[Watch] How does climate change impact people on a personal level?

Climate change and global warming can often seem like vague, far-off ideas that don't really have any direct impact on our day-to-day life. But what if we could see just how much of an influence our changing environment is having on the lives of normal, everyday people?

That's exactly what this awesome video from MinuteEarth shows:

How you can spread awareness about the impacts of climate change

Various studies show that once a critical mass within a population changes their behaviour, others will follow. People subconsciously want to conform to social norms. One study showed that when people were given different messages aimed to encourage energy efficiency in their homes, the message that was most effective at creating behavioural change was to tell people that most of their neighbours made efforts to conserve power. This message had more impact than telling people that they could be socially responsible citizens by using less power, or telling them that they could save their earth's resources by using less power, or even pointing out that they could save money by reducing power consumption!

This knowledge is pretty easy to apply in our everyday lives: we can do our part to normalise sustainable behaviour within our communities simply by living sustainably! Bonus points if you manage to bring it into conversation occasionally – if the guy at the checkout comments on your reusable produce bag, say something about it: "I'm trying to reduce my waste".T

Read more about how to talk effectively about climate change to others

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Banner image: Minute Earth

1 Million Women is more than our name, it's our goal! We're building a movement of strong, inspirational women acting on climate change by leading low-carbon lives. To make sure that our message has an impact, we need more women adding their voice. We need to be louder. Joining us online means your voice and actions can be counted. We need you.