“What Can I Do?”

Sometimes we need a little inspiration to start. Sometimes we need to see that we have already started! Here we’ve collected a list of activities or ideas that help us move towards a sustainable future.

To make the list more approachable, we’ve divided up the ideas into three economic categories:

• A saving tip – this will save us money today

• Something small – this is an action that could cost a little money or time today but is a step forwards (some of these will save money in the shorter term)

• An investment – this is an action for those who can make a bigger change (some of these will also save money long-term)

The 7 Laudato Si’ Goals

We’ve also tagged each idea with the Laudato Si’ goal that is most closely related to it. The seven Laudato Si’ goals are:

1. Response to the Cry of the Earth – examples are reducing fossil fuel use, net zero carbon efforts and renewable energy, protecting biodiversity and providing access to clean water.

2. Response to the Cry of the Poor – examples are protection of human life and all forms of life, caring for vulnerable groups such as migrants, children at risk and indigenous peoples.

3. Ecological Economics – examples are Fair-trade, ethical purchasing, sustainable production, investment in renewable energy and divestment from damaging economic activities including those responsible for pollution, fossil fuels and those that harm people and communities.

4. Adoption of Simple Lifestyles – examples are reduction in consumption, reduction of use of energy, reduction of waste, reduction in use of plastics, reduction in the amount of meat eaten, use of public transport and avoiding pollution.

5. Ecological Education – examples are creating ecological awareness and action through embedding integral ecology in educational courses and institutions and encouraging the ecological vocation for learners, teachers and leaders.

6. Ecological Spirituality – examples are renewing our spiritual life through a greater interaction with God’s created world, encouraging ecological conversion to a caring stewardship of the earth and bringing that focus into liturgical practice, prayer and retreats.

7. Community Engagement and Participatory Action – examples are advocacy and campaigning from the local level to the international level, hands-on awareness of the local environment and protection of local ecosystems.

See www.laudatosi.org for more information on the Laudato Si’ goals.

