How To Decrease Your Carbon Footprint
The earth as we know it is slowly falling apart: we are watching Sea levels rise, the air warming and extreme weather conditions take place. Not only are we observing it but we are the cause of this destruction.
As a matter of fact, humans are releasing excessive amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The greenhouse gases are killing the environment; they are responsible for about two-thirds of the total energy imbalance that results in Earth’s temperature rising.
Carbon Footprint
We can calculate the destruction by finding our carbon footprint. It is used to measure a country or a person’s impact on climate change. Your carbon footprint is the number of greenhouse gases — carbon dioxide, methane gas, and others — that you use up daily.
Calculate your carbon footprint: https://www.nature.org/en-us/get-involved/how-to-help/carbon-footprint-calculator/.
Coming Together For Change
How can we come together to end this destruction? How can we help the prevailing effects of global warming? Simply, we decrease our industrial carbon footprint. It takes only 1 person to make an impact to promote change.
We should use up less electricity, walk instead of drive, etc. However, we should additionally incorporate more obscure changes into our lifestyle.
1. Go Thrifting
Second-hand clothing is not only cheaper, but much better for the environment. Fast fashion is often dumped in landfills. Methane gas is then produced while it is decomposing. In fact, the average American discards about 80 pounds of clothing each year: 85 percent end up in landfills.
Additionally, there is an immaculate amount of gas used for manufacturing. As a result, thrifting decreases energy consumption by buying used items.
2. Decreasing Shopping
Thrifting is a much more reasonable option; however, buying nothing at all is even better. The consumption of all energy sources will then be greatly reduced. Furthermore, textile waste is less likely to end up in landfills.
3. Wash Your Clothing in Cold Water
Did you know 90% of the energy a washing machine produces goes towards heating water? A change can prolong a great impact. Washing at the right temperature not only ensures clothing quality — but also increases its lifetime.
Furthermore, cleaning in cold water can save 500 pounds of carbon dioxide each year.
4. Change Your Incandescent Light Bulbs
Incandescent lightbulbs are extremely hazardous — 90% of the energy is produced as heat (is wasted) — and only last for 1000 hours. As a result, we should switch to LEDs. They may be more expensive; however, it uses up a quarter of the energy a lightbulb does, as well as last 25 times longer.
5. Eat at the Bottom of the Food Chain
Your diet should consist of mainly fruits, veggies, grains, and beans. This is due to animals being much more expensive in the latter. There are direct components from animals that affect the environment. This includes methane emissions — a gas around 30 times as strong as carbon dioxide.
Moreover, there are indirect components as well. This includes fossil fuels used for fertilizing; the emissions that were the result of converting forest land into farmland, and the gasoline required to export the beef.
What are ways to eat for the environment?
Avoid meats: Meet. Is. Destruction. Not only are we murdering animals — supporting animal cruelty — we are corrupting the environment. Did you know that livestock is the cause of 14.5% of human-made greenhouse gas emissions?
Meatless Mondays: Despite the benefits of completely disregarding meat it is not a suitable option for everyone. Thus, lifestyle alternatives like meatless Mondays can help make an impact. Because a day of meat or dairy consumption can increase your carbon footprint by 8 pounds.
Eat Seasonal: Large amounts of energy consist of vegetables and fruits grown out of season. This is due to it being in greenhouses and the shipment across countries.
End This Madness
Together, we can find alternatives to making life on earth more sustainable! Together, we can prevent future generations from enduring the torture of climate change. Together, we can prevent our children from waking up to earth long gone from its beauty — together, we are the solution.
