Everyday action
Everyday action against climate change
The actions that really count to cut your carbon footprint, ranked from most effective to simplest, each with a detailed guide.
1Carbon footprint calculator: where to start to reduce your carbon footprint
In France, the average carbon footprint is between 8 and 9 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent per person per year. Calculating yours in ten minutes shows you which actions really count for you.
2Take the train instead of flying: the most effective way to travel
Per kilometre travelled, a French high-speed train emits dozens of times less greenhouse gas than a plane. For trips within France and Europe, choosing the train is often the most effective action of the year.
3Eat less red meat: an effective action for the climate
According to ADEME, a meal with beef emits about 14 times more greenhouse gas than a vegetarian meal. Cutting down on red meat, without necessarily giving it up, makes a real difference over a year.
4Heat your home to 19 °C: save energy without feeling cold
Heating accounts for the largest share of the energy used in a home. According to ADEME, lowering the temperature by one degree cuts heating consumption by about 7%. A practical guide to a comfortable, low-energy winter.
5Short trips on foot or by bike: good for the climate and your health
According to Insee, 60% of workers in France who live less than 5 km from their workplace drive there. These short trips are the easiest to replace with walking or cycling, with benefits for the climate, your health and your budget.
6Make your devices last and buy refurbished: the real digital lever
According to ADEME and Arcep, manufacturing devices accounts for the largest share of the carbon footprint of digital technology in France. Keeping your phone longer, repairing it or buying refurbished counts far more than deleting emails.
Understand
5 November 2026Melting ice caps and glaciers: what is melting, how fast, and why
Mountain glaciers, the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets, sea ice: all the planet's ice is retreating, but not in the same way or with the same consequences. The full picture, with the figures to back it up.
5 November 2026Iceberg A23a: the life and end of the world's largest iceberg
Born in 1986, stuck for more than thirty years on the floor of the Weddell Sea, trapped in an ocean vortex, then grounded off South Georgia: the story of A23a, the giant that fascinated the world, and what it teaches us.
2 November 2026Sea ice: why its melting speeds up global warming (the albedo effect)
Sea ice reflects much of the sunlight it receives back into space. When it melts, the dark ocean absorbs that energy and warming accelerates. Everything you need to know, with the figures to back it up.