Climate change is such an overarching concept that it is hard for me sometimes to really think about what I can do to make a difference. There are so many things that ultimately have an effect on the climate and many of the things I am capable of controlling in my personal life don’t seem like they will really make a dent. I am a firm believer that even though my individual efforts may not create a lot of change, that if every individual decided to do their part our collective efforts could have a huge impact.
This blog is not going to go into the science of climate change and the science behind what causes those changes. If you want to learn more or get clarification on any terms or concepts in this blog I highly encourage you to do some research and learn more for yourself. Just being educated is a great way to help make a difference as well.
Here are some things that I find help me to add my efforts to the collective. Some are definitely much easier than others, but whether you choose to implement all of these or only some you’re helping. I will admit am not perfect at doing these 100% of the time so just know any small effort at all will help.
1. SUPPORT COMPANIES THAT SUPPORT THE EARTH.
As of August 2019 Forbes released a list of companies that had vowed to make changes in their businesses to be more environmentally friendly and curb climate change. Most of the ones on that list are big name brands and there may be changes since that publication or additions so still do your own research. Although it is awesome to see big name brands making commitments towards sustainability I have found that supporting local businesses is a great way to help reduce the overall carbon footprint of what you are purchasing. Ultimately I try and support brands and companies that align with my beliefs. Again I am not perfect and personally this is something that I am still working on being better at.
2.TRY TO EAT MORE SUSTAINABLY.
I am not a vegan. I’m not even a vegetarian. However, I do try to reduce the amount of meat I consume whenever possible. I have friends that preach on the vegan train. By no means do I think that they are crazy or never make valid points because most of the time they do but I think it is also important to remember that every little bit counts. It doesn’t have to be an all or nothing. I personally am not a huge carnivore so cutting out meat the majority of the time isn’t all that difficult for me. I will eat it every once in a while. If you aren’t like me and cutting out meat isn’t as easy for you try to maybe cut it out of certain meals, like lunches, or maybe try not to eat any for a day or two during the week. Personally my bigger issue with the meat industry is the large industry itself. I feel like if local farmers and ranchers were supported enough to be the main source of our meat we probably wouldn’t have this issue with big industry livestock. So if you can get your meat, dairy, fish, etc. from a sustainable source or even catch it yourself then I think that can be a great way to help reduce support for an industry that is contributing to climate change. Also supporting local farmers at markets is a great way to get quality food that was sustainably produced.
3. WATCH YOUR ENERGY.
There has been a big shift in the energy industry towards more sustainable sources like wind and water but, often those options are still very pricey. A great way I save money for myself but also help reduce my use of energy is just by keeping things turned off. I am lucky to have a lot of natural light in my place so I try to avoid turning the lights on as much as possible during the day. At night I only have lights on in the room that I am actually in. This might sound like a classic sort of elementary school answer to ways you can help but why not stick with the easy stuff.
4. USE GREEN TRANSPORT.
Right now we are in an unprecedented time where we are being encouraged to stay home as much as possible but there are some ways that, once this is all over, can help out the planet. I find that I don’t bike or take public transportation nearly as much as I used to prior to having a car here in Hawaii. Those are two things I should probably get back to utilizing more but there are some things I try to do or avoid when it comes to my car. I try to avoid going out all the time for things one at a time. If I have errands to run or things I need to get done I do my best to run them all at once. By taking care of everything all together I am helping reduce the actual distance of travel and potentially emissions by my car. Instead of going from my house to the store, then back to my house, then out to a new store and back I am cutting out all the trips back and forth. I definitely use my car more than I should but there are little things you can do to try and reduce the use as best as possible.
5. SPEAK UP.
Be vocal about the changes that you want to see. Vote for those that represent your beliefs. The more people that are helping to bring awareness and offer solutions to the climate crisis, the better our chances of actually making any difference. I try my best to share things that I find helpful to the planet but there’s definitely more I could be sharing.
6. START SMALL.
Even if you and a few friends decide to all do one thing that is better for the earth and share about it then that helps. People love to be led by example and I am sure that when people see you being more sustainable it might inspire them as well.
Again, I am no where near perfect and even the things I’ve shared in this blog I still need to work on implementing more. Don’t be discouraged. Try and pick just one thing (or more if you are feeling ambitious) to do differently that might benefit the planet. Encourage others to do the same. It doesn’t have to be an all or nothing change. Climate change is a huge issue. Remember every little effort counts and the earth thanks you for your efforts.
Learn about easy ways you can reduce your plastic use here.