Climate change is a real issue, but it is not irreversible. To combat it, several steps can be taken to reduce your ecological footprint. Here are five that work together and that any household can begin this month.
1. Learn the five Rs
Refuse, reduce, reuse, resell and recycle. Generating zero waste is a powerful way to help combat climate change. Practise the five Rs of zero waste by avoiding plastic and paper products where you can, saying no thank you, and opting for reusable items instead.
Refusing comes first because it prevents waste before it exists. Our long list of over a hundred easy strategies to prevent waste production is built around that order.
2. Ride your bike more and drive less
Traditional cars produce a lot of emissions, which pollute the air and carry toxins that affect human health. Challenge yourself to drive less and cycle more. Cycling requires far less energy than manufacturing a car, and it keeps you fit at the same time.
If you cannot bike to work, take public transport. Leaving fewer cars on the road instantly reduces emissions.
3. Save water and protect waterways
Reducing water use matters because there is a limited amount of fresh water on the planet. About 96.5 percent of the planet’s water is too salty for human consumption, and two thirds of the remaining fresh water is held in polar ice, glaciers and permanent snow.
To save water and preserve waterways, practise the five Rs in the bathroom: turn the tap off while brushing, take shorter showers, and do not flush things down the toilet that belong in a bin. Avoid soaps and detergents full of toxins, and organise or join a cleanup in your local community.
4. Buy seasonal, local and plant based
Opt for reusable items and support local farmers by buying seasonal, local and plant based products. Food that travels a short distance and arrives without packaging carries a far lighter footprint than imported goods wrapped in plastic. The room by room swaps in our ultimate guide to live without plastic show how far this can go.
5. Switch to clean and sustainable energy
End our dependence on fossil fuels by switching to renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, hydropower and geothermal energy. Practical steps include installing solar panels on your roof, joining a community solar farm, signing up for energy saving programmes, reducing electricity consumption, investing in energy efficient products and choosing an electric car when it is time to replace the old one.
The five strategies reinforce each other. Choose the one that is easiest where you live, make it normal, then layer the next one on top.
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