# data[].attributes.body
To reduce food waste and encourage all to order less for events and reduce the amount that is thrown away. Also to reduce the plastic bottles of water for machines and have more point of use ones where possible.
Home
To travel less by car and more by public transport or by foot. To take the train and not fly for holidays where possible. To check source when shopping for food and cleaning products and trey to by fruit and veg not wrapped in plastic.

# data[].attributes.body
My current lifestyle is already having a positive impact towards reducing carbon via a non-meat diet. As a result of the training, I was surprised to learn the amount of carbon generated and food miles from imported fruit and vegetables. I do buy fruit and vegetables that are out of season, and have done since over 20 years – however, I will now only purchase food that is homegrown / local and will buy fresh produce that is in season. This will be difficult considering supermarkets stock all fruits and veg all year round – however I am prepared to make this change as I now have a new motivation towards reducing my own carbon level at an individual level. Hopefully, this action will also motivate my family members. I will spread the word!

# data[].attributes.body
My pledge is to give up dairy milk (in drinks, cooking, on cereal etc) and replace with a plant-based alternative.  In addition to this, I don't want to use an alternative that comes in tetra packs (as these are very difficult to recycle in my area) so will look for a delivery service which delivers in reusable glass bottles.

Per litre, dairy milk has 3.15kg of GHG emissions, compared to 0.9kg for oat milk.  In terms of freshwater use, dairy milk uses 628.2litres per litre of milk, vs oat milk which uses 48.24 litres.  Oat milk (and all other kinds of plant based milk) also use much less land and have much lower levels of eutrophication.

Based on 200ml a day, my consumption of dairy milk is contributing 229kg Co2e to GGE.

If I swap to oat milk, I will instead be 65kg over a year.  A saving of 164kg Co2e a year.

This is a medium impact change.

# data[].attributes.body
1. As a society, what do we need to do to be carbon neutral by 2038*?

In order to be carbon neutral by 2038, the first step in my eyes would be to invest in the education of our society as a whole. Education, knowledge and awareness empower people in society to make informed decisions. At the very elementary level, these decisions taken by individuals will impact them directly (their lives and livelihood), then their immediate surrounding such as their children, their families and friends. Ultimately, the word will be spread around to neighbours, colleagues, and the wider community, etc.

In this particular instance, people need to be taught about climate change, greenhouse gases and their harmful effects, and the pressing need to reduce carbon emissions, etc.

Climate change is real, it is current it, is affecting us now and action needs to be taken urgently. The issue concerns us all and it is salient to emphasise that everyone can make a difference on an individual level. Is everyone on this Earth aware of the climate crisis? More needs to be done in terms of edification and training of the wider population to make the matter more relatable to people. The matter should not be left to those individuals who understand it/are interested in the subject and either volunteer take responsibility on a personal/community level or are entrusted through their work to tackle it.

Having instructed its citizens, the society then needs to create a fairer system whereby people are provided with equal labour opportunities, as well as access to health and social care. An economy is more valuable when equal education and labour opportunities are available across gender, race, age, and ethnicities.

As the Maslow’s hierarchy of needs teaches us, people are motivated by five basic categories of needs: physiological, safety, love, esteem, and self-actualization. According to this theory, higher needs in the hierarchy begin to emerge when people feel they have sufficiently satisfied the previous need.

The key message is that as a society, we would be psychologically more open and receptive to the message on climate if our elementary needs are fulfilled. Employment will contribute to the establishment of a better social status for citizens, which will lead to a better standard of life. That way, the chances of blossoming are increased and receptivity is more likely to be improved.

For a massive intake and robust commitment, people must be guided and assisted by the government, their employers and the community they live in, through their journey to becoming carbon neutral.

The Carbon Literacy Training was enlightening and it made me realise that I could take more personal actions to reduce my carbon footprint.

I have therefore decided to sell my diesel car with CO2 emissions of 187G/KM.
I investigated ways to sell the vehicle and decided to do so through Motorways.
The car has been advertised and went through online auction on 11/07/22.
I am in liaison with the Buyer to sort out collection and final arrangements.
I am intending to purchase an electric vehicle next year.
This is new territory to me and I am building my knowledge of electric vehicles online at the moment.
I am planning to visit a garage and talk to the experts by September.
I will be walking all journeys of up to 1.5 miles from where I live.
This is basically small journeys to the local shopping centre, to the General Practitioner and to friends/family within that distance.
For all commuting from now on, I will use public transport.
Now that I do not have a car, my daughters and I will reliant on the bus service in the area I live in.
I mostly work remotely, but have to be on campus when required by the project (minimum 4 times in a month). These journeys will be made by bus.
I have cancelled my gym membership to a sports centre located about 2 miles from home.
I used to drive to the gym twice a week. There is no straight bus service to the area, hence the urge to adapt now that I no longer have the car.
I have opted for jogging and exercises in the vicinity of my home.
Using an average of 10,000 miles per year, the total Car Footprint = 8.37 tonnes of CO2e. Having switched to the bus option, I am anticipating a lesser mileage of 7,000 miles per annum, due to the convenience of the car. The inherent emission is reduced to 1.09 tonnes of CO2e. Should I eventually get an electric vehicle, the CO2 emissions will be zero. It is important to mention that having an electric vehicle does not warrant excessive mileage as we are also attempting to decrease congestion on roads.

