As subjects like global warming and climate change become increasingly politicized, the question inevitably surfaces: what can I do to stop climate change?
While big industries and politicians need to do their part, the responsibility to stop climate change lies equally with the individual.
Here are 6 simple things you can do to reduce your carbon footprint.
1. Be energy efficient.
Turn off the lights! Change your bulbs in your home to compact fluorescents or LEDs. Unplug computers, TVs, game cubes, hairdryers, and chargers when you’re not using them. Use wool dryer balls or better yet, hang dry. Install a programmable thermostat.
When choosing your utilities, pick newer brands with energy star labels.
Energy production is by far the biggest emitter of greenhouse gases globally. Generating electricity usually means burning coal, crude oil, or fossil fuels. And the byproducts for this are greenhouse gases.
Plus, being energy efficient means you’re saving dollars. So why not?
2. Reduce water waste.
If one out of every 100 homes were fitted with water-efficient fixtures, about 80,000 tons of global warming pollution would be avoided. So don’t underestimate water usage in its power to stop climate change.
Take shorter showers, don’t leave your tap running, use cold/warm settings on washing machines instead of hot, and make sure you have water-efficient fixtures.
3. Eat consciously.
Nearly 18% of global greenhouse gas emissions come from dairy and meat production. Farms produce 13% of global greenhouse emissions. This makes agriculture the third largest emitter in the world.
When possible, buy organic and locally grown foods. Avoid processed items, grow your own food, eat low on the food chain. The good news is eating to save the world usually means eating to save your health too!
4. Limit your waste.
Reduce, reuse, recycle. The age-old proverb. It might seem like it’s not helping to stop climate change, but trust us, it is. Landfills produce tons of methane and contribute to your carbon footprint. So, shop smarter, compost kitchen scraps and garden trimmings, and bring your own bags to the grocery store.
5. Travel mindfully.
The transportation industry is a huge contributor to climate change. There’s no way to not travel— we all need to go to work and school and on vacation. But, when you are traveling, be mindful!
Where possible, walk, bike, or bus. Believe it or not, if everyone kept their tires properly inflated, we’d save about 1.2 billion gallons of gas per year.
6. Plant plants.
Let nature save itself. Planting trees, gardens, and flowers helps to stop climate change. Plants produce oxygen and happiness — two things the world could use more of.
Stopping climate change is all about helping create a world that we and our children and our grandchildren and their grandchildren can live safely and happily.
So pick a few things to do like start a garden and start doing them today. Eventually, you’ll be happy you did.
