As a WWF member, you’re already doing your bit to protect nature by supporting our work around the world. But if you’d like to get more hands-on in 2024, there are plenty of ways you can make a difference.
Playing your part can encompass all sorts of activities, from changing a few household habits to asking politicians to stand up for nature.
Many of our ideas below are low-effort and low-cost – in fact, many of them might actually save you money, as you buy less and use fewer resources.
So how will you make a difference this year?
Eat the changes
One of the easiest ways to have a positive impact on the environment is to rethink your food choices. Food production is one of the biggest causes of greenhouse gas emissions, and switching to meat-free or plant-based meals is a great way to help reduce this. There are many ways to enjoy a meat-free lifestyle – have fun experimenting! Try eating a variety of foods, too, to avoid over-reliance on ‘monoculture’ farming that reduces biodiversity. If you do eat meat and fish, remember to make sustainable choices. And shop and cook in a way that avoids food waste – also another greenhouse gas culprit.
Make wildlife welcome
Whether or not you have a garden, it’s easy to make wildlife feel more welcome where you live, which can help to reverse the UK’s nature loss. Our guide has tips to get you started, ranging from hanging up bird feeders on your balcony to creating reptile refuges. Wildflowers will grow almost anywhere, so think where you could get sowing locally. At home, think about pollinators once growing season starts and choose plants that will attract them – bees, butterflies and moths will appreciate the food boost. (You could grow your own food at the same time!)
New household habits
Small changes around the home are a great way for the family to get involved in going green. You could ask the kids to help with recycling or ask them to help reduce your plastic use. Everyone can check how much water they’re using, too, from small things like having shorter showers to rethinking how you look after the garden. Don’t forget to get any pets involved – you can reduce their carbon pawprint too. A more eco-friendly lifestyle isn’t restricted to what you do at home – think about transport, too (can you walk or cycle more this year?), and make this year’s holiday more eco-friendly.
Get informed, take action
Take time to find out more about the threats facing nature – and the solutions. Find ways to listen to the people most affected by climate change, deforestation and other environmental changes, such as the Indigenous peoples of the Amazon. When we work together, our actions mean more and our voices are louder. So talk to friends and family about conservation issues, and share some of the links in this article with them so they can take action too. At work, ask your employer to switch to a green company pension – your investment could be funding activities around the world that are harming nature. And ask your representative in government to speak up locally and nationally to protect our planet.
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