What We Can Do

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We can all take actions to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change. 

Here are some examples of free or low-cost actions you can take every day. Share them with your whānau, friends and community — together we can make a big difference.

Be aware of your carbon footprint

A carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions that come from the production, use and end-of-life of a product or service. It includes carbon dioxide — the gas most commonly emitted by humans — and others, including methane, nitrous oxide, and fluorinated gases, which trap heat in the atmosphere, causing global warming.

Usually, the bulk of a person's carbon footprint will come from transportation, housing and food. 

If you know where your greenhouse gas emissions are coming from, you can take actions that have the biggest impacts in reducing your carbon footprint. By researching information from reliable sources, you can gain an understanding and make informed choices to reduce your own carbon footprint. Websites like the Ministry for the Environment have some useful tips, which are summarized below:

• Switch off lights when not in use.
• Encourage your parents to use LED light bulbs.
• Turn off electronics at the wall socket when they’re not in use.
• Use the dishwasher and the washing machine only when full.
• Wash your clothes in cold water and dry them outdoors.
• Try having shorter showers.

Travel less by car

The transport sector contributes 19 percent of New Zealand’s total greenhouse gas emissions.

• Walk or cycle – it is free, has the least impact on the environment and is good for your health.
• Use public transport like the bus or train, which are more energy efficient.
• Carpool with friends

Reduce your electricity use

Greenhouse gas emissions are produced when we use electricity and gas. Aotearoa has a high level of renewable electricity production, but some of our energy is supplied by burning gas to generate electricity. Some people also use gas for cooking and water heating.

For more ideas see the Genless website.

Eat more vegetables

Meat and milk production creates more greenhouse gas emissions than the production of fruit, vegetables and cereals. It also requires more water. Farming uses around 30 per cent of the world’s land area. It is one of the main reasons for clearing forest, particularly in the Amazon.

Actions you can take:

• Eat more fruit and vegetables - this has many health benefits, such as reducing the risk of heart disease.
• Be aware of products using palm oil, which contributes to habitat loss and forest clearance in southeast Asia.

Shop at your local fruit and vegetable market

When you buy things from overseas you increase your carbon-footprint. Those items had to be transported, often thousands of kilometres which requires a lot of fuel and emits a lot of carbon dioxide. When you buy local food or products, you are also helping our economy and local producers.

Actions you can take:

• Plant your own vegetables and fruit trees.
• Support local growers.
• Buy local and in-season foods that haven’t travelled long distances to reach you.

Reduce, reuse, recycle

All products require energy and materials to be made, packaged, transported, and sold. Reducing how much you buy is good for the environment and your parents’ budget!

Reduce

• Help your parents to buy only the food you need.
• Compost your kitchen scraps and garden waste. Around half of the waste that ends up in New Zealand landfills is organic material (food, garden, paper and wood waste).
• When organic material decomposes, it produces methane which is a potent greenhouse gas.
• Buy products without any packaging whenever possible and always take your reusable bags to the supermarket.
• Repair clothes. 

Reuse

• Swap your single-use plastic bags, bottles, and lunch containers for reusable ones.
• Reuse clothing. Try out your local charity stores and donate any old clothes that could be passed on to others.
• Donate unwanted goods such as books, clothes, and furniture to a charity shop.

Recycle

• Use the recycle bins in your area for plastics and glass containers that cannot be reused. This will reduce the amount of waste going to landfills. It will also reduce greenhouse gas emissions that result when new items are manufactured.

Plant trees

In Aotearoa, forests offset nearly 30 percent of our greenhouse gas emissions. A regenerating native forest can remove more than 8 tonnes of carbon dioxide per hectare per year from the atmosphere over its first 50 years.

Studies have shown that coastal vegetation can reduce erosion. It can also reduce the impact of waves and floods.

Trees provide shade which has a cooling effect in towns and cities. When placed around buildings they can cut electricity used for cooling in summer.

Actions you can take:

• Ask if you can plant native trees at home or at school.
• Get involved in a community forest restoration, dune care or coastal re-vegetation programme in your area.

Know your area and be prepared

Learn about what is happening in your region now and what could happen in the future. If you live in or are planning to move to a coastal area, it is important to consider the impacts future sea level rise will have on coastal hazards such as erosion and flooding.

Visit the Get Ready website for more information.

Conserve water

Climate change is likely to have an impact on our water resources. Water supply may change due to changes in temperature and rainfall patterns.

Water demand is likely to increase during the summer months as temperatures rise.

Actions you or your parents can take

• Consider replacing lawns with native plants. Did you know that maintaining a grass lawn uses 80 per cent more water than maintaining native plants? Native plants also provide food and shelter for birds and other wildlife. It also means less time on the weekends cutting lawns!
• Collect rainwater and use it to water the garden and for other household tasks that don’t require drinking quality water. 
• When buying new household devices, consider how water-efficient they are.

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