By Sarah Kirsh
In our modern world of drastic climate change and damaging monster companies, it can be hard to think our individual actions can impact the planet. While one individual might not solve the entire climate crisis, if many individuals make small changes in their daily lives, a large beneficial impact can be made. It all comes down to your carbon footprint: the number of greenhouse gases created and emitted by humans or an individual. In the United States, the mean carbon footprint per person is 16 tons of greenhouse gases. While this average is pretty high, the global average is around 4 tons per person. To save our planet, we must increase our carbon footprint here in the US. Here are some simple and easy ways to decrease your carbon footprint and love our planet.
One quick source of carbon emissions and greenhouse gasses is from cars. Reducing car usage is hard if you drive to work every day or drive as your job. Again, helping the climate and the planet is about small changes. Try combining errands to one store or take a walk around your neighborhood with a friend rather than going on a long drive. If you can't drive less, drive easier. Less spreading up and hitting the breaks can reduce emissions and increase efficiency. Bonus: paying for gas less often. Another option is carpooling or public transport. This decreases the emissions for one particular person and can be as easy as sending a text. Another fraction of a carbon footprint comes from the food on your plate. Meat and dairy production releases a large number of greenhouse gases compared to fruits, vegetables, or grains. While going completely vegetarian or vegan may not be possible, decreasing meat intake at one meal a week is a great first step. Food decisions can also lead to food waste. With careful planning or composting, decreasing food waste is one easy step to help the planet. Outside of food waste, there is also general waste. Everyone has heard the saying “reduce, reuse, and recycle,” but this is highly accurate. Reduce what you don’t need to use such as plastic utensils or excess plastic packaging. Look up the local recycling regulations for your county. Oftentimes, recycling dumpsters are easily accessible or your city may even pick them up with the trash. Beyond plastic, paper, steel, tin, glass, batteries, and more can be recycled.
Lastly, your power as a consumer extends beyond food and clothing. Shopping that is damaging to the planet and your carbon footprint is called “fast fashion.” This cheap clothing is made in bulk in foreign countries. Think stores like H&M, Shein, or Forever 21. The production and shipping of fast fashion create a lot of carbon emissions. Additionally, when these clothes are not bought and the next fashion trend arises, these clothes are dumped in landfills. Instead of shopping fast fashion, buy from smaller stores or even better thrift clothes. All in all, buying less clothing or any product creates less waste, uses less energy, and decreases your carbon footprint.
Solving the climate crisis is not going to happen overnight. With the complexities of a modern economy, we cannot immediately get rid of the massive greenhouse gasses emitters and plants. As such, it falls on individuals to decrease their carbon footprint and collectively improve our planet. Making these small changes are easy but can make a huge difference in the direction of climate change.
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