I recently completed a week-long training for Climate Leadership led by our former Vice President Al Gore to become a Certified Climate Leader and take action in my community. The entire workshop is about how we all can combat the ongoing climate crisis on a Global level.
Climate change is a global problem affecting the world environmentally, socially, economically, and politically. Increasing temperatures, erratic rainfall patterns, and other extreme weather are currently reducing crop yields and blocking access to clean water, thus increasing the spread of diseases and arousing conflict and social tensions.
Most people are aware of the ongoing climate change crisis, but not everyone knows how to help. There is a common misconception that going green or reducing your carbon footprint is expensive and requires investing a lot of time into it, but this is not actually true. There are many simple and inexpensive ways to live a greener life. You can reduce your carbon footprint a lot if you can make the following changes.
Propane:
Propane has been a common fuel for years but has fallen out of the spotlight as of late. As “eco-friendly” is the word of today, propane is starting to be used as an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional fuels we use today. Propane appliances(e.g. clothes dryers, cooking ranges, furnaces, fireplaces etc.) are beginning to be used all around the world.
Light Bulbs:
The incandescent light bulb has been used for more than a century. However, CFL bulbs and LED bulbs have dominated lighting choice during this modern age. They last longer, shine brighter, and utilize much less energy than incandescent bulbs.
Laundry:
Laundry is one of the most important daily-life chores, and most people are accustomed to using a washer and dryer to clean their clothes. This, however, is not actually very eco-friendly. The washing machine is not harmful, but using it unnecessarily can waste tremendous amounts of energy. Electric dryers are even more wasteful than you think! One electric dryer cycle uses more than five times the electricity obligated for one cycle of a normal washing machine. The green, environmentally friendly alternative to washing clothes is air-drying them. Though this seems ancient and slower, you can reduce your household’s carbon footprint by 33%. Simply hang your clothes up to dry overnight and then have nice and clean clothes ready for you the next morning. This is also cost effective.
Food:
Eating beans, grains, vegetables, and fruits are very healthy, but a significant percent of global man-made greenhouse gas emissions are produced from the production and processing of meat and dairy. Skipping meat a day can reduce your carbon footprint by eight pounds. So, it is very important that you go in the “organic” route. You should also plan your meals in advance and reuse leftover food. And if there is any organic waste lying near you, use it as compost.
Conclusion:
Climate change is a crisis that we can only address if we all work together on a global scale. We must take important steps to reduce our emissions and present our global community with scientific information to help them make informed decisions on what they need to do.
The Roar 