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When you hear the word ‘amazon’ do you think … toys, books, presents, internet shopping – or do you think of the South American rainforest that is one of our carbon-storing, climate change-fighting powerhouses?
Your challenge this week is to stop and think about our rainforests, our planet, and children in other countries round the world - before you ‘click’. Gift giving is a part of Christmas, but sometimes ‘less is more’. Would you like to ‘adopt’ an endangered animal(check out www.wwf.org.uk), or go on an outing with your relatives instead of receiving a new toy?Could you gift a ‘helping hand’ to grandparents? Or think about some homemade presents– hyacinth bulbs in old food cans, cookie dough mix in layers in an old jar, home-baked chocolate fudge, wire and string art, a decorated glass jar as a candle lantern, write and illustrate your favourite poems, finger print decorated bookmark … we’re sure you can come up with some amazing imaginative and creative ideas!
Or could you go to a second-hand shop to find the gifts you’re looking for?Whilst you’re heading to the second-hand shop, could you donate anything that you no longer need or toys you no longer play with? If you need to buy something new – can you think about buying something that will last and can you look out for environmental and fairtrade products?Look out for the following logos – FSC paper (Forest Stewardship Council), Soil Association food, Fairtrade and Global Organic Textile Standard clothing.
Almost everything we buy has caused carbon emissions, leading to climate change. Raw materials need energy to be mined and refined, electricity is used in factories to manufacture goods; petrol or diesel are used to transport them; and carbon or methane is emitted when depending how we dispose of them. If we consume less, what impact do you think it has on our carbon emissions?
HIT THE RED BUTTON to let us know if you stop and think before you buy your Christmas gifts!
Have you heard of Climate Justice? Climate Change is impacting our whole planet and people in the poorest countries, who have caused the least carbon emissions, are often suffering the worst impacts.Does that seem fair to you?Wealthier countries have historically played a bigger role in causing climate change and today there is a wide gap between carbon emissions per person in the UK (5.8 tonnes), and in Kenya (0.4 tonnes). Why do you think these numbers are so different? People in poorer countries have to live more simply and don’t buy nearly as many things as we do - they don’t consume as much as we do - they can’t afford to. When world leaders are deciding what action to take to tackle climate change they need to listen and respond to the needs of people from all round the world.
Would you like to help reduce our UK’s impact on climate change this Christmas – by reducing the amount of goods that we buy? HIT THE RED BUTTON when you have taken action – ‘less is more’ - what can I do differently?
