Small actions make a huge difference, especially when reducing the greenhouse gases blanketing the planet. Now that countering climate change is a global priority, everyone is encouraged to do their part to protect Mother Nature.
Fortunately, you don’t have to make massive changes to contribute. Tiny tweaks in some areas of your life can collectively instigate a significant shift toward a greener Earth. Here are 12 ways you can do so.
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Reduce Transportation-Related Emissions
Vehicles pollute streets with smog and soot, harming people’s health and releasing greenhouse gases that worsen climate change. The transportation industry is one of the major culprits of degraded air quality. Make these little shifts to decrease your emissions.
1. Use Public Transportation or Carpooling
Taking public transit or carpooling is convenient, and the vehicle’s carbon footprint is shared among several passengers, lowering the environmental impact of individual travel.
It’s cheaper than operating your own car. You also won’t have to worry about traffic jams, as some buses have priority lanes to avoid congested traffic.
2. Walk or Cycle to Stay Active
If you can get to your destination on foot, take the opportunity to get your heart pumping and increase your exercise level. Walking benefits your well-being and the planet. Doing it at least 20 minutes daily five times a week reduces sick days by 43%.
It also helps keep your weight in check and blunts your risk of chronic diseases like cancer. More importantly, it’s good for the planet since you don’t create emissions.
3. Align Your Wheels
This simple trick can improve gas mileage by up to 10%, trimming individual emissions by a significant volume. Technicians recommend keeping the wheels in good shape to sidestep premature wear, saving you money from having to replace tires early. A car is much safer to maneuver if the parts contacting the ground are even.
Temper Energy Consumption
Fossil fuels remain the dominant source of lighting up the world. Thanks to the universal shift to sustainability, people are switching to renewables, which slowly drives down coal’s share of the energy mix. Follow these tips to curb electricity-related pollution in your home.
4. Switch to LED Bulbs
These options consume less electricity than halogen or incandescent lightbulbs and last for years longer than their counterparts. Although switching to this energy-efficient solution will cost you upfront, what you pay now is only a fraction of what you could save in the long term. Wait until your current bulbs burn out before replacing them so you don’t spend unnecessarily.
5. Invest in Renewable Energy
Fossil fuels aren’t the only available source of energy, but utility providers heavily rely on them. Make a difference by switching to a cleaner option and installing solar or wind power systems in your home. Renewable energy is cheaper since the wind and sun are free. Installation does incur a hefty initial cost, but it translates to exponential savings in the future. It’s a one-time expense in exchange for decades of zero monthly bills.
6. Unplug Devices From the Source
Appliances on standby or that are turned off but remain plugged in consume electricity, which adds to your monthly bill. A TV uses 10% of its total power usage if plugged into the wall outlet. This is phantom power, also known as vampire or ghost load. Minimize electricity wastage by disconnecting the washer, blender and other electronic devices from the wall source when not in use.
Be Sustainably Mindful of Food Choices
Your nutritional choices tremendously impact the carbon emissions cloaking the atmosphere. Change how you eat and help combat rising temperatures worldwide.
7. Ease Off on Eating Meat
Animal agriculture generates 22% of total global greenhouse gas emissions. The demand for meat for human consumption is high, driving livestock farming to the extent it causes planet degradation. Reducing or going meatless is a healthier and wiser choice in shrinking meat products as the main food source and truncating emissions.
8. Eat Local and Buy Seasonal
Ingredients for local dishes are typically sourced within the area, which means lower travel miles and emissions associated with transporting them. Similarly, seasonal fruits and vegetables are more eco-friendly since they use fewer resources like water and pesticides to grow. Fresh harvests preserve their nutritional value, so they’re healthier when cooked or consumed.
9. Keep Food Waste at a Minimum
Each year, food loss and waste in the United States account for 170 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions, equal to the annual carbon emissions from 42 coal-fired power plants.
Planning your meals for the week is one way to downsize your household’s food waste. Create a grocery list so that when you shop, you only buy the right amount of ingredients you need for the next seven days. Moreover, don’t throw away your leftovers. Instead, search for recipes online to transform them into something new.
Manage Your Household Waste
A circular economy describes a business model where waste is converted into something useful, eliminating any by-product in the consumption loop. You can apply the same principle in your life to improve the planet. Control your household’s trash with these three practical ways.
10. Recycle
Instead of throwing away shampoo bottles, cardboard, paper towels or glass containers, take them to your local recycling stations where they can be converted into new products. If you have something that doesn’t belong in the recycling bin — for instance, old clothes — find a way to reuse them. Cut them into cleaning rags, pillows or bags. Be creative about reducing your waste.
11. Eliminate Single-Use Plastics
Landfills account for 14,4% of methane emissions in landfills, which is more potent than carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere.
Imagine how clean the air would be if everyone drank their coffee from mugs instead of nonrecyclable paper cups or brought their own stainless-steel straws. These small shifts to more sustainable consumption have a titanic impact on shrinking pollution and its effects on health and the environment.
12. Practice Composting
Feed fruit peels, kitchen scraps and leftovers to your garden and watch your herbs and vegetables bloom healthily. Composting can convert these organic materials into natural fertilizers. People often throw away biodegradables in landfills, but they rot and produce harmful gases that pollute the air and water.
Divert waste by learning how to compost. Simply gather eggshells, tea bags, coffee grounds and other kitchen scraps. Then, choose a space in your backyard for the compost pile. Finally, build the mix by layering greens and browns.
Turn the compost once every seven to 10 days to ensure it’s adequately aerated. Wait until it’s ready to use. Composting will minimize your food trash and at least slow down the rate at which air pollution spreads.
Reduce Carbon Emission by Making Small Changes
Everyone can help truncate carbon emissions by making small, conscious lifestyle decisions. For instance, swapping meat with vegetables can make a colossal difference in curbing the impact of livestock farming and improving pollution.
A sustainable planet is everyone’s responsibility, so it’s only fair that each person contributes and does their part in fighting climate change.