While none of us can curb climate change on our own, we CAN reverse the damage in time if each of us plays our part. (Source: How to Go (Almost) Zero Waste by Rebecca Grace Andrews)
35 Climate Change Actions
Use reusable water bottles.
Do away with trash bags because there is no “away.” Trash bags take decades if not centuries to decompose in landfills. Buy and use compostable plastic bags. (If you can reduce, reuse, recycle, and compost, you probably won’t have much trash anyway.)
Similarly, keep and use reusable bags for things you carry.
Bring your own glassware to restaurants to replace disposables for to-go boxes.
Buy and use reusable straws that are either metal or bamboo.
Purchase a reusable mug for your coffee or tea. (This will help reduce the 16 billion coffee cups thrown out annually.)
Reduce the impact of your paper goods by not using styrofoam or plastic and going with paper and recycled - or compostable and unbleached paper vs. the white glossy kind.
Bring your own nonplastic silverware and napkins to work and/or keep in your car and purse.
Dine local. By eating local, you reduce the emissions from shipping foods long distances and keeping morning in your local economy.
Download an App. Apps like Local Eats identify locally owned cafes and restaurants and Falling Fruits identify local fruit trees for foraging for local fruits and help you give back to local farmers. Buying locally reduces CO2 emissions from shipping.
Continue to support your local farmers. Shopping from local farmers keeps money in the local economy, supports sustainable farms, and gets you delicious seasonal food.
Go organic. Organic foods are grown without toxic herbicides, pesticides, and fungicides. Buying organic helps keep toxic waste out of our air, water, and earth.
Skip the GMOs. Check the stickers on produce. A 5-digit number that begins with an 8 means the food was genetically modified (downtoearth.org). By avoiding GMOs, you put less toxic chemical waste into our environment and vote with our dollars for more sustainable farming practices. It is better for your health as well.
Skip the non-stick pan. Teflon non-stick pans have PFAS that put toxic waste into the environment. Ceramic is a much safer alternative. Unfortunately, it’s not biodegradable. Cast iron however is a great alternative that when well-seasoned, can work well and last a lifetime.
Invest in reusable food covers. Use silicone lids or beeswax-coated cotton wraps that can stretch to fit over various-sized dishes and pans.
Phase out plastics in your kitchen. Not only will you protect your own health by using alternatives to plastic, you’ll also be contributing to reducing the use of petroleum and the number of plastic items that ultimately end up in landfills.
Buy in bulk to cut down on food packaging trash. Purchase safety-certified kitchen cleaners or make your own. Vinegar sprays and baking soda are very effective, natural alternatives to chemical cleaning products.
Pick your own. By picking your own fruits and vegetables, you reduce fossil fuel waste from shipping, and cut down on food manufacturing and packaging waste.
Buy loose produce instead of packaged to cut down on packaging.
Skip the drive-through and identify at least five meals you can make at home. You will save money, generate less waste, and eat healthier.
Put your food waste to work. Organic material needs oxygen to compost back into soil. Food scraps in landfills can’t compost because of the lack of oxygen and they create methane gas, one of the more harmful client change emissions. Create a small compost pile in your yard or see if your city has a zero waste or composting program.
Eat lower on the food chain. The lower on the food chain you eat and the more local you can eat, the more you cut down carbon emissions, reduce toxic waste in water and air, and minimize animal and human suffering.
Skip the annual phone upgrade. Your old phone will last for years. When you do upgrade, go for the best one you can afford so you can keep it longer.
Shop secondhand. This is a great form of recycling and you can get some great bargains too.
Give kids experiences rather than plastic and battery-operated toys.
Turn off the water when brushing your teeth and doing the dishes.
Turn your hot water heater down to 120 degrees fahrenheit. Save money and reduce your electric or gas use and the waste associated with energy production (Energy Saver 2020).
Conserve water when washing dishes. An Energy Star-certified dishwasher uses only three gallons per load vs. using up to 27 gallons of water when hand washing dinner dishes.
Adjust your heat and AC. Adjusting your temperature by just two or three degrees will save money and reduce energy waste.
Install and use a clothesline or drying rack.
Skip fabric softener and dryer sheets. Both of them coat your clothing with toxic chemicals (Boyle and Geller 2016). Try wool dryer balls, or using a vinegar rinse in your washer. You’ll reduce manufacturing and packaging waste and reduce the water and air pollution they cause.
Be sustainable with new clothing. Try to skip or limit purchases that need dry cleaning
Give things away. Don’t need something? Find someone in your circle who does. Giving things away reduces the waste that ends up in landfills.
Use rags from old t-shirts for cleaning basic household messes and spills. Save paper towels or wipes for really bad animal or kid messes. Opt for paper towels that are made from recycled paper and recyclable wrap.