Ideas for sharing

A saving tip	Something small	An investment
Drawing your curtains when it is cold and dark outside will help keep the heat in Response to the Cry of the Earth	Low flow taps and shower heads saves water (or consider a tap aerator) Response to the Cry of the Earth	Try and select energy efficient appliances when needing to replace Response to the Cry of the Earth
Look into your bin and take note of what you throw away regularly – then buy less of it! Adoption of Simple Lifestyles	Change your halogen spot lights to LED bulbs Response to the Cry of the Earth	Consider replacing your old windows (especially any single glazing) and doors with energy efficient ones Response to the Cry of the Earth
Eat less meat More vegetables cost less than meat Adoption of Simple Lifestyles	Ask your energy provider for Green Energy Response to the Cry of the Earth	When you have to change your gas boiler – change it instead to a heat pump. In the UK you may qualify for grants (See also here). Ecological Economics
Try to buy local products from the local market Community Engagement and Participatory Action	Write to your MP saying you care for the environment and ask for more action (See also here). Community Engagement and Participatory Action	Install solar photovoltaic (PV) panels. In the UK you may qualify for the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) scheme Ecological Economics
Did you know that seasonal products are cheaper Adoption of Simple Lifestyles	Check your loft – if the insulation is thin or missing then have it topped up. Your energy company may be able to help you do this – just call them to ask. Response to the Cry of the Earth	When you replace your car – go for an electric car. (Some green energy providers will also give you a discount on electricity if you have one). Ecological Economics
Drive to the newsagent? Why not walk or cycle? Adoption of Simple Lifestyles	Tea or coffee? Make sure it is Fair Trade! Ecological Economics	If you plan a building project, remember to include good insulation/windows and why not think about low carbon heating (heat pump) while you’re planning it? Ecological Economics
Lights on upstairs with no one there? Why not switch them off? Response to the Cry of the Earth	If you see excessive packaging, write to the company’s customer support and tell them! Adoption of Simple Lifestyles	Wood. Building with wood locks in carbon (always source wood from sustainable forests). Response to the Cry of the Earth
Electronics on standby waste energy and cash. If you don’t need it on, then switch it off. Response to the Cry of the Earth	Is there a local cooperative you can buy things at? Community Engagement and Participatory Action	Buying furniture? Why not look for something that will last? It might cost more now but if it lasts much longer… And if it’s wood it locks in carbon too! Response to the Cry of the Earth
Boiling water for a village? Why not fill the kettle with cups of water so you don’t boil more than you need? Adoption of Simple Lifestyles	Use your appliances in Eco mode. They might take longer but they save water/energy. Response to the Cry of the Earth	Antiques or good quality second-hand furniture might cost more but they last and some keep their value well. Adoption of Simple Lifestyles
Love a long shower? It’s ok from time-to-time but a shorter one saves money. Adoption of Simple Lifestyles	Remember the poor on the other side of the world – help them via CAFOD or Aid to the Church in Need. Response to the Cry of the Poor	Tired kitchen – thinking of changing it? Maybe it just needs a lift? You can change cupboard fronts and the work surfaces to give it that new kitchen feeling at a fraction of the cost and save lots of resources at the same time! Response to the Cry of the Earth
Bath or shower? A short shower saves water, energy and cash. Adoption of Simple Lifestyles	Buy recycled paper. Writing paper, toilet paper, kitchen paper. Response to the Cry of the Earth	Changing your kitchen? If the cupboard backs are still good and in the right place the why not keep the old ones rather than ripping everything out? Response to the Cry of the Earth
Refuse plastic bags – bring your own when shopping. Adoption of Simple Lifestyles	Buy recycled aluminium foil instead of virgin aluminium foil. Response to the Cry of the Earth	Being smart about smartphones. Not all smartphones are the same. Do your research and look for ethical and/or repairable models. Response to the Cry of the Poor
Use bottled water? Check if you can drink tap water instead. And when you go out, take a reusable flask. Adoption of Simple Lifestyles	Palm oil. Check the ingredients and avoid products with palm oil (palm plantations are increasingly replacing rainforest and causing major problems for carbon release, biodiversity and the local indigenous populations who are being displaced). Response to the Cry of the Earth Response to the Cry of the Poor	If your coldest rooms are those with dormer windows then it’s likely that the insulation round them is poor or missing. Ecological Economics
Giving lots of clothes to charity? That’s great, but maybe buying less will save you some money. Adoption of Simple Lifestyles	Go through batteries? Why not consider rechargeable batteries? Some of the newer ones keep their charge really well. Response to the Cry of the Earth	If you have solar PV panels then consider a diverter to keep your hot water tank hot. Ecological Economics
Are you throwing good food away? Some foods can be safely consumed a little after the “best before” or “display by” dates. Adoption of Simple Lifestyles	Why not check your carbon footprint? It might show you where you can save. Here’s one: https://footprint.wwf.org.uk/#/ Ecological Education	Home battery? Might make sense if you have solar PV panels and use a lot of power when it’s dark. Ecological Economics
“Do I really need it?” Ask yourself this question when you’re out shopping. Adoption of Simple Lifestyles	Where are products made? The closer to home they are made, the lower the transportation pollution. Response to the Cry of the Earth	Re-rendering the outside? Why not add a layer of external insulation at the same time? Check with your builder. Response to the Cry of the Earth
Heavy on the gas? Driving style can reduce fuel costs considerably. Keep speeds down and take longer to accelerate. Response to the Cry of the Earth	When we buy a product from far away, we contribute to the pollution in that country. Look at the energy for that country – it tells you a bit about the carbon footprint of that country. https://www.electricitymap.org/map Ecological Education	If you have solar PV panels and an electric car you could consider a smart charger/diverter to maximise your solar energy use. Otherwise charge the car preferentially on sunny days. Ecological Economics
Leaving rubber at the traffic lights? Slower accelerations reduce fuel usage and tyre wear. Response to the Cry of the Earth	How about a CAFOD World Gift rather than the usual present for the relative at Christmas? Response to the Cry of the Poor	Plant lots of trees Take a look at https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/ for some ideas Community Engagement and Participatory Action
Draughts. A good old piece of fabric can be used to block the draught in winter. Adoption of Simple Lifestyles	Plant a tree Response to the Cry of the Earth	Government website for household energy: https://www.gov.uk/browse/housing-local-services/household-energy Response to the Cry of the Earth
Turning your central heating down by 1 degree will save energy and reduce bills. (See also here). Response to the Cry of the Earth	Pray… … that I have the courage to make changes in the spirit of Laudato Si’. (See also here). Ecological Spirituality	The humble bicycle. Might it be the perfect investment? Adoption of Simple Lifestyles
