Been a while… in which the world has changed. But here we are, still wanting to make the world a better place and live as sustainably as possible to ensure that the only habitable planet for humans in the entire known universe doesn’t become a hellhole for future generations.

Check the below baby out! Kudos to the author behind this great chart which shows the breakdown of global greenhouse gas emissions in 2016 (the most recent available data till date) with the latest breakdown of global emissions by sector, published by Climate Watch and the World Resources Institute.

Why have I put this chart up?

To figure out how we can most effectively reduce emissions we need to first understand where our emissions come from. And I love this chart 🙂

So what can I/you/we do?

Today I want to focus on what is potentially an easy step for those of you who have access to renewable energy – switch your energy supplier to a renewable resource energy supplier today! We are so lucky in the west that as time has gone by, there are more and more suppliers to choose from. Did you know that fossil fuel power stations are a massive source of C02 emissions? In contrast, renewable energy from ever lasting sources like wind, water, sun, geothermal etc. produce minimal emissions. By choosing renewables, not only are you sending a powerful message to the industry but also to the government – you can help convince them to increase the support they offer to renewables.

As you can see from the chart, energy-related emissions are 73.2%. Of this, the bit I am focusing on today, 10.9% is from Residential buildings ie from the generation of electricity for lighting, appliances, cooking etc. and heating your home. This is where we can make a difference with a simple and small step – by switching supplier, we can bring these emissions down.

My tips:

1. Choose a supplier who uses only renewable energy sources by searching online or getting a recommendation from a friend. Here is info on renewables in your national energy mix.
2. Look at several companies and at a neutral review site.
3. You may want to find out which kind/s of renewable energy your chosen company uses before you commit.
4. Go a step further and ask about women in the Exec board too before deciding – gender equity is an important part of sustainability.

I was lucky enough that in Spain where I live, I came across a cooperative where every member gets to have a say in how it is run. I paid 100€ upfront to be part of this cooperative ( to be returned should I ever wish to leave) and since I joined, am paying half what I used to pay to my previous non renewable energy supplier!

Will you let me know when you have made this step? I’d love to hear from you!

And while you are at it, why not go all out and find out what type of energy is being used in your office/work space/school/university/place of worship/community too and push to get it switched to a renewable resource supplier?