Based on exclusive research by MyMotherTree.com your bank and pension provider could be putting billions into factory farming without you knowing about it. But you have the power to change that.
Your choice of bank and pension provider matters. Perhaps more than you realize.
Exclusive research from MyMotherTree.com reveals that for the average UK consumer HALF of their carbon emissions come from their pension, current & saving accounts [1], [2].
That means your current choice of bank and pension could be having double the carbon impact of going vegan, quitting flying and choosing the bike over the car, COMBINED.
The research suggests that putting £6,000 into Barclays is the equivalent of eating over 77 steaks per week, every week for a year [3].
And it’s a similar story for pensions – astonishingly, half the money in the world is held in pensions [4]. And depending on your pension, a chunk of that is likely to be going to fossil fuel companies, factory farming and tobacco.
Where we put our money is, arguably, the single most important choice we make when it comes to combating the climate crisis.
Why?
Because the companies we invest in today will thrive tomorrow.
And currently, the big banks are funding fossil fuel expansion 50 times more than the oil & gas companies [5].
So choosing your bank based on where they invest is of crucial importance when it comes to building the life we want to live.
Just like choosing to shop local and switching to a vegan diet, our choice of bank has a big impact.
And the best part about it?
Unlike the shopping and the diet, you only have to switch once.
But sometimes, it can be hard to discover the true impact of where your bank is invested. In fact, the big banks don’t want you to know about it!
So that’s why the folk at MotherTree set up The Climate Challenge.
A 5-day challenge taking on the 5 most impactful tasks when it comes to living more sustainably. And no task takes more than 30 minutes to complete. The impact is huge. Attendees have:
- Saved up to 18 tonnes in carbon emissions
- Learned how to save and even make money by going green
- Got structure and guidance to take focused action on addressing the climate crisis.
The challenge shows you what you can do about your bank; offering you a choice of banks and pension providers that invest in low-carbon activities.
Surprisingly, switching your bank is often easier than giving up a flight or cutting out the meat.
It takes 2 minutes to find your money’s carbon footprint. And whether you decide to dip a toe in the water and switch £1 or you choose to switch the whole account, MotherTree supports you every step of the way.
The recommended banks are all FSCS protected, which means your money is protected up to £85,000.
And what’s more, their research suggests you don’t have to sacrifice returns by going green. So you can save the planet and, potentially, grow your returns.
That’s where it gets really interesting.
Choosing a greener bank and pension provider does not have to be at the expense of your returns.
Green banks are often offering market-leading interest rates.
While for pensions, in a large number of cases over the past 5 years, the green funds actually outperformed the standard fund. This means you can save the planet and save the money in your wallet.
That’s where the Climate Challenge comes in.
You meet a community of people passionate about taking action to live more sustainably while taking focused action on the things that matter to you.
So join today and start funding a future you want to live in.
[1] Based on having £6,757 in a current account with Barclays and a pension of £42,651 held invested in the UK Equity Fund over 25 years. Note, in 2020, the average person in the United Kingdom (UK) had £6,757 saved (source: https://www.finder.com/uk/saving-statistics. Analysis conducted by finder.com/uk). Note, The UK’s average pension pot stands at just £42,651 (source: https://www.finder.com/uk/pension-statistics. Analysis conducted by finder.com).
[2] Based on analysis by Accenture: The average UK household’s spending generated 204 kg of CO2 emissions each week. This equates to 10,617 kg per household per year, which collectively amounts to an estimated 295 million tonnes of CO2 in 2020. Note, this does not include any investment, bank account or pension.
[3] Where one serving is 85g. Calculated using https://www.omnicalculator.com/ecology/meat-footprint.
[4] ShareAction: https://shareaction.org/savers-resource-hub/pension-power-what-world-is-our-money-building
[5] Bill McKibben – Money Is the Oxygen on Which the Fire of Global Warming Burns. Retrieved from https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/money-is-the-oxygen-on-which-the-fire-of-global-warming-burns (2019, September 17).
