The One-Hour Eco Warrior
3 ways to tread lighter on the planet without changing your way of life
We need you to save the world. Yes, you.
You can help in a bigger way than you think.
Never fear, I’m not going to ask you to walk 3 miles to work, buy all your clothes at Oxfam or make your family go vegan. Those things would help mind you, but not nearly as much as you might expect.
As it turns out, the most efficient ways to fight climate change and reduce your carbon footprint are way easier to manage than giving up toilet paper or reusing your ziplock bags. Those things never really stop being greasy, do they?
So, what if you could drastically reduce your impact on the planet in 1 hour flat and without breaking the bank?
Let me show you how.
Keep shopping on Amazon… with a twist.
Time commitment: 30 seconds or so
Let’s be honest.
As much as we may have against Jeff Bezos and his race to Mars, there’s no denying we’re all shopping on Amazon. While some eco-warriors manage just fine without the platform (hats off to you, fine people) the rest of us can do better by the planet without losing the convenience.
It’s really simple.
Buy Second-hand books
If you’re still reading real books (nothing beats paper, sorry not sorry) consider buying them second-hand.
Did you know there’s a whole used books market on Amazon? Look under the regular price and you’ll see More Buying Choices. Click to see all the second-hand options.
You can often save a great deal on second-hand books, and you get to pick how used is okay for you. Yes, sometimes a book labeled as Like New will have some marks on the cover or a stray dog-eared page. But most of the time you will be pleasantly surprised. Over the years I’ve only had two disappointing experiences, and I buy a LOT of used books. On both occasions, I emailed the sellers and got an apology, a prompt refund and I kept the books.
You really have nothing to lose. Besides, who needs a brand new $20 paperback to read by the pool anyway?
Why it helps: Buying second-hand books protects trees, saves a lot of water, and lowers the carbon footprint of shipping since most used books are not wrapped in plastic. Also, you’re more likely to pass on a second-hand book, saving more trees, etc.
Check out the Warehouse
Your laptop died. Your phone jumped into the toilets. Your TV starts to flicker or you finally decided to invest in a high-power blender. Where to next? Amazon, of course. But this time, take a minute to check out the Warehouse.
In their own words: “Amazon Warehouse offers great deals on quality used, pre-owned, or open box products.” It’s a special, well… warehouse where you can find phones, laptops, kitchen appliances, outdoor gear, nursery furniture, and more.
The warehouse is a bit hard to find, the easiest way being to type warehouse in the search bar. The inventory is not fixed and moves pretty fast. It’s obviously hard to predict which items will fall from the shelf and get a damaged box or when an LG TV will be opened and then sent back by a customer. But it’s worth checking out before you buy.
Iphones, Vitamix, Kitchen Aid, Bose, and many other expensive brands can be found at reduced prices, sometimes up to a 75% discount, and with the usual Amazon delivery and a 90-day return window.
Why it helps: Unsold and returned items need to move fast or they may face destruction. Buying a second-hand or refurbished product is a win-win move. You will save money, up to three-quarters of the price for appliances, sometimes even more for books, and you will acquire a new item without using any new resources or energy.
NB: The Warehouse is not the only place to find second-hand, open-box, or refurbished items. Keep your eyes open for the More Buying Choices mention and tick the box. Yes, that’s our next point.
Tick the box
Shopping for baby diapers, house cleaning products, shampoo, toilet paper, or new cooking gear? Enter your query as usual, then check the left column.
Sometimes you can see a Climate Pledge Friendly option. It’s still unclear why some searches trigger the option while others don’t. But if it’s there, go ahead and tick the box. You’ll see the page recharging to offer you the most Climate Friendly products available.
Sometimes you’ll be happily surprised to see that you are already using a Climate friendly product. If that’s not the case, you will discover brands that do their part for the planet, giving you the option to join the good fight with the click of a “Add to Cart” button.
Why it helps: Given the opportunity, most of us would happily switch to a more sustainable school supply or toothpaste brand. Do we have the time to hunt those options down? No. So, tick the box.
Step 2: Switch to a clean bank
Time commitment: 5–20 minutes
Imagine this.
You’re trying you’re best.
Despite juggling too many plates you still manage to recycle most of your trash, enforce Meatless Mondays, and bike to work through snow and rain.
You already buy second-hand, switched to recycled toilet paper years ago, clean your house with essential oils infused white vinegar and make your own yogurts to skip the plastic pots.
You really are trying.
You care about the planet. You want to fight climate change and ensure that your toddler can still see glaciers and polar bears when he grows up.
And yet.
You work every day to finance the fossil fuel industry.
WHAT!?!
No way. Not possible. You would never.
Maybe you should make sure. Check this out.
Yes, banking.
Despite all the hope and enthusiasm back there in the City of Light, the world’s 60 largest banks have poured US$ 5.5 trillion into the fossil fuel industry since the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement.
Is your bank one of them?
Are you unwittingly financing the climate disaster coming our way?
The bad news is, there’s a sporting chance that you are. The good news is, you can find out in 15 seconds at this address: https://bank.green/
Just enter your country and find your bank in the drop-down menu. Voila.
Ideally, you want to see this kind of results when you pick your bank’s name:
The fossil-free certification is a brand new label for banks that don’t, and pledge to never, fund the fossil fuel industry.
You’ll most likely fall in the yellowish spot in the middle, which means that Bank.Green doesn’t have enough data to tell you for sure what your bank does with your money.
In that case, you might want to switch to a greener option, or you may start by contacting your bank to let them know you’d like more information on the topic. As more and more people question where their money is going, financial institutions will have to step up their game or lose customers.
Of course, if you get that kind of result:
Forgive yourself and move on. As in, move to a new bank, stat.
To find out the greenest banks in your area, head over to https://bank.green/sustainable-eco-banks and pick your country of residence.
Why it helps: To dig a new oil well, build a new pipeline or set up a new fracking operation, the fossil fuel industry needs investments. That’s where the banks come in. They use your money to invest in those projects and then pocket the benefits. If the well dries (pun fully intended) the industry won’t be able to keep digging for coal, oil, or gas.
Speaking of which, how green is your home?
Step 3: Switch to a green energy provider
Time commitment: 5–30 minutes
What is the impact of your Netflix habit? How much carbon does your washing machine generate each week? Are you contributing to climate change every time you turn on the AC?
In most cases, those questions are hard to answer. Unless you are off the grid and producing your own electricity, you are using a blend of energy from renewable and non-renewable sources. This means boiling your kettle could be using coal and, say, wind-generated energy at the same time.
That doesn’t mean you should give up on greening your energy. Au contraire.
Take a few minutes today to contact your energy provider and ask them where your energy is coming from. If you’re in the US, you can also consult the eGrid.
Then, if it turns out your house is powered by fossil fuels, consider switching to a green provider or to a green tariff, depending on what’s available in your area.
In most cases, this is easily done online after a quick google search.
Why it helps: Switching your home from oil, gas, or coal-powered energy to renewable sources of energy, such as wind or solar, can reduce your carbon footprint by up to 1.5 tons of CO2e per year. (Source UN.org)
Also, asking where your energy comes from, and switching to a greener option, sends a strong signal. Where there’s a demand, the offer usually steps up. Which means more solar farms, more wind turbines, and less carbon in the air.
Besides, what’s the point of buying an electric car to help the planet if you’re using fossil fuel electricity to charge it?
