One of the biggest traps in sustainability is that we do things that we think will be sufficient but, in reality, they’re just not enough to get us where we need to be…

We simply don’t have a framework to understand how all of the little personal decisions we make add up to tell us if we’re helping to keep the planet safe or not.

Part of the problem is that we’re steered by the system, which means we’re confined by the options available in our everyday lives – options that aren’t reflective of where we need to be.

There are plenty of people who understand the issues around sustainability, yet their lifestyles don’t reflect the urgency of the problem – not necessarily through wilful ignorance, but because they don’t have enough information.

Let’s say you go to a supermarket and think, “I want to make the most sustainable choice.” The most sustainable choice is actually not going to a supermarket at all, but you may not know that.

Or let’s say you’re choosing between a cucumber wrapped in plastic and one that isn’t. You might assume the unwrapped one is more sustainable, but the plastic wrapping triples its shelf life, which reduces waste. This is why weighing up the impact of these things is difficult.

Even the carbon impact associated with a loaf of bread depends on many factors: the water used, how the wheat is grown, the processing, the transportation, etc. There usually aren’t enough specific metrics available to consumers yet, so getting clear answers is not always easy.

These trade-offs really need to be better understood because change traditionally starts from the bottom up – through the choices of individuals, not leaders.

The key is to do your best based on the information that you have. That starts with understanding your levels of personal consumption. Once you know where you need to be in terms of having a reduced impact, you can find ways to get there.

The reassuring thing is that there are other clear lifestyle choices that will produce potential big wins in the personal sphere with minimum effort...