Plan to plant a garden and look for ways to recycle what you clean from your closets. There are many things you can do to reduce your personal greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate against the impact of climate change. While Earth’s temperature has changed many times through the ages, scientists are certain that human activity, especially the burning of fossil fuels, is causing the atmosphere to heat up quickly. The time for action is now.
Personal Changes
If you don’t plant a garden each year, plan to start this spring. Start small to insure greater success. Tomatoes and green beans are easy to grow. Plant them in pots on your patio or anywhere on your lawn where you get at least six hours of sunlight.
If you currently garden, plan to try new vegetables this year. Check seed catalogs for varieties that grow best in your region and soil. Freeze or can extra vegetables this year, either ones that you grow or buy at your farmers market.
Get a rain barrel and keep a bucket in the bathroom to catch gray water in the shower. Use this water for plants.
Replace thirsty grass with mulch and native, drought-tolerant plants.
As you clean, look for items to recycle. Consider giving extra items away on Freecycle or at a thrift store. If you need a few items of clothing, shop for them while you’re there or visit a consignment store. Resist the urge to buy new items, especially decorative extras and plastic items.
Turn off the heat in your home as soon as possible. Open windows, dress for the weather, and try to live without air conditioning for as long as possible.
Eat less meat. Beef, poultry, and pork processing uses large amounts of fossil fuel, releases methane gas, and sends over-abundant nutrients to waterways. Springtime is a great time to lose weight and feel healthier; more veggies and fruits will help.
Springtime is perfect for walking and riding your bicycle. Consider walking or riding to work and on errands.
Policy Changes
Many groups like the Sierra Club are calling for mandatory standards since there is otherwise no incentive for businesses to sell less energy, fuel, cars, or other products that require fossil fuels to be burned in their manufacture. Mandatory standards and conservation pricing will allow businesses to make a profit while doing the right thing for our future. Listen to the news, read newspapers, and call your government decision-makers to find out if they take climate change seriously.
Read more about actions you can take this spring on the Environmental Protection Agency’s website.
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