Heating on all day and all night? Timer controls may help reduce energy use and bills. Response to the Cry of the Earth	Tell someone about sustainability Ecological Education	Think double glazing is all the same? Think again. Spending a bit more on a better thermal specification can pay back over many years. Did you know that triple glazing is available and affordable? Response to the Cry of the Earth
If you go to bed in the dark and get up in the light then could you shift your hours to match the daylight better? Adoption of Simple Lifestyles	Go through nappies? Not all nappies are the same. Some are more biodegradable than others. Or you could try washable nappies. Response to the Cry of the Earth	Find out about the science of Climate Change. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) website is https://www.ipcc.ch/ Ecological Education
We tend to use less of something if the container is smaller. So if we buy special offers which are in large containers could we transfer some of it to a smaller container at point of use? Think shampoo. Adoption of Simple Lifestyles	Clothes. Go natural and avoid plastic fibres. Cotton, Wool, Linen and Silk are the main natural fibres. Most other fibres are derived from crude oil (fossil carbon) including polyester, nylon, acrylic, polypropylene and elastane. Response to the Cry of the Earth	Growing your own might be an option if you’ve a garden, green fingers and a bit of spare time. Allotments may also be a great option. Response to the Cry of the Earth
Can you lift share to your workplace? That way you’ll share the costs. Response to the Cry of the Earth	How close do you live to you workplace? Can you walk or cycle there? Maybe even once a week? Response to the Cry of the Earth	If you live far from your workplace, have you considered an electric car? Or for a fun and cheaper solution, how about an electric bike? Ecological Economics
If you go through lots of aluminium foil to cover roasts, consider using a layer of greaseproof paper first. The foil can then be re-used multiple times. Response to the Cry of the Earth	Did you know that soap and the shampoo can be bought in solid form without plastic packaging? Why not buy toothbrushes with biodegradable handles? Response to the Cry of the Earth	Buying new curtains? Lined curtains will improve heat retention and should last longer. Response to the Cry of the Earth
Why not make your own laundry detergent, bathroom cleaner and window cleaner yourself with simple and ecological ingredients (soap nuts, black soap, white vinegar, bicarbonate, etc.)? Response to the Cry of the Earth	Why not make your own compost? Food and garden waste makes great compost: it will reduce your waste and save you money on buying fertiliser later. Response to the Cry of the Earth	If you generate electricity from solar energy then are you shifting your energy use to make use of the sun? Run high energy consumption appliances when it is sunny. Adoption of Simple Lifestyles
Could you keep your old mobile, computer or other electrical equipment for another year? Do you know that while smartphones consume little energy to operate, 85% of their emissions impact comes from production? Response to the Cry of the Earth	Do you know that irrigating your plants during the heat of the day wastes water and could damage the plants? Some gardeners recommend the early morning. Response to the Cry of the Earth	Carbon offsetting. You can offset your carbon and help communities on the other side of the world. Be careful to check the projects for poverty alleviation as well as carbon benefits. Response to the Cry of the Earth Response to the Cry of the Poor
Second hand. It’s easy to find things like clothes, toys, bikes, films and books in charity shops or on-line. A lot of them are like new. Adoption of Simple Lifestyles	A rainwater butt or tank can be used to collect rainwater for use in the garden in dry weather to save expensive treated drinking water. Response to the Cry of the Earth	Create a community group. It might be a sharing and borrowing group. Or a skill swap repair group (how much do we throw away because we can’t repair it on our own?) Or a biodiversity group? Community Engagement and Participatory Action
Cook with lids on. Regularly putting lids on pans is quicker, wastes less heat and is cheaper. Response to the Cry of the Earth Ecological Education	It’s Sunday night and I’m missing an egg to complete my delicious cake. Why not ask a neighbour if they can spare one? Save travel, make friends, build community. Adoption of Simple Lifestyles	Are you an investor? Write to the companies you invest in and encourage them to move faster towards a sustainable future. Ecological Economics
Unplug chargers when they have finished charging Adoption of Simple Lifestyles	Did you know that milk can still be delivered to your door in returnable glass bottles? Find out about who your local milkman is. Adoption of Simple Lifestyles	Find out about areas that are most affected by climatic changes. Consider assisting the long-term projects that are helping the affected communities. Response to the Cry of the Poor
Cook on the right size hob or burner to reduce heat wastage Response to the Cry of the Earth	Line dry clothes rather than using the tumble drier whenever possible Adoption of Simple Lifestyles	Are you an investor? Write to the companies you invest in and demand a fair wage for all in their supply chains, starting with those that work in the mines and fields of far-away lands. Response to the Cry of the Poor
Run the washing machine and dishwasher with a full load Adoption of Simple Lifestyles	Taking cutlery and crockery out of the dishwasher to dry naturally rather than using the dishwasher drying function might save money and energy Adoption of Simple Lifestyles	Major internal refurbishment? Why not consider internal wall insulation for the colder walls. Some plasterboards have insulation attached. Response to the Cry of the Earth
If you have a timer for your hot water then use it to reduce the energy use. When do you really need the higher temperatures? Response to the Cry of the Earth	If you don’t have room thermostats or TRVs on your radiators then consider adding them and using them. Response to the Cry of the Earth	Consider if solar thermal panels might be worthwhile for your property. These produce warm water from the sun’s energy and can help in winter too. Ecological Economics
Is your hot water too hot to touch? Then try reducing the temperature. Response to the Cry of the Earth	If you have a hot water tank, make sure it is well insulated to limit the heat loss. Response to the Cry of the Earth	Engage with local artists to turn waste into beautiful art Community Engagement and Participatory Action
Heat only the rooms you need to and close the doors to the colder areas. Response to the Cry of the Earth	Write to your supermarket to ask them to phase out plastic packaging. Let’s try and move away from fossil-derived plastic to recycled paper, card and compostable bags. Adoption of Simple Lifestyles	Why not consider ethical investments for your savings and personal pension funds. If you have one, ask your independent financial advisor for ethical investment recommendations. Ecological Economics
If you have air filters on your heaters (or air conditioners) then keep them clean. Also worth doing for intermittently used equipment such as vacuum cleaners, cooker hoods and tumble drier filters. Adoption of Simple Lifestyles	Get together to share ideas. Join a CAFOD LiveSimply group or a Laudato Si’ circle. Better still if you can meet outside to be inspired by nature. Community Engagement and Participatory Action	Set aside some land for nature. If you own land then allow parts to become a local wilderness. If you have a garden then let a corner become wild again to encourage biodiversity. Response to the Cry of the Earth
	Start a climate conversation Community Engagement and Participatory Action
	Cover your car windscreen with a thermal blanket overnight to avoid ice scraping on winter mornings. Response to the Cry of the Earth

