Earth day 2025: What you can do to reduce your everyday energy consumption

What is Earth Day and why should you care? 

Earth Day is an event which has been celebrated annually since 1970. The theme for Earth Day 2025 is "Our Power, Our Planet", which focuses on promoting renewable energy and tripling global clean electricity generation by 2030.  

Supporting Earth Day is a way to celebrate and protect our planet. Something we can all get involved in to raise awareness about environmental challenges. There are many reasons to get involved. Earth Day emphasises the importance of sustainable practices to preserve resources for future generations. By taking part in this year’s theme, you can join the collective effort to address global warming by advocating for renewable energy and reducing carbon emissions.

What you can do to save energy 

Reducing your carbon footprint does not have to be time-consuming. There are several low-effort ways to be effective even with a busy lifestyle. 

• Consider renewable energy sources to power your home, such as wind or solar. This change can be as simple as switching your supplier to one that uses renewable energy. 

• Upgrading your old appliances with energy-efficient ones, as and when you can, or when the originals break, will also help to reduce costs. 

• Use public transport or other modes of transport which do not use fossil fuels as much as you can. 

• Opt for paperless billing and digital receipts to reduce paper waste effortlessly when dealing with bills or invoices.  

By doing your bit, you contribute to the efforts that safeguard ecosystems, wildlife, and natural habitats for us and future generations. They are facing risk right now. 

Earth Day brings people together, showing that small individual actions can lead to significant global impact, reduce carbons emissions, and slow down climate change.  

It is a great chance to stop, think, educate, and inspire yourself and younger generations about the value of our environment. Every little action taken on Earth Day can help create a more sustainable and harmonious planet. 

Here are some actions you can take which can fit into your everyday life: 

Look at environmentally friendly options 

Replace single-use items with reusable alternatives. Keep a reusable water bottle, coffee cup, and shopping bags with you—it is an effortless way to avoid single-use plastics. This requires minimal effort but makes an enormous difference. 

Look at environmental causes  

You can look at supporting organisations working to combat climate change, protect wildlife, or promote renewable energy. 

Look at your digital carbon footprint 

You can go green digitally. Share Earth Day resources and messages on social media to raise awareness among your friends and family (Education Resource Library - Earth Day). You can also reduce some of your digital footprint which is not used or forgotten about. 

You may think the impact of emails is not the biggest carbon problem humanity faces. However, it is one of the easiest habits to change. Reducing your emails, their content, and keeping email volumes to a minimum also tackles the stress and anxiety of email excess. Here are five simple actions you can take: 

1. Unsubscribe from mailing lists which you are no longer interested in.
2. Keep your mailing list updated so you are not sending undeliverable emails. 
3. Write shorter emails. 
4. Do not copy everyone into emails, message those who need to see it. 
5. Reduce or shrink attachments. Try to use JPEG/PDF formats (smaller in size) or replace attachments with a hyperlink. 

Look at some sustainable habits   

• Get into the habit of unplugging chargers, appliances, and electronics when they are not in use. This saves energy and reduces "phantom" power usage. 
• If you have not already, you could swap traditional light bulbs for energy-efficient LED ones. They consume less power and last longer. Alternatively, you can make use of daylight instead of electric lighting—it is a win for energy savings and your mood. 
• Look at lowering your thermostat. Setting it down by 1°C can make a significant difference in energy consumption over time.  
• When using any electrical appliances, use them wisely (e.g., full loads in the dishwasher or washing machine). 
• Walk, cycle, carpool, or use public transport when you can. For longer commutes, consider an electric or hybrid vehicle. If you travel frequently, use services that calculate and offset the emissions from flights or drives. 

Look at shopping sustainably 

• Choose eco-friendly and sustainable brands when shopping.  
• Reduce your meat consumption where possible. A meat-free meal once a week helps a little towards reducing carbon emissions.  
• Reduce your amount of food waste by planning your meals and buying only what you need. Bonus: It saves time and money too. 
• If you can, buy in bulk. This reduces packaging waste and minimises shopping trips—perfect for a packed schedule.  
• Try to buy quality, long-lasting items rather than cheap, disposable alternatives when you shop for essential items. 

Look at planting something small 

• If you have a bit of space or a pot, planting flowers or herbs can benefit pollinators and make your home greener. You can also look at indoor-friendly plants like spider plants, peace lilies, and English ivy. These thrive indoors in the UK's climate and require minimal maintenance. 
• On your window ledges, you can look at growing herbs like thyme, chives, and rosemary. They do not need much attention and are great for cooking. If you have a balcony or patio, use compact planters with hardy shrubs like boxwood or dwarf trees. Perfect for those with busy schedules, you can use self-watering pots. These reduce the need for frequent watering and water wastage. 
• You can support wildflowers for pollinators by scattering wildflower seeds in a small outdoor patch or pots—they are vibrant, easy to care for, and support bees. 

It’s easy to be green 

Now you know, reducing your environmental footprint does not have to be time-consuming. There are several low-effort ways to be effective even with a busy lifestyle.  

By making as many small adjustments as you can in your daily routine, your energy saving adds up. You can directly contribute to the theme of “Our Power, Our Planet”.  

What is WEA doing to support Earth Day 2025?

At WEA, our Green Curriculum aims to support environmental education. Our tutors teach, inform, inspire, and empower individuals and communities to act towards a more sustainable future. Our courses look at green energy, sustainability, zero waste, how to deal with green issues, permaculture, and carbon footprint reduction.

Interested in joining our environmental and gardening courses to learn more?