Climate Change
Long-term changes in temperature and weather patterns are referred to as climate change. Because of climate change, humans and wild animals confront new survival problems. Droughts that are more frequent and extreme, storms, heat waves, rising sea levels, melting glaciers, and warmer oceans may directly injure animals, ruin their habitats, and disrupt people's lives and societies. Substantial changes are required from governments and corporations, but scientists suggest that simple adjustments in our lives, like as lowering energy consumption and utilising public transportation more frequently, may reduce our influence on the environment, and this is where the value action gap in individuals is shown.
Value-Action Gap
The value-action gap (also known as the belief-behaviour gap) is the space that exists when an individual's values (personal and cultural) or attitudes do not correspond to their actions. People consuming bad food while caring about their health, shunning green energy sources despite caring about the environment, and purchasing things made in unethical working conditions despite caring about the employees both are examples of value-action gaps. The value-action gap is produced by several reasons, which are frequently combined: Self-deception: Customers just do not act as they believe. Several considerations, such as price or quality, influence the ultimate buying choice. Purchases are mostly emotional and impulsive, rather than logical.
Gen Z’s zeal for change
The mainstream narrative of public conversation on climate change has been taken over by youth. Although reforms in business practises implemented by firms large and small will bring about this transformation, these young leaders present a rallying call that the public can rally behind. Generation Z is the most concerned about the environment and inspires others to make sustainable purchasing decisions. Generation Z's ideas on sustainable consumer habits drive other age groups to shift their purchasing behaviour via popular social media platforms such as Instagram and Tik Tok. They are the most concerned generation when it comes to climate change, which might be because they are younger and want to be able to live and raise their children in a world where we damage the environment by utilising polluting energy sources such as oil, coal, and gas, resulting in foul weather. Leah Namugerwa, a Ugandan teenage climate activist, is well-known for organising tree-planting efforts and initiating a petition to enforce the country's plastic bag ban. Instead of a conventional birthday party, Namugerwa planted 200 trees on her 15th birthday. A strong advocate for Uganda's government to fully implement the Paris Climate Accord. Young activists like her are fantastic examples of taking on leadership roles in the fight against climate change and inspiring the youth around them to do the same.
Climate action starts at home.
With three-quarters (75%) of adults in the United Kingdom reporting that they are either very or somewhat concerned about the impact of climate change, learning what can be done to assist the issue of climate change can begin at home, and those values can then be bought out into the world through that. There are numerous things that adults can teach their children to help them live a more environmentally friendly lifestyle and do their part to protect the environment and limit climate change but the key things that can be taught at home include:
Throwing away less food!
Throwing food away wastes the resources and energy that were utilised to grow, produce, package, and transport it. Accordingly educating children to just dish what they can eat is critical, as is understanding to only buy food that will be consumed in the home for that week or month. Furthermore, as food rots in a landfill, it emits methane, a potent greenhouse gas. So, utilise what you bought and compost the rest.
Reduce, reuse, and recycle!
Electronics, clothing, and other commodities we buy emit carbon dioxide at every stage of production, from raw material extraction through manufacture and transportation to market. Buy fewer items, purchase second-hand, fix what you can, and recycle to save the environment. The more environmentally conscious you are and encourage your children to be, the better for the environment.
Walk, cycle, or take public transport!
This will not only make your family healthier, but the world's highways are congested with automobiles, the majority of which run on diesel or gasoline. Walking or riding a bike instead of driving lowers greenhouse gas emissions while also improving your health and fitness. Consider using the train or bus for longer distances. And, wherever feasible, carpool.