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Copyright Create The Future 2021
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Green and healthy lifestyles

Postcards for progress / Lifestyles

Our lifestyles have a significant impact on the environment, influencing everything from energy consumption to waste production. The choices we make in our daily lives—such as the foods we eat, the products we buy, and how we travel—directly affect our carbon footprint and contribute to climate change. By adopting more sustainable habits, individuals can reduce their environmental impact and promote a healthier planet. 

Take a moment to imagine an ideal future for your local area. What if…

  • Consumer products were designed for longevity, repairability, and recyclability, minimising the environmental impact of their production as well as disposal?
  • Every household was paid to participate in recycling and composting programs, significantly reducing waste and promoting a circular economy?
  • Everyone was taught how to grow their own food?
  • Everyone was taught how to make and mend their own clothes, reducing the impact of fast fashion?
  • Our diets were predominantly plant-based or sourced from local, organic farms that prioritise biodiversity, soil health and physical health?
  • Communities were resilient to extreme weather events, with robust infrastructure and disaster preparedness plans in place?

Did you know?

  • An estimated 8-10% of all greenhouse gas emissions stem from food waste. By implementing strategies to reduce food waste, such as better meal planning, proper food storage, and composting, we can significantly cut these emissions.
  • According to National Geographic, replacing the carbon-heavy beef on your plate with carbon-light chicken will cut your dietary carbon footprint a shocking amount: in half.
  • In 2019, domestic and international aviation accounted for around 8% of UK CO2 equivalent emissions. Choosing to travel by train or bus, or opting for a staycation, can help reduce your carbon footprint!

Who to write to:

To advocate for more sustainable lifestyles being possible, you could write a postcard to…

  • The UK Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. The Department of Health and Social Care has been involved in initiatives to promote healthier lifestyles. You could write to SoS of Health and Social Care about the importance of sustainable lifestyles.
  • A Climate Action group. Joining or writing to climate action groups like Friends of the Earth can be effective. They often run campaigns to influence local government policies.
  • Your employer. Why not ask them to implement some changes to support the sustainable lifestyle of their employees, e.g. a cycle-to-work scheme?

To tackle climate change you don’t have to reduce your quality of life, but you do have to change the way you live.

Ken Livingstone Mayor of London (2000-2008)

Next steps

  1. Download the postcard template (or create your own!)
  2. Imagine the eco-friendly lifestyles we could have in the future, then think about how we could act today to make it happen.
  3. Draw or doodle something that represents your ideal, sustainable future on one side. (Have fun with this – you don’t have to be an artist! Or feel free to write a few key words.)
  4. Write a short postcard letter to your chosen changemaker on the other side. Try to include a ‘call to action’ to help make your better future a reality.
  5. Take a photo and submit it to our postcard gallery.
  6. Send the postcard to your chosen changemaker!