The week following the Climate Strike in NYC, I reassessed my clean living commitments. Brian and I use wind and solar power through our electricity provider, we walk or take the subway as often as we can, and we regularly recycle. My focus is on reducing our use of plastics and making a more significant commitment to advocate for change.
The Climate Crisis is a humanitarian crisis. We are already feeling the effects. What’s happening and why is it important?
- As we are all aware, greenhouse emissions are raising the temperature of the earth, causing our icebergs to melt, which in turn is causing our sea levels to rise. If we do not impact our carbon emissions, the latest estimate predicts that we will see at least an increase of 5 ft in water impacting 20 million people just in the U.S.
- Climate conditions have impacted agriculture production in Central America hence the considerable influx in migration over the last several years. (This was also a huge factor in Syria.) We will continue to see an increase in climate refugees over the years due to deforestation, rising tides, and displacement from severe weather conditions. (see here and here for more)
- Scientists estimate a truckload of plastic enters our oceans every minute of every day, adding to the already 150 million metric tons already in our oceans. There are three plastic “islands” with the largest the size of Texas floating in
The Pacific Ocean. Sealife eats the plastic, including the fish we eat for dinner, and this plastic, including BPA plastic, enters our food stream and is ingested by you and me. Plastic is known to impact our endocrine system, and many plastics cause cancer. Read more plastic facts here.
We are not separate from nature. We are nature. We are a species just like the ant crawling along the forest floor or the pine tree stretching to the sky. We cannot survive without our ecosystem. And as Greta Thunberg said, “our house is on fire.”
I’m putting this out there so you can all hold me accountable! Below are my commitments to you and the earth.
Plastic
- Recycle all plastic shopping bags and shipping plastic. This is separate from what your city picks up at the end of the driveway. Your local grocery store usually has a bin available to drop off these specialty plastics.
- Commit to using reusable shopping bags for all purchases not just at the grocery store. Keep them in the car or keep these cuties in your handbag.
- Eliminate the use of plastic wrap by using beeswax wraps
- Use reusable bags for produce.
- Buy a reusable bottle for water. (I love this one as it’s large and reminds me to drink two liters a day.)
- Eliminate plastic storage containers which are bad for your endocrine system and the environment. Use pyrex storage containers instead.
- Use biodegradable plastic bags for your doggie’s elimination.
- Eat fresh food and cook from home. Buying only what you need at the store limits waste, is better for you and eliminates plastic food containers.
paper
- Use these cute reusable cloths instead of paper towels for spills or quick cleaning. These cloths are biodegradable and can be washed in the washing machine.
- Cancel newspaper subscription and read news digitally
- Upgrade to using cloth napkins instead of paper
fossil fuels
- Don’t shop fast fashion; go back to investing in quality. Create a budget for each season and follow your vision board and stick to it. Donate all unused clothes to those in need.
- Sign-up for clean energy (wind power, solar) if offered within your local energy company
- Remove air conditioners from windows to keep heat indoors and use fresh air for 3/4 of the year.
- Wash laundry in cold water. If your washing machine has a “tap cold” option, this is better than cold. Cold-water is better for the longevity of your clothes and uses less electricity.
- Use these dryer balls to cut down on drying time and eliminate the need for using fabric softeners
Donate / advocate
- Commit to regularly donating to a key charity. I donate to the Nature Conservancy through Amazon Smile, but Amazon has a lot of organizations from which to choose. I donate monthly to Sea Legacy founded by renowned photographer and conservationist, Paul Nicklen. The focus is on building advocacy to protect the oceans.
- Educate yourself on the key priorities within protecting the environment. I follow Earth Guardians and The Climate Reality Project on social media as well as receive regular newsletters from National Geographic and the New York Times.
- Raise your voice! Participate in a local event like The Climate Strike. Educate yourself on the political aspects of climate change and vote for impact. Write to your congressman
express ing your concerns.
How do you feel about the climate crisis? What actions do you take on a regular basis to protect our environment?
