Lithium

As global warming threatens the future of our society, Jo Fidgen tackles the ways in which ordinary people can make a difference.

We're often told that we could help the environment by driving less, eating less meat, or using less water.

But in the face of a challenge as significant as global warming, how big a difference can small changes really make? And what would the world look like if we took those solutions to their logical extremes?

Getting to carbon neutral relies on us being able to reliably store and save up renewable energy - otherwise it's just too unreliable to safely power our grid or our cars. The key to that is in one metal in particular: Lithium, a central component of modern batteries. But there's a catch - we aren't yet sure how a rush for lithium will impact communities and local environments in the handful of countries where it can be mined. So how can we as individuals responsibly use more lithium?

Producer: Robert Nicholson

A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4