SEVEN THINGS YOU CAN DO TO LEAD A GREENER LIFE
In a nutshell, Green Thing is a not-for-profit public service that inspires people to lead a greener life. With the help of brilliant videos and inspiring stories. from creative people and community members around the world, Green Thing focuses on seven things you can do - and enjoy doing.
Green Thing's mission is to get as many people in as many countries as possible to do the Green Thing to prevent climate change and then use that people power to persuade government and business to do the Green Thing too.
You can read more about Green Thing in our manifesto.
Green Thing is for those of us - and there's a lot of us - who don't get turned on by the tree-hugging thing, the guilt thing, the scientific thing or the world-is-at-an-end thing. Green Thing is a simple thing, a fun thing, a creative thing and a community thing. It's for anyone who wants to lead a greener life but hasn't found a way.
Green Thing was started by Naresh Ramchandani and Andy Hobsbawm, two people with backgrounds in off and online communications who wanted help make an environmental difference.
Green Thing is currently manned and womanned by James Alexander, Sarah Matthews, James Smith, Monica Srivastava, Katia Wengraf, Red Davis, Henrietta Norton, as well as Naresh and Andy.
Green Thing wants to help make a difference in the fight against climate change. We want to make a greener life something that's simple and enjoyable so that it appeals to an unprecedented number of people.
As one of our environmental advisors George Marshall, founder of the Climate Outreach Information Network and the author of "Carbon Detox", puts it:
“Green Thing is a breath of fresh air. It's quirky, funny and speaks in a quite new way to a new constituency. It is the best attempt I have seen to redefine sustainable lifestyles as a smart, sexy, fashionable and fun way to live and something worthwhile on its own terms.”
In terms of the CO2 reductions Green Thing is trying to achieve, according to most calculations, our planet can only safely absorb about 1 tonne of carbon per person per year (George Monbiot calculates the figure should be no higher than 0.33 tonnes per person per year by 2030). The global average is currently between 3.9 to 4.5 tonnes per person, but in most developed countries it's much higher. In the UK, for instance, the average now stands at around 11 tonnes per person.
If you keep doing the seven Green Things and start to do some of the other related actions too, you will eventually cut the amount of CO2 you're responsible for by half.
The problem is that the other half is embedded into the products we buy and services we use which only the government and businesses have the power to change. But once enough people do the Green Thing, Green Thing can use this people power to persuade governments and businesses to do the Green Thing too and make changes necessary to begin to reduce the other fifty per cent.
If Green Thing is about one thing, it's inspiring green action. If we all contribute to Green Thing, it will become as creative, as credible and as inspiring as it can be. If we all do the Green Thing, it will make the biggest impact it can make. You can read more about what Green Thing stands for in our manifesto.
Green Thing was started by Naresh and Andy because they felt nobody had come up with an inspiring, creative brand for the issue of environmental behaviour change that everyone could feel part of. They wanted to do their bit and help make a difference. They thought long and hard and decided that Green Thing was the best way to do it.
Green Thing is an independent, not-for-profit thing powered by grants from foundations and individual donations. They are among those thanked here. We will list others here as they come through.
Green Thing’s mantra is “creativity vs. climate change” because we believe that world-class creativity can simplify and sharpen the issue of climate change, making it something people can connect with and care about.
In its own way, Green Thing is trying to use a thousand pieces of small creativity and personal stories to tempt people to think and act differently and to inspire people to want to live more sustainably.
No. Alright then, yes. Go to www.justgiving.com/dothegreenthing. Thank you.
On fast electric cars and cases of organic wine. No, not really. Green Thing will put all its money into helping as many people as possible in as many countries as possible to do the Green Thing. It needs to pay for the occasional consultant and other business costs (office, computers, that sort of thing). Any profits beyond that go to our environmental charity Green Thing Trust which exists to fight climate change.
Green Thing is a not-for-profit company. A separate charitable company Green Thing Trust has been established, charity registration number 1125013. The Trust will receive any profits from Green Thing and will also seek grants to fund charitable activities.
Sometimes, yes. A lot of it depends on when funding comes through and exactly how much funding. Volunteers are always welcome. Please send your details to jobs@dothegreenthing.com and we'll get back to you.
Find us and write to us at:
2nd Floor
67-69 Whitfield Street
London
W1T 4HF
Green Thing Limited's registered address is:
45 Swain's Lane, London, N6 6QL
Company Number 06216396
Green Thing's e-mail addresses are:
General enquiries: hello (AT) dothegreenthing [DOT] com
Saved is Do The Green Thing’s anti-waste T-shirt range, taking neglected, unwanted T's and making them fashionable and loved again.
Check out our Saved video featuring the wonderful music from Orlando Seale and the Swell.
