Take action

Together we can tackle global warming. By acting now you can cut emissions of greenhouse gases and help to reduce climate change.

Your carbon footprint is a measure of the impact that your activities have on Planet Earth, measured in units of carbon dioxide produced. By taking personal action you can reduce your carbon footprint and help reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emitted into the atmosphere. You can make a difference.

Making simple changes to the way you live and the things you buy will have a positive impact but if you make your voice heard you can help to make bigger changes.

You can change the way your school meets the challenge of global warming, act locally to influence businesses, local councils and authorities, and act globally to help make politicians live up to their promises.

'This is a global problem requiring a global solution, but we can all help to make a difference. If we reduce the amount of energy we use and make our energy consumption more efficient, we will reduce the impact that we, as individuals, have on the environment'.
Professor Sir David King, Chief Scientific Advisor to the UK Government.

Scotland, like many other developed countries, is using an unfair and unsustainable share of the world's resources, such as energy and food. We're already changing our climate, with more extreme weather including storms and flooding. If everyone on Earth used resources at the same rate we do in Scotland we'd need far more than our planet could provide.

Everytime we get in the car, turn on a light, buy our groceries or go on holiday, we make our mark. The challenge that faces us, is how can we all enjoy a high quality of life without spoiling our world for future generations?

Whether at home, at work, at leisure or at school, we can all help to reduce our impact on the planet by taking some simple steps to use less resources.

Photo credit: Scotland's Climate Change Programme (SCCP)

Images are freely available for educational use in Scotland.