Jeff’s Climate Classroom: Here’s how you can help curb climate change
Jeff Berardelli is WFLA’s Climate Specialist
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Climate change is such a big problem. Out of the control of any one person, it can seem overwhelming to figure out how to help. What can any one person do and where do you start?
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First, it’s true any step, or steps, you take personally will have minimal impact. In order to combat climate change true system change is needed across nations and industries.
But it’s not so much about the impact of your individual action, it is the impact of your actions on other people. It is the seed you plant that blossoms around you, as family, friends, neighbors, etc., adopt a more environmentally conscious lifestyle. Spreading that seed is the best thing you can do because its influence grows over time.
Jumping right in, I’d say the first thing is simply to do what you can – what you personally are most able to do given your talents and situation.
For instance, you may have heard that giving up beef is helpful to the environment and climate. That’s true, but perhaps you love to eat meat and you are not willing to give that up. That’s fine. As a first step just try to help in other ways which are easier for you.
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While there are no silver bullets, I’d say the best way to make a difference is through your pocketbook. Put your money where your mouth is. If you like what a company or candidate is doing in regards to the environment, then put your money behind them.
For instance, Patagonia is widely recognized as one of the most responsible environmental companies. So next time you make a related purchase, consider a company like them, which is a good steward of Earth. The signals consumers send help to shape how companies operate.
Another way individuals and organizations are making an impact is by greening their investments. It’s a movement called divestment and so far entities like the State of Maine, the city of Kansas City, and universities like Harvard have withdrawn 40 Trillion dollars from investments that they do not consider clean for the environment.
Actions like these send a real market signal and using your wealth is likely the biggest impact you can have.
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While I tend to stay out of the political fray, and I’ll never recommend who you should vote for, I’d simply say do your homework. If the climate is important to you, then figure out which candidate is doing good things for Mother Earth and make your vote count. After all systemic change is what is needed to help the environment and system change is often driven by policy and policy makers.
Let’s get back to planting a seed. This time let’s discuss discussing climate change. Talk about it.
Most folks are not willing to talk about climate change because they view it as controversial. Truth be told it has been made political, but inherently the science is not.
The evidence that burning fossil fuels is causing climate change is overwhelming, on par with the evidence that smoking causes lung cancer. And the vast majority of people understand that climate change is happening and is caused by humans. The majority are also concerned. The point is you are far from alone in your concern about climate change. Talking about it is a way to plant a seed in your community and spur systemic change.
So far we have talked all about how you can help compel change in society. These next suggestions will do that, but also help you curb your personal carbon footprint.
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First, the smaller you live, the smaller your carbon footprint will be. Personally, I do walk the walk. I would consider myself a minimalist mainly because I believe “stuff” never brings you happiness. But it also helps with the climate. I live in a condo that’s half the size of the average American home. My family has one car – a plug-in hybrid. We do not eat meat and we try not to waste food.
Americans waste 40% of food. Producing food is very carbon intensive. Food systems are responsible for one-third of the world’s carbon emissions. It’s a huge number and wasting less is an easy place to begin your journey.
When it comes to food, far and away the biggest climate culprit is beef. Per serving, beef emits more than twice the pounds of carbon that other foods emit. That’s because of the huge amount of land it takes for cattle to graze and to grow food for cattle. Also, they emit methane, a heat-trapping greenhouse gas much more potent than carbon dioxide.
In fact, meat as a whole is more than 50% of the average person’s food-related carbon emissions. So just reducing meat consumption goes a long way.
But let’s be honest, many people love burgers, wings and ribs. People hate being told what to do. So if giving up meat is non starter for you, perhaps you can contribute in another way.
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One big way to cut your carbon footprint is driving a more efficient car like a hybrid or electric vehicle (EV). EVs don’t just cause less carbon pollution because they do not burn gas, they are also 3X more efficient in their energy use. And once again, when you drive an EV you are influencing the market and the people around you – once again planting seeds.
Speaking of influencing people around you, solar panels are a great example of this. Research shows that the best predictor of whether a home will have solar panels or not, is if other homes in the neighborhood have solar panels. It’s contagious!
Solar is certainly not for everyone, but generating your own power from the sun is clean and makes you more energy-independent. So if you own your own house and have the means to add solar panels, you will not only reduce your carbon footprint but also influence your neighbors to do so as well.
This list can go on and on, but I’ll end with one more suggestion. Make your home more efficient. It will save you money and using less energy is better for the environment.
To close, hopefully this article makes clear that the biggest way to help with this gargantuan problem is to plant seeds and help spur change around you. Your influence can go way beyond your personal carbon footprint.
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