About Green Living

Every day, we make decisions about how we travel, the food we eat, the stuff we buy and throw away, and the energy and water we use. At times we may think that our own actions have little impact on the world as a whole but, collectively, the decisions we take in our own homes total 27 per cent of the UK’s carbon emissions. By adopting more sustainable habits and making greener choices, people have great potential to help combat climate change.

However, green lifestyles are still far from mainstream. Whilst many community and business initiatives are promoting behaviour change, so far, the government has failed to bring in the kind of policies needed to stimulate it on a larger scale. This is partly because government is reluctant to constrain lifestyles, and will only so do once it is sure that people are demanding change.

Our green living theme aims to help government understand how it can enable and encourage people to live greener lives. The work programme focuses on building political and public support for behaviour change, and making specific policy recommendations that are attractive to both government and the public. 

From 2009-12 we are largely focusing on work through the Green Living Consortium which is made up of six partner organisations: ASDA, Groundwork, Kellogg’s, Pepsico, Scottish Power and WRAP. This coalition aims to help government understand how it can enable and encourage people to live greener lives.

Find out more on our regularly updated Green Alliance Blog.