What you can do to help slow down biodiversity loss

You can't escape from the consequences of biodiversity loss.

Even if you tried, you would quite literally be running in circles (if rather large circumnavigational circles).

The good news is that there are lots of things you can do to help ease the pressure on this loss of biodiversity.

We are not in a hopeless situation.

In fact, even the simplest everyday activities can make a real difference...

Be good to our climate

We've all seen it. We've all felt it.

If there is one thing happening to our environment that we can be sure of, it is that our climate is changing. One way or another.

In fact without putting too finer point on it: climate change is probably the biggest threat we all face, human and animal alike.

We are threatened by droughts and floods, violent storms and altered seasons.

And this changing weather means habitats are changing.

And as habitats change, many wild animals and plants - who can't keep up with the accelerating pace of change - are being pushed towards extinction.

But you can help to switch off global warming in many different ways...

Don’t buy bad souvenirs

You're on your holidays, you're in the souvenir shop, and boy does "that" look nice. It’s so unusual, it would make a great talking point when you get home.

But is it made from the skin, fur, bone, shell, beak or hooves of an endangered species?

If it is, and if you buy it, you're just going to encourage whoever killed it, crafted it or made it, to do it all over again.

Plus, most likely you're going to break an international law when you go through customs, and that's always a situation to avoid.

By avoiding certain wildlife products and carefully watching what you buy (always ask!), you can prevent bringing many species closer to the edge of extinction.

At the same time you'll also be encouraging local suppliers to stock only legal and sustainable products.

So what should you look out for? You can check out our holiday guide here.

But the golden rule is this: if you doubt it, don't buy it.

Save our forests by buying "good" wood

The raid on illegally harvested bigleaf mahogany in Pacaya Samiria National Reserve.

Every year about 13 million hectares of natural forest are lost.

One of the main causes of this destruction is illegal logging, which is fed by the high demand for timber that ends up in our shops and your homes.

Yet as with holiday souvenirs, asking one simple question can make all the difference.

Simply ask if it what you are about to buy comes from a sustainable, legal source.

By questioning where your garden furniture or wooden flooring comes from - you can in fact halt the chainsaws and support those suppliers who are doing it right!

After all, no company wants to supply products that you, the consumer, does not want !

Look out for the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) label and if you don't see it, then ask, and make sure you are only buying good wood!

Buy sustainable seafood

Let's be honest... Do you ever think "Well I can't see it, so I don't care about it" ?

Beneath the ocean's surface there are constant scenes of absolute and utter destruction.

We are bulldozing, scooping, sieving and raking our oceans for all their worth...

And leaving nothing but a wasteland behind.

But we don't see it. So we don't care.

Or at least it seems that way.

It doesn't have to be like this. There are ways and means to keep our oceans alive.

If you eat seafood, all you have to do is keep looking out for, asking for and buying when you can, seafood labelled with the blue MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) logo.

Take a stand against unsustainable fishing and see our sea food guides...

And here are yet more things you can do as a consumer to help reduce your impacts on this one and only planet of ours...

Who We Are:
- Contact,
- Governance,
- History,
- Jobs,
- WWF Offices & Associates.
What We Do:
- Priority Species,
- Priority Places,
- Reducing Impacts,
- How We Do This,
- Why We Do This,
- Success Stories.
About Our Earth:
- Biodiversity,
- Species,
- Climate,
- Forests,
- Oceans, seas & coasts,
- Rivers, lakes & wetlands,
- Agriculture,
- Places,
- Problems,
- Teachers,
- News,
- Publications,
- FAQ.
How You Can Help:
News:
Climate: