Diversity’s Jordan Banjo: “You don’t need clothes made out of leaves” to save the climate

Change starts at home – more specifically, on your sofa.

The BT Big Sofa Summit aims to generate conversations about the climate on your favourite couch and BT is providing practical resources to help the nation make greener decisions for their household.

Admittedly, the conversation with Diversity duo Perri Kiely and Jordan Banjo, who BT has teamed up with, doesn’t take place on a sofa (thanks, Covid). But we hold a “summit” all the same – addressing tips and tricks to help ingrain environmentally friendly options in our lifestyles.

According to research commissioned by BT, more than half of parents in the UK have been called out by their children for doing something harmful to the environment, like leaving appliances on stand-by.

“When I was a kid, it wasn’t a big conversation in our house and I’m only 28,” says Banjo, who has two young children of his own. “I want my children to have a completely different mindset, to be aware and conscious of the choices they are making. If they’ve got that, then I’ve done a good job.”

Being breakfast show hosts at Kiss FM means lots of painfully early starts and Kiely says he’s recently changed up his morning shower routine after getting on board with the Big Sofa Summit.

“When I wake up, I’m quite unorganised – so I used to put my shower on and while it got to the right temperature, I’d go sort out what I was wearing for the day,” he says. “But I’ve started making little four-track playlists and hopping in the shower and using them as a timer.”

His most recent shower list has included tracks from Ed Sheeran and Mahalia – but cinematic playlists are strictly off limits because the songs are too long and “we want nice, short songs”.

Using smart tech is another way in which you can be more mindful about the environment – and it makes self-confessed Marvel nerd Banjo “feel like Tony Stark”.

“I love the fact that you can connect smart lightbulbs with speakers and make sure you turn them off whenever they’re not needed – every tiny change makes a huge difference,” he says.

The pair repeat the fact that they’re not experts – just people wanting to make small, greener choices in day-to-day life.

“I didn’t get involved in the BT Big Sofa Summit to be telling people to move out of their house, wear clothes made out of leaves and build their own fires to cook food – you don’t need to change everything about your lives, just make consistent, green changes,” says Banjo.

Find out more:

To learn more about the BT Big Sofa Summit and to see how you can host your own visit: www.bt.com/BigSofaSummit

You can share your Big Sofa Summit resolutions on social media using #BTBigSofaSummit