"Climate change is real. It is happening right now."

Leo, Leo, Leo. Oh how we rejoiced when we heard you'd won the Oscar. It’s just a shame you decided to focus your speech on the threat posed by climate change. Said nobody ever. In an admirable acceptance speech, the Oscar winner urged that '(climate change) is the most urgent threat facing our entire species and we need to work collectively together.’ We couldn’t have said it better ourselves.

It's easy for us to think that we're too small to make any sort of difference, but it's this attitude that we need to change. We as individuals can make a difference with just a few simple lifestyle changes:

• Each day, a person who eats a vegan diet saves 1,100 gallons of water, 45 pounds of grain, 30 sq ft of forested land, 20 lbs CO2 equivalent, and one animal’s life*. While we aren’t suggesting that you become a fully-fledged vegan, why not try eating vegan one day a week.
• We are currently growing enough food worldwide to feed 10 billion people*. With the latest count being at a population of 7.1 billion, that’s a LOT of waste. Try being conscious of your food waste. Do you regularly cook too much rice and end up throwing a load away? Next time remember to cut down.
• Animal agriculture is responsible for 18% of greenhouse gas emissions, more than the combined exhaust from all transportation*. Try making some meat swaps to your regular dishes. We recommend Blood Orange, Green Bean and Hazelnut Salad instead of a Nicoise, Adzuki Bean Chilli and Quinoa, Walnut and Kale Burgers.

*Stats taken from Cowspiracy.

Words: Ellen Tewkesbury