By Kristine Solomon & Lela Nargi
Yes, big changes are needed, but little ones add up. These simple lifestyle choices can reduce your carbon footprint—and make a major impact.
It’s pretty easy being green
Scientists around the world are in almost unanimous agreement that our planet is facing a catastrophic climate crisis. Carbon emissions and greenhouse gases are on the rise and wreaking havoc on the Earth’s atmosphere, and experts believe that human activity is largely responsible. When Earth Day rolls around every year, we’re reminded of how dire the situation is and feel spurred to action, especially after reading some inspiring Earth Day quotes. But, of course, instead of simply sharing these sorts of things on social media, we need to figure out exactly how to help the environment every day.
While instituting environmental changes on a grand scale would help reverse the problem, the little things do add up. And right now, most of us are definitely on the wrong path. Research shows that each of us needs to get our carbon footprint down to 1.87 tons per year by 2050 to make a meaningful difference. (In the United States, we’re currently averaging a whopping 18.3 tons apiece.) To reduce your carbon footprint, first, calculate what it is and then try making the small changes suggested in this article. These 31 ways to help the environment are so easy, you’ll wonder why you didn’t try them before.
RELATED: Earth Day Quiz: How Well Do You Know Our Earth?
Change your eating habits
We don’t need crazy ideas to save the planet. One way to help the environment is by reducing your food waste, and all you need to do is use a smaller plate. Seriously. It’s really true that our eyes are (metaphorically) bigger than our stomachs, and by tricking ourselves into taking less, we decrease our chances of serving more than we can reasonably eat. And there’s no shame in going back for seconds! Learning to love leftovers is another way to waste less. Almost anything you can cook or order in will taste just as good, or even better, the next day. Plus, there’s the added benefit of providing an extra meal or two that you didn’t have to cook on a busy evening or spend extra money to buy.
Bought too much at the bulk discount store? Considering donating unopened, unused items to a food pantry or slipping them into one of the numerous community fridges that have popped up during the pandemic to help our neighborhoods. You can also donate extra produce you’ve grown to organizations like Ample Harvest, as well as learn how to compost what you can’t eat or donate. Here’s where else you can donate practically anything.
