As climate change and environmental segregation become increasingly imminent, many are left wondering how they can change their lifestyles to reduce their carbon footprint. While there are many ways to protect natural environments and prevent climate change, one of the most urgent actions to take is to reduce one’s carbon footprint. A carbon footprint is the numerical value of one’s carbon emissions, calculated by taking into account things like one’s transportation methods, diet, travel and consumption habits. By making minor changes in your daily habits, you can reduce your carbon footprint. If as many people can implement these changes into their lives, the world can make strides in preventing climate change and protecting natural environments from pollution.
1. Public transportation
One of the easiest ways to reduce your carbon footprint is to utilize public transportation. American culture has ingrained the ideals of owning a car, but European cities like Paris and London have proved the ineffectiveness of every citizen owning their own vehicle. Cars, or infrastructure for cars like roads and parking lots, take up space that can be utilized in other ways, like for public parks and reforested areas. The emissions produced by transportation make up roughly one fourth of the planet’s carbon emissions, so utilizing public transportation can help reduce your contribution to air pollution and climate change. While public transportation may seem few and far between in the U.S., there are still public bus services in most cities, as well as school buses for public schools to reduce the need of owning a car. Carbon free transportation methods are also a great option, such as biking or walking!
2. Reducing meat consumption
The agriculture industry is responsible for a third of the globe’s carbon emissions. The main perpetrator in the agriculture industry is meat production, mainly beef products. Cows intended to be slaughtered are fed grain, a type of feed that cows are not meant to eat according to their biologically-determined diets. As a result, cows produce methane as a byproduct of eating grain, a greenhouse gas far more potent than carbon. The meat industry is undeniably a perpetrator in global warming, so a simple way to avoid the blame for these emissions is to reduce your meat consumption. By eating less meat, you can stop giving money to a super-emitter sector like the meat industry and reduce your carbon footprint.
3. Compost
Another easy way to reduce your carbon footprint is to compost. When natural, carbon based materials like food scraps or paper are thrown away, they are sent to landfills. When enormous piles of these scraps are piled up, they are sequestered from oxygen, therefore, when they decompose, they produce methane. To avoid contributing to this unsustainable cycle, you can compost your food scraps and other natural waste materials. Composting mimics the natural environments in which things decompose in, using insects or worms, ruffage like leaves and sticks, dirt and bacteria to turn natural waste back into soil. This soil is nutrient rich, meaning it can be used in home gardens or even sold for a profit. Composting is an easy way to implement sustainable habits into your daily life, and even turn a profit from your garbage
4. Buy used clothes
As micro-trends and internet fads become increasingly popular and sought after, fast fashion has become a formidable enemy against sustainability. Fast fashion brands use cheap fabrics like polyester, a form of plastic, to cut costs at the expense of sustainability. These cheap clothing items are often found in landfills once they are no longer trendy, but they are not biodegradable. Factories that produce fast fashion clothing also emit significant amounts of carbon, making the fast fashion industry a major problem. To avoid contributing to the problem, buy secondhand clothing. There are so many ways to find cheap, unique styles by thrifting, and it is a great way to avoid shopping fast fashion! Online thrifting is also an easy way to find specific items on apps like Depop, Curtsy or Poshmark.
5. Be mindful of consumption
In general, people tend to buy more than they need. Simply being more cautious when making purchases can help you reduce your carbon footprint by reducing your consumption levels. For example, opt for a reusable water bottle instead of buying single use plastic bottles. Or, you could opt for home grown/home cooked meals instead of purchased ones that are often too big of portions and end up being wasted. While online shopping makes purchases easy and almost mindless, being mindful about every purchase can not only help you be more sustainable, but can also help you save money! Another tip to stay sustainable when traveling is to pay your carbon offsets which you can do at various charities and organizations. These organizations first find your carbon output from a trip, taking into account flights/transportation and accommodations, and calculate the cost to cancel out these offsets through carbon capture, planting trees, etc.
