“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.” Mother Teresa
It’s Earth Day, the perfect time to pause and think about what kind of world we want to live in and leave behind. I love simplicity, so it makes me happy that the most impactful changes are also so easy. Here are 4 simple changes we can make in honor of Earth Day.
1. Waste less food
If you’re been reading this blog for a while, you know this is a hot button for me. I will never not be shocked by statistics of our food waste problem:
- 80 billion pounds of food in the US are wasted each year
- 40% of all food we produce goes to waste
- 95% of wasted food ends up in landfills
- $408 billion of food is tossed each year
How does this tie into climate change?
- Food requires a LOT of energy and water to produce, causing carbon pollution
- When food breaks down in landfills it releases methane
- Methane traps 80x more heat than CO2
- So, food waste creates both CO2 and methane emissions
2. Reduce red meat consumption
Raising cattle for meat on commercial farms is a major contributor to climate change. Nobody is going to force us to give it up, but if we each ate just a little less factory-farmed red meat, it would be a game-changer. This graphic makes the point better than anything I could write. Just take a look at the difference between beef and chicken!
3. Use less energy
Although solar and wind power are on a sharp uptick, we still get the majority of our energy in the US from oil and gas. Cutting back on burning fossil fuels is critical. While our utilities are working on the transition to renewables, we can do our part by cutting back on demand.
Easy ways to reduce energy use (beyond following behind your spouse turning off lights):
- Electrify what you can
- Change to LED bulbs
- Insulate your attic
- Adjust the thermostat by a few degrees
- Consolidate errands
4. Talk about it
If each of us had conversations with a few friends about climate change, and those friends did the same, think about the ripple effect. It could be something as simple as forwarding this blog, or sharing something about climate change on social media. Try to keep it positive – there is a lot to be optimistic about.
The bottom line
Small acts by lots of people can cause a tidal wave. You can influence others by your actions without even trying. And by the way, not only do these things help with climate change, but they save us money too. Win-win.
Let’s do something about climate change. Learn about it. Think about it. Talk about it.