More extreme weather, rampant wildfires, and hotter, longer summers are sounding the alarm bells. Climate change isn’t a decades-away event. It’s happening now. As nations and people deal with the effects of global warming, the planet’s survival is an increasing concern.
Without a well-functioning ecosystem, humans could join the list of endangered species. There’s little doubt about the need to change the systems and resources people use. Nonetheless, you may wonder what you can do. After all, elected leaders are ultimately responsible for setting public policy — and wealthy donors tend to have the most sway on Capitol Hill.
You might not be able to bring about huge, immediate changes. But there are smaller steps you can take to make a difference. By focusing on your circle of influence, you can help fight climate change in these five ways.
5 Ways You Can Help Fight Global Warming
1. Reduce Your Use of Energy
Without energy, you can’t live comfortably in your home. The larger your space is, the greater your energy use. You might think you can’t do much about this unless you radically downsize or decide to live off the grid. While these moves are admirable, they’re not practical for most.
Fortunately, you can modify your home and adopt new habits. Energy-efficient appliances are a start, especially heating and cooling systems. Hands down, your furnace and air conditioner are responsible for most of your home’s energy use. You may have heard that using smart thermostats and high-efficiency equipment can reduce energy consumption. While this is true, other options can help you save more.
Consider a split unit AC, which only cools the rooms you choose. Unlike central air conditioning, a split unit doesn’t control the temperature in the entire house. You consume less electricity because you’re cooling less space. Split systems also tend to have higher efficiency ratings than central units, so you can further reduce your carbon footprint.
2. Change Your Diet
Removing meat and dairy products from your diet may sound extreme at first. If you’ve enjoyed steak and cheese most of your life, you might not want to give these foods up. But going vegan or vegetarian can have an impact on the environment. Even reducing the amount of meat and dairy products in your meals can make a difference.
Research shows that plant-based diets can cut greenhouse gas emissionsby 49% and reduce agriculture-related land use by 76%. Of course, it will take a collective effort to realize these statistics. Yet with more plant-based alternatives arriving in supermarkets, it’s easier to switch. Everything from oat milk to vegan “chicken” strips is readily available.
It may take some experimentation to find plant-based products that suit your taste. For instance, you may discover you prefer yogurt made with almond milk to coconut milk varieties. Regardless, purchasing fewer meat and dairy products sends a message to food manufacturers. You’re voting with your pocketbook while reducing demand for environmentally harmful farm factory practices.
3. Switch Your Investments
Your investment portfolio could be supporting fossil fuel companies. Another way to vote with your dollar is to transition your nest egg to non-fossil-fuel-backed funds. This may be trickier if you have investments in retirement target date or mutual funds, but it can be done.
Of course, you can research environmentally responsible investment choices on your own. However, you might find it’s easier to work with a financial advisor who specializes in green investing. This way, you can be more confident you’re not inadvertently backing fossil-fuel-friendly organizations.
Known as fossil fuel divestment, switching your portfolio in this manner can make a statement. For one, it cuts off a funding source for conventional fuel development. Divestment can also help fund the expansion of renewable energy. In addition, modifying your portfolio backs companies committed to pulling collective investments from big oil.
4. Buy Smarter
Every person is a consumer, making everyday purchases ranging from clothing to vehicles. Each item you buy is something you either use or waste. Look at your closet, for example. How many clothes and shoes do you regularly wear? There are probably some items you hardly touch.
Buying fewer products to reduce waste is one way to support the environment. Less waste means those unused items don’t end up in landfills, causing methane emissions. You can also purchase what you need more sustainably. You can shop secondhand and replace your gas-powered car with an electric or hybrid one.
If you have landscaping to maintain, choose electric lawn tools. Battery-powered lawnmowers, snowblowers, and edgers don’t require gas and thus don’t emit carbon dioxide and other pollutants. They’re also easier to maintain since you don’t have to take them in for tune-ups. After each use, you charge up the battery for the next time. As a bonus, some electric lawn tools emit less noise than gas-powered versions, which your neighbors will appreciate.
5. Get Involved
A single individual may not influence public policy much, but when people come together to support an initiative, they make headway. You can join national organizations committed to fighting global warming, and you may find local ones, too. These organizations often sponsor climate-friendly legislation at the federal and state levels.
An example is the recent passing of legislation to establish a green bank in Minnesota. The bank will devote $45 million toward local clean energy projects. Some of the money will likely come from the federal Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. Those involved in climate change organizations move the needle by advocating passage of environmentally responsible regulations.
Climate change advocacy orgs demonstrate general leadership on the issues by educating policymakers and the public about the importance of policy change. Members give presentations about the urgency of global warming’s harmful effects on the planet. They talk about why change is necessary and offer different ways everyone can help. Furthermore, these organizations alert the public about what’s hindering meaningful policy change at the local, federal, and global levels.
The Fight Against Climate Change
One person going up against the status quo doesn’t seem likely to have much impact. But as the realities of climate change sink in, people are more likely to become motivated to do something to effect change. As citizens become more committed to environmentally responsible action, leaders in the public and private sectors will have no choice but to step up.
