Words by Smiley Team
We all know modern life is hectic, and it can be hard to find time to truly make a difference.
But an initiative called Couch to Carbon Zero wants to fill that gap – and has created a 10-day sprint for busy people who care about saving the state of the planet.
By signing up, every day you’ll receive a short video about one thing, in a nutshell, and the idea is to act on it straight away. Just a few minutes – in your lunch hour, in the evening, or at home – and by the end of the course, you’ll be well on your way to being a proper planet hero.
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Co-founders Aimee and Sonia – who are the founders of Every One of Us, the climate movement for busy people, tell Smiley News: “We know most of us are seriously worried about the future of the planet. But with our busy lives, work, kids and now a pandemic most of us don’t have the headspace to get to it or don’t even know where to start.
“The fact is it takes time to work out the best energy supplier or what exactly is the most sustainable fish. Add to that, that it can feel big and scary and many people feel they can’t make a difference.
“So we set out to make it fun, easy and impactful, doing all the research and taking the hard work out of it, so you can make a difference without the sweat and feel brilliant at the end of it!”
The Sprint runs over 10 days, kicking off on a Monday and ending the following Friday with the weekend off in between.
There are useful cheat sheets you can download straight to your phone, so you’ll feel equipped and informed on everyday decisions.
The tips focus on the key areas that individuals can actually have an impact on; stuff, food, nature, travel and energy. The course leaves aside more obvious topics, such as the need to drive and fly less, as well as longer term projects like insulating homes and installing heat pumps.
(Learn more about these three natural climate solutions which don’t cost the earth)
The founders promise that by the end of the 10 days, you'll have properly addressed the things you’ve been putting off, have upped the ante on the rest, and will know exactly what you’re doing.
“Nothing feels better than positive action, especially doing it with a community of people and that’s the whole idea," they say.
So far, they’ve had a brilliant response, with 1,000 people taking part, and another 1,000 signed up for the next round.
“What we do in 2021-2022 will dictate what happens over the next 10 years," the pair add. "And what happens over the next 10 years will dictate the future of humanity and the fate of our children and beautiful planet.”
The next sprint kicks off on Monday, January 17 2022 and you can sign up for free at Couch to Carbon Zero.
