If you, like many, are interested in helping towards the reduction in climate change but are baffled by what to do after all the agreements from COP26, here is a simple guide on how to reduce carbon emissions and increase sustainability on both a smaller and larger scale:
1) Explore brown before green
Single use, sprawling suburbs are unsustainable. They increase road traffic, destroy green land, reduce food security, and provide limited opportunities for biodiversity. By looking at redeveloping brownfield sites before green increases sustainability.
2) Stop demolishing existing neighbourhoods
Needless urban destruction is unsustainable. Rather than ‘clearing’ large urban areas through demolition to create newer, more sustainable places to live, efforts should be focused on improving existing settlements and bringing them up to scratch with those that are new.
3) Conserve our built heritage
This doesn’t just mean protect the listed buildings and conservation areas. With the occasional investment into maintaining and insulting buildings, these should last for centuries not just decades.
4) Buy local, shop small
Supermarkets are heavily dependent on HGV’s and cars which initially labels them as unsustainable. additionally, they abuse small suppliers and threaten local supply chains. There have been huge food shortages in supermarkets as of recent and yet local shops and street markets have a surplus of produce as people don’t frequent them enough.
5) Reduce road traffic
There is a distinct lack of safe pedestrian and cycle routes and inexpensive public transport options, refraining people from choosing alternative ways of travelling. Introducing more of these will encourage more sustainable travel.
6) Use SMEs
Encouraging the use of SMEs that anchor local economies with skills, rather than investing in larger corporate businesses that hoover skills and profits from local economies. This way, there is the option to choose the more local and most likely, more sustainable companies.
7) Plan for convenience
The presence of nearby and accessible retail has proven to increase walking by 25 percent and overall reduce the amount of traffic on the roads. Mixed-use development has shown an increased amount of walking and cycling, therefore increases sustainability.
8) Incorporate living nature
Living greenery has the effect of absorbing carbon dioxide and reducing ‘heat islands’ in more urban settings. The inclusion of green roofs, street trees and pocket parks are all measures that can be incorporated to reduce CO2 levels and increase sustainability.
If we fix our eyes on building a greener, cleaner, better world then the battle against climate change will become much more exciting and much easier!
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