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Add your voice to the thousands of people supporting our campaigns for a cleaner, safer and fairer world.
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Save Energy
The world's top scientists agree - climate change is real, its happening and its time to take action to stop it. When we burn fossil fuels (oil, coal, gas, petrol and diesel) for energy, carbon dioxide is released. This traps the sun's heat in the atmosphere, leading to global warming and climate change.

We can all take steps to combat climate change by reducing the amount of energy we use. This doesn't necessarily mean giving up the luxuries we are used to; being energy-efficient can cost you nothing and may even save you money on electricity and gas bill.
*    Stop heat escaping by insulating your home.
*    Choose an energy-efficient boiler and other household appliances.
*    Turn down your thermostat by one degree or use 1 hour less heating a day - this could cut the emission of carbon dioxide from your household by 5-10 per cent.
*    Buy energy-efficient light bulbs which use a fifth of the electricity of ordinary bulbs and last eight times longer.

Buy Green Energy
Since 1998 it has been possible to choose your electricity supplier. Get hold of Friends of the Earth's Green Energy League Table to find out which companies supply electricity from renewable sources, and to check the green credentials of other companies.

Leave your car at home
Carbon dioxide emissions from the transport sector are growing faster than those from any of other sector, with Government projecting an increase of 31 per cent between 1990 and 2010. Driving our cars impacts on the environment and therefore on our health in many ways. Pollution from vehicle exhausts, environmental damage from the building of roads, noise pollution, stress levels in congested traffic and death and injury in accidents are some of them. We can build cleaner, safer vehicles and invest in public transport and use it more. In the long run, however, we can cut pollution and other negative effects of road transport only by cutting traffic.
*    If you have a car, whenever possible leave it at home - walk, cycle or use public transport instead.
*    If you have to buy a car, choose a small, fuel-efficient one.
*    Safe ways for children to walk to school like the Walking Bus can cut car congestion and pollution as well as promote healthy walking habits in children.

Reduce waste
The average person in the UK throws out their own body weight in rubbish every three months. This is piling up problems for our environment and future generations worldwide. Whatever we chuck away ends

up in landfill or being burnt in incinerators, and both methods damage the environment. We are way down the league table of European countries with a measly recycling rate of 8 per cent compared to Switzerland's 52 per cent. Innovative schemes around the country are achieving recycling rates of 50 per cent, and with proper resourcing, recycling and composting can work anywhere. In the end though we have to reduce the amount of waste we produce in the first place.
*     Replace: Use libraries, tool-hire shops, launderettes, nappy washing services and car hire companies to cut down the number of products you need to buy. Pass on unwanted computers or furniture with life left in them to charity.
*     Reduce: Only buy products you really need with the least possible packaging.
*     Re-use: Everything you can.
*     Repair: Items such as clothes, shoes and many electronic goods can be repaired. If the manufacturer says it is not worth repairing, ask why not. Buy goods that are built to last.
*     Recycle: Buy as many recycled products as possible and recycle or compost everything you possibly can. Recycled products save energy and raw materials. Try to use easily recyclable products.
*     Refuse: Don't accept excess packaging and refuse plastic bags.

Shopping: be a green consumer
As consumers we all have the power to force change by buying products that are both ethically and environmentally sound. These are increasingly available - always check the small print! Many of the chemicals commonly found in cleaning products, paints and plastics don't biodegrade so they are building up in the environment, causing health problems for humans and wildlife (see our Safer Chemicals Campaign for more information on what to avoid).

    In the kitchen
*    Buy organic products wherever possible. It's better for the environment, your health and for animal welfare and it helps the rural economy. There are lots of box delivery schemes available.
*    Buy locally produced food if you can, to cut down on journeys, reduce packaging and help the local economy.
*    Buy fairly-traded products (tea, coffee, chocolate, sugar, bananas and more).
*    When buying cleaning products, choose ones with biodegradable, non-toxic ingredients. Aerosols still contain damaging chemicals so choose pump action sprays instead.
*    Buy an ozone-friendly fridge without CFCs. When replacing old equipment, make sure the CFCs are safely removed.

    In the garden
*    Our last peat bogs are being dug up to sell in garden centres, threatening many rare species. There is no need to use peat in your garden. If your garden centre offers no alternative, complain.
*     Compost! All your kitchen and garden green waste can make the best soil conditioner there is - for free. And it won't end up in landfill.
*    Garden organically to protect wildlife from harmful chemicals and encourage natural pest controllers like birds, ladybirds, frogs and hedgehogs. Grow your own vegetables if you can.

    In the home
*    Don't buy tropical timber. The timber trade is threatening valuable habitats and rare species around the world. Buy wood and wood products only from sources certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, or use reclaimed timber. Far too much wood still ends up in landfill.
*    Conserve water as much as possible: take a shower instead of a bath and use water-efficient appliances. Don't add to water pollution by pouring used oil or paint down the drain.
*    Batteries contain a cocktail of dangerous chemicals. Using mains power is less damaging, or use rechargeable batteries. Wind-up radios and torches are also available.