9 Steps to reduce your carbon footprint
Co-authors: Anindita Bhattacharjee & Varun George
In a world where climate change, planting more trees, reducing your carbon footprint, cutting down emissions, and global warming are constantly being talked about — what can you do to make a difference? According to the Paris agreement countries across the world have agreed to limit global warming temperature to 2 degrees centigrade and below. As countries try to meet this target, here are 9 steps that you could start practicing.
1. Zero Waste Living
Get into the zero waste living with the Reduce, Reuse and Recycle or the RRR mantra. Zero waste = Redesigning the life cycles of resources in a way that all products are used and nothing is wasted. At the start trying to live a zero waste lifestyle can be a little overwhelming but, with practice it gets better.
A good example where you can begin is by reusing old clothes (towels, tee shirts, bed sheets etc.) to be used as a mop, duster, hand towel, replacement for cleaning wipes and more.
2. Slow Fashion
We all love a good bargain, don’t we? Especially when it comes to buying clothes — end of season sales, buy 2 get 1 free are bargains that can’t be ignored and how many times have you bought clothes and ended up not even remembering you bought them or realised that they were out of fashion.
Many of us are unaware that the fashion industry is responsible for huge carbon footprints. Buy from brands that make durable clothes, pay fair wages to their workers and consciously monitor their factory’s pollution level whilst adopting cleaner technologies. Buying only when you need clothes, encouraging thrift shopping are other ways to adopt slow fashion.
3. Clean Foods
The meat and dairy industry account for almost 15% of the total GHG emissions and is responsible for a huge carbon footprint. When it comes to food most of us make easier choices like choosing packed, frozen and ready made over cooking fresh food not realising that these too contribute significantly to the carbon footprint. But, the good news is you can stall this and stay healthy.
The healthier option to reduce your meat and dairy consumption, eat locally sourced, seasonal fruits and vegetables that require no or minimal transportation and no additional packaging. Food also tastes better when it is fresh from the farm to your table.
4. Invest in green
Green investment is supporting and investing in projects which are sustainable and make a positive impact on people and the planet. Invest in bonds of companies that support green projects (wind farms, solar projects).
Support industries that have impactful green initiatives (like waste reduction, using power from renewable sources) in their plans.
Remember to use the most responsible bank that meets your needs. Your bank is essentially making investments on your behalf, so find out where those investments are going.
5. Responsible travel
Another easier and healthier option to cut down on your carbon footprint would be:
- Choosing public transport over your own transport when you commute to work.
- Riding a bicycle and walking when going out on small errands. This ensures that you get good exercise and helps you stay fit.
- Reducing air travel and making use of virtual facilities whenever possible.
6. Speak up
One of the ways to make a positive impact is by creating awareness.
- If you work with policy, enforce laws that ensure that GHG emissions are kept in check and clean tech is adopted.
- If you are an executive at a company then make some noise to ensure people are aware of greener choices and chalk out simple methods to follow them.
- If you are a homemaker then you can spread awareness about the significance of waste segregation and composting.
- If you are a kid, nudge your parents to safeguard the planet.
7. Composting
Long before plastic and artificial fertilizers were available, manure and household organic waste were used as fertilizers. Most of us who live in the city think that composting is not possible (the stench and where to do it) if you live in apartments. But, you can and people in your house would not even be aware of it. Using closed bins is one way to compost your household organic waste.
The best part is you can use the compost to create your own green space and grow your perfect bell pepper. The experience of growing your own food can be very satisfying.
8. Living off the land
The trend to live in smaller towns and tier 2 cities has seen an increase in the last few years. This has been proved to be true in the pandemic where people packed and left for their hometowns and many do not want to return.
Growing your own food, living a simple lifestyle that is devoid of the hustle bustle of the city is what many are choosing to do.
9. We must be answerable
To not have kids because we do not want the next generation to step into a damaged earth is not a solution.
Children are a reflection of their parents and the onus is on us to ensure they are guided well. Teach them to use minimal things that in turn becomes a habit. The best part is you just need to teach one kid and he would teach his peers.
You always have a choice to make, and what you choose is who you become.
