Governments and businesses need to step forward to help reverse the reality of climate change. For the public to help make a positive impact and change the course of action, simple changes can make a big difference.
There are currently 17 Sustainable Development Goals to transform the planet.
These include:
No poverty
Zero hunger
Good health and well-being
Quality education
Gender equality
Clean water and sanitation
Affordable and clean energy
Decent work and economic growth
Industry innovation and infrastructure
Reduced inequalities
Sustainable cities and communities
Responsible consumption and production
Climate action
Life below water,
Life on land
Peace, justice and strong institution
Partnership‘s for the goals
Everyone can make an effort and do their part to help the planet become cleaner and be well preserved. This can include making sustainable fashion and food choices. WWF propose ‘10 TIPS FOR EATING FOR THE PLANET’, these include: eating more plants, more variety, using you voice, making responsible seafood choices, cutting the waste, growing your own food, looking for products containing RSPO palm oil, getting the GIKI mobile app, passing on plastic and eating what’s in season.
“Every day we make choices in our lives that affect the environment, the climate and other species.” - biologicaldiversity.org
Reduce, reuse, recycle
Everyone has heard the saying “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle“ but do people actually think twice before shopping? The choices we make when consuming are still important, if not more important today. Everything we consume and purchase has an environmental footprint. This is a method promoted by the Global Footprint Network to measure human demand on natural capital. It means that when you purchase an item, its materials have caused pollution emitted during manufacturing, and this packaging is what ends up in landfills. When you next make a purchase, consider buying gently used instead of new, and look for less packaging and shipping when buying online.
A lot has changed over the years regarding plastic, with many companies switching from plastic to other alternatives regarding straws, bags and bottles. With plastic never going away, it still fills our oceans evidently killing sea life, and endangering them to point of extinction. To start by making individual changes, you can cut down on your plastic waste by using reusable bags when shopping, shop locally, cut down on online shopping, and if you must choose ‘less packaging’ options if the site has them, and cut down on using single-use plastic.
Another thing that can help preserve the planet is changing the way you choose to get around. Changing from driving to walking, biking, carpool or public transportation can massively reduce your carbon footprint. The government‘s legally binding target is an 80% cut by 2050, but this won’t happen if change doesn’t happen now.
Labels. Labels. Labels. Paying attention to labels can really make a difference when shopping. Purchasing Fair Trade certified foods and goods will support companies dedicated to sustainability. Buying organic food, although slightly more expensive, will keep harmful pesticides off land and in water which will ensure wildlife protection.
Saving the planet
In order to transform our world, the exploitation of factory workers, polluting of waters and oceans, deforestation, overconsumption and throw-away culture needs to change. COVID-19 temporarily reduced emissions, but as the world emerged from a state of lockdown, an inevitable rise took place and to stop it from reaching the same heights as before, radical action needs to be taken.
Consumer action isn’t the only way of slowing down and stopping climate change, as everyone needs to make an effort, including governments and industries. But, “households are responsible for two-thirds of all direct and indirect emissions” says Maciej Kolaczkowski.
Most of the world’s governments agree and are committed to the climate change movement. A growing number of companies are now putting actions in place, and planning their goals to achieve net-zero emissions. But everyone needs to help. We need to eat more plants, be water wise, drive less, go plastic free and use our voices.
Promoting sustainable consumption is just as important as providing markets for sustainable products. Sustainability is key to a better future. Ignoring sustainability can lead to the exhaustion of natural resources. “A sustainable lifestyle minimizes ecological impacts while enabling a flourishing life for individual, households, communities, and beyond.”