Making an Impact on the Environment- Beginner’s Guide
I don’t think it takes any reminding that global warming is a serious issue that needs to be addressed. I think often times we feel so overwhelmed by how big the problem that we feel helpless. But if individual actions caused the issue, then they can also be the solution. Like with other things in life, worrying about things you have no control over doesn’t help. You can only worry about things which you can influence, and I want to talk about three areas that can have a substantial impact on your carbon footprint which you can influence. They are:
The power of your wallet to make smart buying decisions which impact how businesses operate
The power of your habits
The power of your voice
“Between 60-80 percent of the impacts on the planet come from household consumption.” (Science Daily)
Of which, 80% of the impacts that can be attributed to consumers are not direct impacts, but are actually producing the goods and products that we buy. (Science Daily)
The decisions that you make have an impact on the environment. Your purchasing does have an impact, just check out these articles here, here, here, and here that mention how consumer pressure if forcing companies to change practices.
Now that you know your spending has an impact, next it’s best to understand what that impact actually is. That is by using a tool to evaluate your yearly carbon footprint like:
OR
Now that you know your footprint -what can you do to reduce it? I’ll highlight some ways below. In addition to the changes listed below you can buy carbon offsets which go to fund projects in developing countries. Similar to giving to a charity, but the donation pays for offsetting carbon emissions by funding wind, solar, and tree forestation projects in developing countries. This is a great way to be carbon neutral. But if you are buying your offset credits, make sure they are from a reliable source that enforces that what you give actually goes to the project as stated. Look for projects that are Green-E Climate certified. This is a third party testing to verify offsets. I purchased my offset credits through Gold Standard which undergoes rigorous verification process for offset credits. I not only wanted to offset my impact, but make a positive impact so I doubled my offset so that I am contributing to a more sustainable world. Purchasing carbon offsets are not as expensive as you might think. They range from $10-$20 per metric ton.
FOOD
One of the biggest things you can do to reduce your carbon footprint is change your diet. A typical American diet that incorporates meat and diary is very resource intensive. Around 40% of land used for agriculture in the US is for animal based products. With a growing population and demand for food, having more land available for feeding people that is not as resource intensive is important for sustaining a growing population. (IA State Article)
It is projected in the next few decades dairy and meat producers could surpass Exxon, BP, and Shell as the biggest climate producers if we keep current trends. (Grain)
Eating red meat can have 100 times the the environmental impact compared to plant based food. (NYT article) Consider eating a more Mediterranean diet will reduce emissions and also as additional health benefits (NYT article). I’ve personally noticed since switch to a pescatarian diet (vegetarian + fish) that I am less tired throughout the day.
If you’re not quite ready to make the full swap. Start buy replacing more red meats with chicken, and incorporate one or two days a week where you eat vegetarian. In addition to switching to more plant based foods, also consider buying local. Organic doesn’t necessarily reduce your carbon footprint, but buying local and in season does.
In addition to GHG emissions, food has a big impact on water use. Reducing meat consumption will have bigger impact than reducing shower times. To produce one pound of beef takes 1800 gallons of water, that would take a lot of showers to make up for those few burgers you ate this weekend. If you can’t cut out meat entirely, then look to chicken, it takes 518 gallons of water to produce a pound of chicken breast, which is still a lot when you think about it. This water consumption is not only related to meat, but dairy too. It takes 1000 gallons of water to produce a gallon of cows milk, while 300 gallons to produce a gallon of soy milk. But all alternatives are necessarily better. Almond milk, which has become a popular alternative, is very water-intensive. It takes 920 gallons of water to produce a gallon of almond milk. Almost 80% of which is grown in California which doesn’t receive a lot of rainfall, and relies on diminished groundwater wells and snowpack from the Sierra Nevadas. A less water-intensive option than almonds could be cashew, macadamia, or even pea milk. Peas are much less water-intensive than almonds, require less fertilizer in general, and have more protein than nuts. (Well and Good Article)
HOUSING
Sometimes when renting our buying, people only take into account the cost of what they buy, but there other factors to consider like gas for commuting and wear and tear if you live far from work and stores. Not to mention the cost of time driving around for errands, to work, and to go places. Opting to live in a walkable community will relieve stress of driving, help you get more exercise, and save time.
