What does climate action mean to you?
We all have different answers. Having a compost bin or worm farm at home, turning off our devices or lights to save energy, taking active or public transport to work or school, attending climate action events or being publicly vocal about the changes you think are necessary.
ANU is working to reduce its carbon emissions to below zero from its operations and value chain by 2040. While we have a lot of work to do to get there, we recognise that this is only part of the action needed to reach our goals. Real transformational change comes when we empower individuals to be a part of the solution to climate change.
We've teamed up with the award-winning app One Small Step to create a unique version that speaks to our community.
One Small Step is an app that helps make choosing sustainable options simple and easy. Backed by proven behaviour change methods with science-based effective climate action, One Small Step ensures you know how to make a big impact by taking small steps towards larger goals.
A public version of the app has been helping people worldwide for years. Now, ANU staff and students can access a version of this app for free with ANU and Canberra-specific resources, making change even easier!
I built this app in part for myself, because I really cared about climate change and environmental sustainability, but was struggling to live according to my values. One Small Step helps you identify the areas you can focus on in your life to make a meaningful impact, and supports you while you make those changes. - Lily Dempster, creator of One Small Step
Getting started
To get started,
- go to the online app,
- create an account using your preferred email address,
- explore the challenges on how to reduce your carbon footprint,
- earn eco-points, create or join a team (optional) and more!
This app differs from the public One Small Step app in the App Store and Google Play. If you have an account on the public app, you cannot use it for the ANU version of One Small Step app. You must sign up for a new account here.
Exploring the App
- Organisation page: Learn about ANU sustainability programs and content, get updates from the announcements feed, view the most popular themes, see who’s taking action and check out who’s on the leaderboards. (Warning: may cause envy, admiration, or inspiration.)
- Teams page: Create or join a team with your friends, peers, or colleagues and compete with other teams on sustainability challenges. (Or just join the winning team, but hey, don't just take the credit.)
- Challenges page: Choose from a variety of challenges that help you reduce your environmental impact, filter and search for challenges that suit you, and access additional resources for more information. (Some challenges may be harder than others, but hey, no pain no gain.)
- Events page: Discover and attend sustainability events around ANU and Canberra or add your own event to the list (subject to approval). (Please note: we do not accept events that involve burning fossil fuels, littering, or wasting water.)
- Profile page: Customize your profile and app settings by clicking on your name at the bottom left of the screen. (You can also change your privacy settings, but don’t worry, we won’t stalk you. Much.)
Things you should know...
Data privacy – We prioritise your privacy and security, adhering to the ANU Privacy Policy. For detailed information on how your data is handled (and what it isn’t used for), please refer to the One Small Step Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Be kind – We want everyone to have a good time, but not at the expense of others. So please, be respectful, be kind, and be civil. Don't be a troll, a bully, or a creep. Don't spam, scam, or flame. Don't post anything illegal, offensive, or harmful. And don't forget to use your common sense. If you break any of these rules, you will face the consequences. And trust me, you don't want to mess with the admins. They have the power to ban you, mute you, or even worse, make you watch the entire Fast & Furious saga on repeat. So please, behave yourself and enjoy the app!
New content - You can never have too much content, right? Well, you're in luck, because we're always adding new challenges and resources. So don't be shy, come back and see what's new!
Feedback – While we appreciate the insinuation, we are not perfect. We welcome your constructive feedback! Let us know if you think we are missing an important resource, tool, challenge or opportunity. On the other hand, if you think we understood the assignment, thanks! Don’t worry too much about telling us though – tell others and show them how to join!
Want to know more? Contact us at belowzero@anu.edu.au