We admit we’ve not tried all these ideas, but we have tried quite a few of them. The list will likely grow over time as more people share their inspirational stories with us. Every so often we will pick up an idea and blog about it to help understand how it can be done, how easy is it to implement, what the challenges are and how effective it is. On some we will pull together technical detail in a technical reference section and on others we will create educational resources.

Remember to follow our blog to keep up-to-date with our journey.

Other Inspiring Ideas

The energy saving trust in the UK has some advice pages for reducing home energy use and low carbon travel.

While they might be considered a little old, the encouraging words at the end of the movie “An Inconvenient Truth” (2006) still have some relevance today. These are the final words copied verbatim from the end of the movie…

"Are you ready to change the way you live?
The climate crisis can be solved.
Here's how to start 
You can reduce your carbon emissions.
In fact you can even reduce your carbon emissions to zero
Buy energy efficient appliances + lightbulbs
Change your thermostat (and use clock thermostats)
To reduce energy for heating + cooling
Weatherize your house, increase insulation, get an energy audit
Recycle
If you can, buy a hybrid car 
When you can, walk or ride a bicycle 
Where you can, use light rail + mass transit 
Tell your parents not to ruin the world that you will live in
If you are a parent, join with your children to save the world they will live in
Switch to renewable sources of energy
Call your power company to see if they offer green energy
If they don't, ask them why not
Vote for leaders who pledge to solve the crisis 
Write to congress 
If they don't listen, run for congress 
Plant trees
Lots of trees
Speak up in your community 
Call radio shows and write newspapers 
Insist that America freeze CO2 emissions + join international efforts to stop global warming 
Reduce our dependence on foreign oil
Help farmers grow alcohol fuels
Raise fuel economy standards 
Require lower emissions from automobiles 
If you believe in prayer, pray that people will find the strength to change
In the words of the old African proverb, when you pray, move your feet:
Encourage everyone you know to see this movie 
Learn as much as you can about the climate crisis
Then put your knowledge into action."

Reduce-Reuse-Recycle

1. Reduce your energy usage: change lightbulbs, switch things off that are not needed, buy the most efficient appliances, only boil what’s needed, …

2. Reuse stuff: shopping bags, eliminate single use plastics and unnecessary packaging, compost vegetable peelings, …

3. Recycle what needs to be thrown. Buy recycled products too.

On the house, reduce your energy requirements: turn thermostats down, insulate sensibly, when you change windows and doors go for the best thermal efficiency options. Reduce your energy you buy in – use heat pumps not boilers, microgenerate your own energy (e.g. Solar). Buy green energy from dedicated green suppliers – those that actually encourage new renewables to be built.

On your personal transport, go battery electric or green hydrogen (if you can find it), plug-in hybrid is ok if you use the plug-in function regularly. It’s better of course to walk and cycle or take public transport.

On your purchases, go local and seasonal whenever possible and it’s cheaper too. On non-consumable goods, buy products that last longer. On tools and rarely-used equipment, offer to share or ask to borrow.