A house is the biggest expense we make and most of us stretch ourselves to get the nicest house we can afford. This not only creates more stress in our life, but more expenses in upkeep, utilities and property taxes. All those additional costs take away from other things that could better improve your quality of life like taking more trips, having more time with loved ones, and retirement savings. Having a smaller house that you can easily afford opens up oppurtinites elsewhere. Now I’m not suggesting we all go out and get tiny houses, although I do think its an interesting concept. But living below your means for housing and other areas allows for less financial stress and to be able to use that money for other things in life that are important. Especially during these current times, not having debt and being able to have money in savings for whatever comes next is very relieving.
Regardless of if you rent or own, look into switching to the renewable energy option through your utility if available. A number of utilities have the option of having your energy use to be from renewable resources.
If you own your home, look at evaluating your home for ways to improve your energy efficiency to increase the value, and also reduce energy costs. Improvements like more efficient appliances, replacing windows, adding insulation, and buying a smart thermostat save on utility bills, and can increase your homes value.
If you rent, look for apartments that are LEED certified, these buildings are designed to be more energy efficient which reduces your energy bill. Not to mention they have to use materials in construction that reduce VOC off-gassing which is harmful to your health.
TRANSPORTATION
8% of your personal carbon emissions come from transportation.
Driving -The biggest way to reduce your driving is not to drive in the first place obviously, but if you have to then limit your trips. I talk more about working from home below, and I already discussed living close to stores that you can walk to. But if you do have to drive, make sure your car has the correct amount of air in the tire, and put the car in cruise control when possible on the highway. If you are in the market for a new or used car. Consider a hybrid or full electric. There are a number of other articles which discuss how much you can save by doing so. Today there are so many options for electric or plug in hybrid cars that look great and are fuel efficient. I have a Ford Fusion plug in hybrid that I love. It has over the 75k miles and my average is 48 mpg. Thats almost double what my previous car was! I save a ton on gas and save on break pad replacement because the brakes aren’t always used since regenerative braking is used to slow down instead of break pads.
Flying- now this is a tough one since a lot of us travel for work, to see family or go on that trip to relieve stress. And while the industry is making some small improvements, airline travel is a big polluter, not to mention the poor air quality near an airport. One flight from LA to New York emits 20% of your car emissions for the year. Look at buying carbon offset credits to reduce impact. That same NY to CA flight would cost about $11 in carbon offset credits, which is a relatively small % of a overall cost of the plan ticket.
Sidenote: If you are looking to move, do not buy or rent near an airport or airport flight path. The air quality is those areas is bad for your health (NHS Article and MINNpost article)
LIFESTYLE
“The fashion industry produces 10% of all humanity’s carbon emissions, is the second-largest consumer of the world’s water supply, and pollutes the oceans with microplastics” (Business Insider)
Clothing is a huge polluter worldwide. And fast fashion is a big part of that. Clothing companies are churning out cheap new styles of outfits regularly. These clothes often don’t last more than a few washes. A better alternative to not regularly buying clothes is to invest in a capsule wardrobe. This is a set of well-made clothes that are more monotone that can work with a variety of outfit styles. Buying a limited set of well- made clothes can not only make you look stylish, but it also saves on clothing expenses in the long run. If you do opt to buy new, make sure to look for quality well- made pieces that won’t go out of style with the seasons, and who practice fair trade manufacturing. Check out the App Good On You, which provides ratings on how environmentally conscious a clothing brand is.
