5 ways to have a very GREEN new year!
With global warming becoming an ever-pressing problem, many people are thinking about making a change this New Year for the planet. If you’re hoping to reduce your impact this year, here are 5 awesome tips to help you lower your carbon footprint.
Ditch Single Use Plastic
You don’t have to completely abstain from plastics to make a difference. Even if you just swap out one item, the difference can be huge. A great example is water. If you drink a single bottle of water every day, replacing those water bottles with a reusable one you refill can prevent 365 plastic bottles from entering the waste flow.
Other simple swaps include using reusable grocery bags, coffee cups, and straws. Although each one represents a small amount of plastic, together they can add up to a huge reduction in plastic.
Use Alternative Transports
If you are blessed to live in an area that is walkable, try walking or biking to work or the store. Every time you use your feet, a bicycle, or public transportation you are helping the environment. This isn’t always possible. Busses don’t go to rural areas, and if there’s no sidewalks or bike lanes, alternative transport can be dangerous.
Speak Up about Issues
If you don’t live in a walkable area, or there is some other huge reason why you can’t—talk to your local politicians about it. A sidewalk could be just one letter addressing the issue away. Not only will this benefit you but lots of other people too.
Turn off the Lights
Saving energy can help reduce your own costs and lower emissions too—especially if your energy is made using dirty fossil fuels. Power down your computer when you won’t be using it for a while, shut off the lights if you’re not on the room, and unplug appliances if you’re not using them. This benefits everyone, including the planet.
Try Carbon Offsets
Carbon Offsets should never be the full answer to our environmental issues but they can be a great start. A carbon offset is where your money goes to reducing carbon emissions somewhere else, to make up for your own. It might go to preserving a piece of rainforest that was about to be cut down, or making lighter car parts that reduce fuel consumption.
These are a great way to make up for the emissions you can’t reduce.
Bonus Tip: Choose Wisely
The changes you keep are the ones that aren’t a burden on you. If you hate cleaning with rags and just want your paper towels back, you’ll likely give up on the habit after a few weeks. The habits that stick around for a lifetime either make your life better or are no different from your traditional alternative.
There are lots of ways to help the planet. If a particular carbon-reducing strategy doesn’t work for you, try a different one. Even a small step makes a difference. Reducing our impact is a journey and you don’t have to make that leap all in one go.