy used items to reduce waste as well as emissions generated by producing new materials or disposing of them in landfills.
Buy products made with recycled content. Check labels to see if a product or its packaging is made from recycled materials.
Find out what items your local recycling program collects and encourage your household to recycle correctly and recycle more.
Maintain and repair products, such as clothing and appliances, so they don’t have to be thrown away and replaced so often.
Throw away less food: when food rots in a landfill, it produces methane, a powerful greenhouse gas.
Compost: your organic waste such as fruit and vegetables, eggshells or coffee grounds – is much better off in a compost heap at home than in a landfill site.
Avoid single-use items
Buy rechargable batteries
Swap, sell, or donate: instead of buying new, consider borrowing, renting or buying second-hand.
Walk, bike, or public transport: instead of driving will reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Cut back on flying: opt for video-conferencing instead of flying for work, and for domestic or continental trips, choose the train or electric car. If flying is necessary, consider paying for carbon offsetting.
Choose slower shipping for shopping: If you’re not really in a rush, don’t select 1-day shipping. Delivery trucks have to make more trips when consumers select expedited shipping.
Reduce your carbon footprint by using environmentally friendly means of transportation.
Consider electric or hybrid vehicles
Communicate to your Member of Parliament, municipal council representatives, and city mayors that you believe taking measures to address climate change is crucial.
Get politically active and vote
Staying informed about climate change and its impacts
Calculate your own carbon emissions and invest in projects that help reduce or remove an equivalent amount of CO2 from the atmosphere
Support carbon pricing, clean energy and emission reduction targets
Support organizations and political candidates that prioritize climate action
Respect and protect green spaces: green areas like parks and gardens are crucial, as they absorb CO2 and help reduce air pollution.
Invest responbily: Find out where your money goes. Voice your concerns about responsible investment by writing to your bank or pension provider, and ask if you can opt out of funds investing in fossil fuels.
Eat more plant-based foods. Switching to a plant-based diet can reduce an individual’s annual carbon footprint by up to 2.1 tons with a vegan diet or up to 1.5 tons for vegetarians.
When you buy food always consider the distance it travels to get to your home. Buying and eating locally can help an individual save up to 1.1 tons of carbon emissions per year.
Some tips for the trainers
Start with the basics
Begin by explaining the basic concepts of climate change, such as the greenhouse effect, the role of greenhouse gases, and the difference between weather and climate.
Use relatable examples
Use examples and case studies relevant to the audience’s daily lives, such as local impacts of climate change, to make the topic more tangible.
Incorporate visual aids
Use graphs, diagrams, images and videos to effectively illustrate complex concepts and processes. Visual aids can help make information more digestible and engaging.
Interactive activities
Include hands-on activities, such as experiments, simulations or games, to help participants better understand climate change concepts and promote active learning.
Connect with emotions
Share stories and testimonies that highlight the personal and emotional aspects of climate change, as this can foster empathy and motivate action.
Highlight solutions
Emphasize practical steps that individuals, communities and governments can take to mitigate and adapt to climate change. This can help empower participants and encourage a sense of agency.
Debunk misconceptions
Address common misconceptions and myths about climate change to ensure that participants have accurate information.
Encourage critical thinking
Foster an environment where participants are encouraged to ask questions, participate in discussions, and analyze information from multiple perspectives.
Stay up-to-date
Regularly update their knowledge and materials to ensure they are presenting the most current information and research findings.
Collaborate with other educators
Network with other trainers and educators to share resources, ideas, and best practices for teaching climate change.
Assess learning
Use quizzes, group discussions or other assessment methods to evaluate participants’ understanding and retention of the material.
Be patient and adaptable
Recognize that for some participants learning about climate change can be overwhelming Be patient and adapt your teaching approach as necessary to accommodate different learning styles and knowledge levels.