Six ways to quickly reduce carbon emissions IV.

Finance

It may not be the most obvious way to reduce your carbon footprint, but the way you save, invest and give away your money can have a big impact on climate change. Many banks are well-documented financiers of the climate crisis and provide trillions of dollars to fossil fuel extraction. While the money you put into a bank doesn't go directly to that (as banks' consumer banking divisions are typically separate from their investment arms), experts and activists say where you put your money can still change their social license. There is a growing number of alternative banks that present themselves as ethical and financing solutions, while alternatives to banks such as credit unions or building societies are often less likely to finance fossil fuels because of the way they invest. (Read more about why your banking habits matter for the climate.) Your pension, on the other hand, is usually directly invested. The huge amount of money invested around the world in pensions means that they have a serious impact on the direction of the world economy. Despite this, most people do not even know where their pension is invested. (Read more about making your retirement more sustainable.)