As of May 2020, the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide is at the highest it has ever been in human history. And, despite a La Niña event, the ocean-atmospheric phenomenon which usually cools things down, 2020 has turned out to be one of the hottest years on record. So, it’s more important than ever to think sustainably and work on reducing our carbon footprint. But what exactly is a carbon footprint? Well, it’s the amount of carbon dioxide that is released into the atmosphere by the activities of a particular person, company, or community. In short, it’s incredibly important with regards to staying eco-friendly and tackling global warming. While it might seem overwhelming, we have three easy tips to help you quickly reduce your carbon footprint.
Get Your Cycle On
A great way to reduce your carbon footprint is to switch up your transport. As a major user of the world’s petroleum and a big contributor to air pollution, cutting down on car use is essential for creating a cleaner planet. While we know it may not be possible for everyone to suddenly switch to biking to work, we highly recommend looking into changing up your transport. This could even mean lift sharing or cycling to the supermarket instead of taking the bus.
Support Reforestation
As the primary contributor to climate change, deforestation is an important issue that needs to be addressed by everyone. You might be thinking, “that’s great, but surely I can’t just go out and plant a bunch of trees in my garden?” Well, while you might not be able to go around planting trees in every spare bit of soil you can find, but we’re here to tell you that there’s someone who can. Reforestation programs allow you to pay a monthly fee and take accountability for your carbon. For example, for every $10 spent, the company will plant 10 trees. This is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint, without having to make any drastic lifestyle changes. So, next time someone asks, “but how can I reduce my carbon footprint?” You can respond with, “reforestation!”
Switch Out Single Use Plastic
While recycling is a must, the process of breaking down plastic or glass bottles can still be extremely polluting. Therefore, we suggest avoiding single use plastics, and switching to longer-lasting materials. For example, switch out your plastic water bottle to a glass one which can be used for a longer time period. Additionally, you may want to try shops which use less plastic packaging and/or buying loose fruits and vegetables. If you’re willing to go one step further, you could also invest in some beeswax wraps – these are a great alternative to the classic aluminum or Saran wrap, and can be used multiple times.
While reducing your carbon footprint may seem like an overwhelming task, it doesn’t have to be. Small lifestyle changes can make a huge difference, and often don’t mean much change to your normal routine.
