Even doing little things can make a difference.  Here are some suggestions to start you off.

Don’t litter! 

Make sure your rubbish is properly put into a bin or taken home with you if there are none around.  The RSPCA receives over 7,000 phone calls about litter-related incidents every year, and our officers regularly rescue pets, farm and wild animals trapped or hurt by discarded litter. 

Be particularly careful to take home any litter if you go fishing - discarded lines and hooks can easily snag water birds and other wildlife, causing horrible injuries, and swans are particularly affected. Help us tackle the problem of fishing litter: Fishing litter (PDF 219KB)

Think of alternatives

Releasing balloons into the air is really popular - but it can harm lots of animals.  They can mistake the plastic for food and also get tangled up in larger pieces and attached strings.  Chinese lanterns are often seen as a more eco-friendly alternative but the wire or bamboo frames can harm wildlife and other animals. We have produced a new information sheet on the dangers lanterns pose to animals:
Chinese lanterns (PDF 133KB)

There are other things you can do instead of releasing balloons or lanterns - for example you could build balloon statues or hold a virtual balloon release.  Have a look at our information sheet if you'd like to know more: Balloon releases (PDF 125KB).  You might also be interested to read about the Marine Conservation Society's campaign against balloon releases.

Be a savvy consumer

Research to find and buy the most welfare-friendly and sustainable fish you can afford.  Look for fish with the Freedom Food logo and try visiting the Marine Conservation Society's Fishonline website.

Consider pet fish carefully

If you’re completely decided on a pet fish, make sure you get it from a reputable source and that it has been captive-bred in the UK rather than caught from the wild either here or many miles away. 

It’s also really important to find out exactly what the fish needs before taking it on because you’ll have a duty of care under the Animal Welfare Act to look after it properly.