The steps needed to solve climate change all from the comfort of your own home!
Despite there only being one Earth, humans have never excelled in acting responsibly toward caring for it. In our current situation, carbon dioxide in our atmosphere is at an all-time high, average wildlife populations have dropped 60% in just over 40 years and sea levels are shooting up faster than ever recorded (Wired, 2019).
Considering those distressing facts, you would likely assume people are actively pioneering toward change here. Nonetheless, the statistics regarding the health of our planet aren't improving anytime soon, and frankly, the majority of individuals should and can so easily do a lot better.
Psychological research of climate denial tells us that in many cases, climate change is too vast and scary of an idea to even process, and people use denial as a defence mechanism (Psychology Today, 2019)
However, with this very article, you will see that tackling climate change isn't as "scary" as it may come across, and that you have the power to make a massive difference which will help benefit your family in hundreds of years to come.
How you can make your mark on climate change prevention...
Reduce your energy usage and therefore reduce money lost on bills!
Small changes in relation to how much energy you consume daily will lead to a massive change over the course of a year, which will not only save you cash, but also greatly cut down your carbon footprint. Wrapping up warm, using energy efficient bulbs and making a subconscious effort to turn off unused lights and appliances are all such easy tasks yet so effective.
"Lighting accounts for around 15% of an average home's electricity use, and the average household saves about $225 in energy costs per year by using LED lighting." - Energy Saver
If the idea of cutting bills further sounds appealing to you then ensuring the house is properly insulated and switching to a sustainable green tariff energy supplier will also both help you save on your heating spending.
Minimizing waste through minimizing consumption
Simply by avoiding single-use items such as:
- Plastic bags
- Plastic straws
- Plastic bottles
- Foam takeaway food containers
- Disposable utensils
How can this be achieved?
Through buying unpackaged food you not only dodge the challenge of finding a nearby bin, but also reduce waste. If this proves unsuccessful, then buying paper-packaged products over plastic-packaged ones will also benefit our beautiful planet.
Additionally, by investing in reusable coffee mugs, containers and straws you will reduce your carbon footprint as a consequence, while also having an easy way of carrying your food and drinks around.
Worldwide, one trillion single-use plastic bags are used each year, nearly 2 million each minute.
Americans discard 2.5 million plastic bottles every hour.
via Ukonserve
Protect and nurture the surrounding nature
Green spaces within cities are vital for reducing pollution and can limit the phenomenon known as the urban heat island effect.
What is the urban heat island effect?
The heat that is generated through people, shops, transport and other human activities becomes trapped within narrow roads and any nearby concrete structures. Therefore this prevents this heat from escaping into the atmosphere leading to an increase in temperature roughly 3-4°C higher than surrounding areas with more greenery such as the countryside.
By looking after the greenery in these busier areas you can help offset the chance of this being an issue.
In addition growing your own plants and trees will help make your garden stand out from your neighbours but will also help battle climate change. The other benefits include reduced noise pollution, improved mental well-being, reduced stress, and in some cases trees will provide fresh fruit to enjoy.
Switch up your mode of transport
Through avoiding using your car when possible, there are numerous benefits. The fumes from cars have been proven from studies to affect the health of unborn babies and increase the risk of dementia, on top of the negative impacts to our environment.
Using the train or bus can help you avoid falling victim to the rising petrol prices and will also allow you to appreciate the beauty of your local area more, improving your morale and reducing stress.
"Trains emit the lowest of CO2 per passenger mile at 177 grams per passenger mile. Buses come in at 299 grams per mile, second-worst only to cars at 371 grams" - governing.com
Finally, for those shorter trips, walking or cycling is advised by scientists. The time you spend doing these has research to support the idea that they improve mental health and clear your head. If you don't believe us, give it a go yourself and experience the benefits first hand!
Word of mouth
Merely just mentioning your efforts in tackling climate change to your friends, family or anyone you bump into can help inspire and motivate people to follow in your footsteps and get the ball rolling.
Not only that but hopefully the ideas from this you find worthy of sharing with others too. Together we can take down climate change and pioneer a better future, so what are you waiting for? That tree won't plant itself!