Shop Secondhand- What you buy makes up 26% of your personal emissions. Most of what you buy loses its value substantially over its life. For example, buying new furniture as you move can be quite expensive. Furniture is costly, and doesn’t hold its value. There are so many good deals to get furniture second hand. Just about all my furniture I own is second hand, and it looks great.
Minimalism- Look at embracing a minimalist lifestyle. In a consumerist country, there are so many things that we have that are not needed. Keeping things you barely use or having multiples of the same things not only takes up space, but has associated costs in maintaining everything and is a considerable pain packing if you have to move. Now everyone has their own take on what “minimalism” means. I take the approach of buying a few, high-quality pieces of goods that will last a long time. For anything that could be temporary, like furniture when you’re young, buy secondhand for cheap. I invest in a few key wardrobe pieces that look great and will last a long time like a nice suite, suede jacket, and boots.
Food-Reduce your food waste by not letting food go bad or having so much food in your refrigerator that you forget about some or can’t eat it all in time. This will cut down not only on the resources used to produce the food, but also from the methane emissions that occur when it is in a landfill. As opposed to composting, which allows the food to break down into a fertilizer properly. I usually try to go to the grocery store 2-3 times a week so I’m not keeping too much food in my refrigerator, and everything I have is fresh. Now you will likely have food scraps like apple cores. The suggestion for those is to get a compost bin. Some garbage companies pick up compost separately; if yours doesn’t there are several places that pick up or donate your compost.
7 Things to Do With Compost if You Don’t Garden
WORK
If the recent pandemic has taught us anything. It is that companies don’t need these big offices to have everyone in person to keep an eye on them to get work done. Most of us can do our jobs remotely. Commuting is not only costly, it also is a mental drain having to sit in traffic, which also increases stress levels. Consider going completely working from home or reducing how many times a week you go into the office. It’ll save time, money, and stress.
YOUR VOICE
"If you're doing your part, corporations and governments should be doing theirs."
Making your voice heard not only with your wallet, but also with your vote. Making sure to become knowledgeable about the policies that affect you, whether they be local or at the government level, and to vote for officials that take your health and wellbeing seriously.
Your changes make an impact, but it should not deflect from the fact that only 100 companies are responsible for 71% of the cause of pollution. The changes above are how to address climate change as you, the consumer, now I want to shift attention. It should not be solely up to the consumer to make changes. Corporations and governments need to follow suit. And only governments have the ability to keep corporations in check, consumer influence does have an impact, but governments carry the big stick, so to speak. It is the government’s job to protect its citizens. We, as voters, need to elect officials who will do so—also supporting the group of non-profits which keep an eye on corporations. Now I’m not saying corporations are evil, I work for one, but there needs to be checks and balances. A publicly traded Corporations first priority is to its shareholders and clients, not the citizens of the country it resides. Hence tax shelters, and significant political spending to get policies that benefit them which aren’t entirely illegal, but certainly not ethical.
Governments need to step in to regulate emissions, invest in renewable energy, and charge a carbon fee for emissions created. The emissions that corporations create have a cost to consumers, deplete resources for future generations, and cause health issues to individuals- are not adequately reflected in the prices of products they produce. If the real cost of the good or service were reflected, we would see a shift to a more circular economy, which is beneficial to everyone. Until environmental considerations are factored into their bottom line, sustainability for many will be a nice to have or a PR move. In a linear economy, you can only extract and dispose of resources without you replenishing for so long before we run out. We already see this with elements, minerals, and oil. Oil companies are attempting to drill in even more remote and hard to reach places than previously because we have already extracted from most of the easy to reach areas.
We need everyone to take action and responsibility from yourself, to governments, and corporations to do their part to make a difference to make everyone’s lives better.
Note: Now this is by no means a comprehensive list. But I want to list out some of the biggest things you can do that will make the most impact to improve your health, wellbeing, wallet, and protect our resources.
*I understand that not every person has the ability to make all these changes depending on their individual circumstances*
