We have been hearing a lot about the climate crisis. It's been said that we are in the middle of a 6th mass extinction. With the rise in temperatures caused by the increase in enhanced greenhouse gases,not only are the ice-caps melting, habitats are being destroyed, up to 200 species go extinct every single day, people are starving from drought and homes are destroyed by floods and if things don't change it's only going to get worse. We need to start changing the way we do things, fast.

In our Springfield world, It's hard to imagine these effects impacting us and it's even harder to empower ourselves enough to believe we can make a difference but how can be expect big companies and governments to change their ways if we cant start making a conscious effort to change ours, in small effective ways that are sustainable and true to who you are and what you stand for as an individual.

Stopping climate change is a big goal and what we need to do is break it up into smaller goals so that we can get there step by step. As the Eco-portfolio for 2020, we have decided to choose a small achievable goal each week for the Springfield community to work on and think about. In this way we can actively start making a difference.

So last week our first goal, was to try and switch off the lights. The amount of energy and fuel that it takes to give us all electricity, is one of the main causes of global warming and if you are not yet convinced, it will help you save on your electricity bill. It seems obvious, but we all forget to do it, but this is a crisis and we need to make a conscious effort that the electricity is not being used unnecessarily.

This week's goal is focused on caring for what we have got. Testing on animals is not cool, for anyone and by buying brands that are cruelty free we are just making the world a better place and standing up to companies that are just looking for cheap ways to make a profit.

Camryn Beaton

Head of Eco Portfolio