In the Shondaland series The Novelty of Nature, we’re digging into the power of natural places and the wellness benefits of embracing the elements. From camping tips and safari stories to eye-opening tales about the environment to inspiring ways to reclaim your relationship with nature, these stories show it’s never been a better time to get lost in the great outdoors.
The act of reversing climate change can feel like an insurmountable task for any one person. Large-scale change requires a great deal of time and effort, not to mention the cooperation of massive industries, thousands of politicians and community leaders, and billions of other people.
Luckily, there are still plenty of smaller and much more manageable actions that individuals can take to make a difference. Below are seven easy steps that’ll not only help the fight against climate change but will also offer a few other benefits for you (including making things a little easier on your bank account!).
1. Eat less meat
Fun fact: The concept of “Meatless Mondays” has been around for more than a century in various forms since World War I, when President Woodrow Wilson encouraged people to skip meat products on Tuesdays and eat one meatless meal every day as part of the war effort. It was more formally pivoted to an environmental message roughly two decades ago.
The benefits of reducing meat consumption are twofold. Animal rights activists have routinely pointed out the inhumane treatment that many creatures like cattle and pigs receive before they’re slaughtered for human consumption. Environmentalists also explain that 60 percent of all greenhouse gases that come from food production are due to meat. In particular, cows and similar livestock, which are often bred for meat products, have gotten considerable attention due to the fact that they produce 40 percent of the world’s methane emissions. In fact, the country of New Zealand is considering a tax for cow burps.
All this is to say, while it may seem like not eating a hamburger once is an insignificant move, cutting down on the amount of meat you consume over time can have a very real cumulative impact on the environment, especially if other people join in.
2. Create less food and packaging waste
On the topic of food, do you know where yours goes once you throw it out? Scientists estimate that 8 percent of greenhouse gases are produced by wasted food, but fear not — there are easy ways to cut back on this problem.
One simple consideration is to purchase less food in general and buy options that are nonperishable or can be refrigerated or frozen for later consumption, which means you’re throwing out less on a day-to-day basis. Also, packaging itself can create a lot of waste. For example, sometimes fruits and vegetables are wrapped in plastic or bulky single-use containers, so finding produce options that have less packaging can be a game changer when it comes to contributing to less waste.
Another option is to look into composting, which is a way of using food scraps as a natural fertilizer in soil to grow other plants. A quick Google search can help you find composting resources in your area. Some neighborhoods even create entire community gardens and similar green spaces out of composting done by nearby residents.
Also, if you’re worried about the smell or how to even collect food scraps, there are plenty of stylish compost bin options that can fit seamlessly into your home and work wonders on keeping odors to a minimum.
3. Invest in and protect green spaces in your community
Speaking of green spaces, it can be vital to invest in community gardens and similar initiatives in your area when fighting against climate change.
On top of providing beautiful places for people to gather and play outside as well as having a number of mental and physical health benefits, they can make a huge difference to the ecology and environmental impact of a neighborhood. Depending on where you live, they can lower carbon emissions and increase carbon storage in plants and soil. They can reduce stormwater runoff in bad weather situations, provide habitats for wildlife, and lower temperatures in areas subject to extreme heat.
4. Research your area’s recycling programs
Almost two-thirds of Americans worry that they’re not recycling correctly, and it turns out that many of those concerns are warranted; according to a 2019 survey, a person in the U.S. throws away an average of five items every week that are recyclable.
One of the biggest problems that exists with current recycling programs is that there aren’t necessarily any federal standards; states and municipalities therefore have their own recycling guidelines, and because those policies often aren’t effectively communicated to residents, they may be recycling items they shouldn’t be or throwing out products that could very much be recycled.
Experts say that among the most common mistakes people make, residents try to recycle soiled cardboard and paper (you can’t recycle an entire greasy pizza box!) and don’t realize that more plastics can be recycled than they think — including bottle caps and grocery bags.
5. Buy fewer clothes
The fashion industry has become one of the biggest perpetrators of waste around the world. Fast fashion brands, which produce thousands of new styles every day, are known for using cheap plastic-based fibers and toxic dyes that not only take a lot of energy to make but also pollute areas of the Earth where they’re discarded. (Not to mention, they’re likely terrible for human health, and the industry is rampant with inhumane working conditions.)
Reports also show that Americans throw out 34 billion pounds of clothes every year, which amounts to roughly 100 pounds per person. In fact, two-thirds of textiles that are discarded are eventually sent to landfills, where they can take up to hundreds of years to decompose and create issues of air and ground pollution in the meantime.
In addition to simply buying fewer clothes and wearing what you already have, investing in pre-worn pieces from thrift stores and secondhand websites and apps is an excellent tool when it comes to being more mindful about fashion consumption.
6. Make home improvements
Did you know that anywhere from 25 to 30 percent of home heating or cooling is lost through windows? Not only does this mean that your utility bill is higher than it needs to be, but it’s also requiring a lot more energy to get your space to the right temperature. While some people may need to replace their windows entirely, inexpensive measures like caulking or even investing in better blinds can make a massive difference.
And if you’re able to do so financially, it may be worth it to look into upgrading any kitchen appliances, heating or cooling units, and other larger items that may be using energy inefficiently.
7. Elect politicians who care about environmentalism
Finding data on local or state officials can be difficult (though a 2021 report sought to offer a snapshot at the state level), but national organizations like the League of Conservation Voters have helpful tools, such as issuing a scorecard for constituents to see how their representatives have voted on environmental policies. While it can be useful to do a bit more digging to make sure you understand the legislation being debated and enacted, it can still be an insightful look at where lawmakers stand and what to talk to them about if you contact them.
Politicians and similar leaders can also impact many of the climate change actions on this list, including setting up more effective recycling policies, designating and protecting spaces for community gardens and compositing, and more. On a larger scale, legislators in Congress have the power to regulate entire industries that are responsible for massive carbon footprints worldwide, like textiles and transportation.
Lily Herman is a New York-based writer and editor. You can find her on Twitter.
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