On a personal level, being more active will improve my health and wellbeing. It will help me control my weight, will boost my mood and improve my mental health, will reduce the risk of heart diseases, improve my sleep, etc.
Driving 8 miles to go to the gym every week over 52 weeks is 416 miles. By running, the associated Car Footprint = 0.17 tonnes of CO2e will be cancelled completely.
Relying on public transports will prompt me to be more organised and manage my time better.
I will definitely lead my two daughters by example as I will be actively engaged in these new commitments.
The actions I am undertaking on a personal level mainly revolve around reducing CO2 emissions through the burning of oil. Even though I will not be avoiding burning oil altogether, the public transport option definitely has a lesser impact on the environment.
I will also be reducing my F- gases emissions (semiconductor manufacture) and nitrous oxide (nylon production related to the car).
My family originates from Cameroon in Central Africa and culturally, our diet is very high on meat and fish products. Furthermore, my husband especially prefers Cameroonian dishes. The implication is that the majority of the ingredients have a high carbon footprint and the cooking time is long (minimum an hour).
I am therefore intending to raise their awareness of the implication of our lifestyle choices on the environment and influencing their future decision making related to food.
My plan is to gradually reduce the number of traditional dishes cooked per week from 3 to 2 for a start. I am hoping that a period of maximum 6 months will be sufficient for my family to accommodate with the change and this will be reduced further down to 1 meal per week.
Additionally, we will cut down our meat and fish intake and be vegetarian once a week for the first six months. Meat and fish free days will then be gradually increased.

We have already started an online research for Mediterranean recipes, and I have visited a Greengrocer sourcing local products. It is a massive change and a slow journey for my husband. I am planning a day out on the 23rd July with the whole family, to look for cooking books that could offer a better appeal for his needs.
In as much as we do not want to lose our identity and our culture and it is important that our heritage is passed on to our children, we understand the impact of our actions on the environment and this must be dealt with pragmatically.
Additionally, there is a family history of diabetes and high blood pressure on my husband’s side. Embracing a healthier lifestyle would definitely contribute to a reduction of the risk to suffer from ill health. Involving the whole family will make the whole experience more enjoyable and the learning could be shared with the wider family and friends. As a result of this, life expectancy will also be improved.
Once again, leading through example is the best way to implement these difficult decisions. Understanding the needs, setting the expectations, providing support and guidance along the way is salient to getting their engagement and collaboration.
On the basis of 8 servings of chicken and beef, 4 servings of pork and fish, and 1 serving of lamb per month and per person, 17,340 litres of water are consumed, the equivalent of water drank 16 people in a year.
77.1 kg CO2e are produced by each individual.
The shipping of the ingredients around the globe also has a considerable carbon footprint associated to it.
Sourcing of our food products locally will reduce our CO2 emissions through the burning of less oil.
Reducing the time when cooking our meals will also reduce our CO2 emissions through less burning of gas.
Reducing our meat intake will decrease our methane emissions, as well as F gases and nitrous oxide indirectly.

# data[].attributes.headline
Pledge having undertaken the carbon literacy course

# data[].attributes.subject
Pledge having undertaken the carbon literacy course

# data[].attributes.body
Work
Increase awareness of environmental issues and impacts and be prepared to discuss them, equitably, reasonably and in a respectful adult way with others - always considering the knowledge, intelligence and receptiveness of the audience.
I will actively research environmental publications and media to enhance my knowledge and discuss with other where appropriate.

Increase knowledge of ways of building sustainability and environmental responsibility into my work at the University - liaising with Sustainability team and relevant informed individuals/colleagues to embed sustainability and corporate social responsibility further into my work in Procurement.
I will actively research environmental publications and media and professional journals to establish methods, processes, initiatives and attitudes which can be embedded into my work, my contracts.
Strive for continuous improvement in ways of working - paper/stationery reduction, print reduction,
Change commuting habits to travel less at peak times - reducing energy and time spent on travelling to work - achieve this by travelling to and from work earlier thus avoid 3 city rushhours (Huddersfield, Bradford, Leeds) on the commute and idling in traffic on M62 and reducing fuel usage and emissions.

Home:
I will ensure that water taps in the home are not used at full pressure - effective showers and hand washing can be achieved at lower pressure.
I will ensure that radiators that are used in the home (only ever use the bathroom radiator and my son's bedroom radiator) have working and effective temperature valves and are set lower than previously.  I will also set the main thermostat at 2 degrees lower than previously
I have ordered a water efficient/energy efficient shower head.
I will wash laundry on lower temperatures
I will research alternatives to standard laundry detergents, cleaning and grooming products to source products which contain less harmful ingredients, less wasteful packaging and which incur a smaller carbon footprint in their transport.

Food - I pledge to shop less often and for less - fresh, seasonal items, purchased locally within a walking/cycling distance
Consider the footprint of 'fresh' food - in terms of carbon efficiency and in terms of social responsibility
Get out the plant pots and seeds that I bought earlier this year and grow more herbs and vegetables.
Work to eliminate dairy and egg in my diet - using alternatives to dairy cheese, eggs.  (don't use animal milk or any milk at all).  Help to do this by using the Leon Vegan cookery book and also the One Plant, One Pot, One Planet cookery book which promote plant-based, quick cook (less energy) and seasonal dishes.
I will cook more home food to ensure that harmful products such as palm oil are excluded from my family's foodchain.
Transport - I will pledge to walk more on manageable trips - up to 3 miles to begin with.  I will also dust off my bicycle and use this to take slightly longer trips across town for social and shopping purposes

# data[].attributes.headline
Barriers can be overcome if we start changing our habits (as individuals) because individuals are what make up the society.

# data[].attributes.subject
Barriers can be overcome if we start changing our habits (as individuals) because individuals are what make up the society.