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Interesting Facts

TRANSPORT

The average petrol car emits around 4 times more CO2 per passengerLink opens in a new window than the average bus. Help save CO2 emissions by opting for public transport when possible!

Opting for the train instead of driving reduces your emissions for that journey by around 80%Link opens in a new window.

In 2019, transport as a whole accounted for 27% of the UK's carbon emissionsLink opens in a new window - higher than any other sector.

In 2019, cars accounted for 18% of the UK's carbon emissionsLink opens in a new window.


WASTE

Paper accounts for 26% of wasteLink opens in a new window at landfill. Reduce amounts of waste by only printing what you need!

It takes 10 litres of waterLink opens in a new window to produce one piece of paper.

44% of plastic rubbishLink opens in a new window found in the ocean is associated with take out food and drinks. Help reduce this by bringing your own food in reusable containers when going on campus etc.

In the UK, we use 7.7 billion plastic bottlesLink opens in a new window per year. That’s an average of 117 bottles per person, per year. Make sure to bring a reusable bottle with you to lower this amount!

8 million tonnesLink opens in a new window of the world’s plastics end up in our oceans each year, creating a garbage patch three times the size of France.

More than 28 billion glass bottles and jarsLink opens in a new window end up in landfills every year, which is the equivalent to the Empire State Building filling up every 3 weeks.

Plastic bottles can take around 500 yearsLink opens in a new window to decompose.

If we keep consuming plastic at the same rate, its estimated by 2050Link opens in a new window there will be more plastic in the ocean by weight than fish.

The UK creates 250 tonnes of wasteLink opens in a new window from coffee cups a day - equivalent in weight to 50 elephants. Only 0.25% of this is recycled - the rest go to landfill. Reduce this by buying a reusable coffee cup!

Around 300 million plastic bagsLink opens in a new window end up in the Atlantic Ocean alone each year. Stop your contribution to this - be sure to remember a reusable bag when shopping!


ENERGY

Using a lid on your pan while cooking can save your energy use while cooking up to 90%!Link opens in a new window

Each extra mug of water adds 45 seconds of boiling timeLink opens in a new window. Save energy by only boiling for the number of mugs you need!

A study found 14 million people in BritainLink opens in a new window leave at least one light on when leaving the house for the day. Collectively, this causes CO2 emissions equivalent to around 45 long haul flights a day! Be sure to turn off all lights when leaving the house!


FOOD

The amount of edible food that is thrown away in the UK is equivalent to 15 billion mealsLink opens in a new window - around enough to feed the UK population 3 meals a day for 11 weeks.

Worldwide a third of all foodLink opens in a new window is thrown away - while 10% of the global population are malnourished and don't have proper access to food.

The amount of CO2 caused by food waste from UK households each year is equivalent to flying from London to Perth over 4.5 million timesLink opens in a new window.

In the UK, 20 million slicesLink opens in a new window of bread, 4.4 million potatoes and 280 tonnes of poultry (equivalent in weight to around 70 elephants) goes to waste every day.

The production of beef emits 250 times more greenhouse gasLink opens in a new window per gram of protein than legumes such as beans or peanuts. Try replacing beef in your diet with vegetarian alternatives!

If food waste were a country, it would have the third biggest carbon footprintLink opens in a new window after the USA and China.

The meat and dairy industry is responsible for around 14% of global emissionsLink opens in a new window - and animals raised for slaughter outnumber wildlife to a ratio of around 15 to 1! We need to reduce meat production by reducing meat consumption!

In terms of carbon emissions, water usage and land use, dairy is significantly worst in all areas.Link opens in a new window