A more sustainable life is not rocket science

WWF Switzerland has put together some simple everyday tips for the Cornèrcard Community that are easy to implement but can still make a difference. In addition, the WWF Footprint Calculator shows how many planets are needed to live like you do.

The ecological footprint, which has doubled globally since 1996 and continues to grow, is a measure of how fast we consume resources and use ecosystems through our lifestyle. Humanity currently consumes 1.75 times more natural resources than can be regenerated annually. This has dramatic consequences for nature and biodiversity and therefore for our livelihoods in the long term. Purchasing decisions have a major impact on the environment, because the production of goods and the provision of services usually require a lot of energy and raw materials. What can we all do to reduce our own ecological footprint?

1. Together we are strong

Together with family, friends and neighbours, we can achieve much more for our environment than if we each tried to do it alone. We can encourage each other to do something together for our natural environment, discuss important issues or organise private clothes swaps. By working together, we can come up with so many different ideas.

2. Matterhorn over Machu Picchu

Why not enjoy your holiday in Switzerland or a neighbouring foreign country? This will significantly reduce your personal carbon footprint. For example, a return flight to New Zealand has about the same impact on the climate as the average daily consumption of a person living in Switzerland for a whole year – including housing, food, travel, etc. The comparison between kilometres travelled by plane and train is also impressive. The environmental impact of a kilometre travelled by plane is up to 45 times greater than a kilometre travelled by train (electric locomotive in Switzerland).

3. On the right track

Make clever use of public transport! Travelling 20 km to work by train instead of by petrol-guzzling car, for example, reduces annual CO₂ emissions by 1.7 tonnes. Switzerland’s public transport system is among the best in the world – it is fast, reliable, comfortable and climate-friendly. So it is definitely worth making regular use of the wide range of services on offer.

4. What goes in your shopping basket matters

We can reduce our CO₂ emissions to some extent through our food choices. By reducing your meat consumption from 2 kilograms to 300 grams per week, you save 1 tonne of CO₂ a year. Vegetarians and vegans have an even better carbon footprint. Switching from average meat consumption to a vegetarian diet reduces the footprint by around 25 per cent, while switching to a vegan diet can reduce it by as much as 40 per cent. Bon appétit!

5. Less is better

Global clothing consumption doubled between 2000 and 2014. The production of clothing and goods, as well as the provision of services, usually requires a lot of energy and raw materials. It is best to steer consumption in a sustainable direction and only buy what really makes you happy.

6. Stop food waste

In Switzerland, around a third of all food is thrown away between the field and the plate. If we only produced and bought as much as we actually wanted to eat, we would consume a lot less CO₂. The amount saved corresponds to 500 kilograms of CO₂ per person per year. Is that feasible? Absolutely. Just shop more consciously and think about which food you actually need.

7. Organic is better

Buying organic products makes a difference. Organically farmed land is not contaminated with pesticides and no artificial fertilisers are used. This method of cultivation therefore results in significantly lower levels of water and soil pollution, meaning the soil remains fertile in the long term with a rich diversity of animal and plant species.

8. Keep your cool

Instead of oil and gas heating, it is better to use heat pumps with the WPSM label, district heating or solar panels. Compared to heat pumps or solar panels (e.g. in combination with a wood-burning stove), oil heating produces around 10 – 12 times more greenhouse gas emissions.

Information on footprints, nutrition, consumption, mobility, living and energy: wwf​.ch