Hi, everyone.
Over the course of the past year or so in particular, I've been doing my best to cut corners on my own consumption, and make the best choices possible in terms of limiting wastefulness, as amazing movements and organizers such as Greta Thunberg, the Fridays for Future initiative, Alexandria Villaseñor, Earth Uprising, and others fighting against the nefarious forces contributing to climate change have gained traction, and numerous eco-friendly and zero waste alternatives have been coming about.
Let me say first and foremost that I am by no means an expert or authority on this subject matter. I'm simply an average deeply concerned twenty-three-year-old civilian who wants to do his best to encourage conversation, change, and fight for a future for this world and all those who inhabit it, particularly the younger generations. I'm by no means perfect, and have much room for improvement in how I approach these matters. I will also admit that lately the news around climate change have been greatly impacting my mental health, triggering my anxiety and depression, and that at times it is difficult to feel hopeful about the future. But my hope is that by sharing these tips and changes that I try to apply in my everyday life with all the power I have, I can show others ways in which they too can make a difference, in many cases by choosing to do things that are already very much possible and accessible.
1) Use bamboo toothbrushes instead of plastic ones.
Plastic toothbrushes are one of the biggest contributors to the onslaught of plastic products that are finding their way into ecosystems, endangering the ocean in particular, and take hundreds of years to decompose. There are numerous options out there for purchasing bamboo toothbrushes - I myself ordered a pack a few months ago from Wowe Lifestyle which were very cheap, costing about $11 for a pack of four of them. They work just as well as regular toothbrushes, last the same amount of time, and are completely biodegradable - just pull out the bristles when you're done with one and then compost it, or otherwise just throw it out and it will rot in the landfill. I honestly would recommend them a lot. If you happen to have any old plastic toothbrushes lying around and are concerned about throwing them away, there are all sorts of random and creative uses you can find for them - I myself keep an old plastic toothbrush in my guitar case and use it to clean the dust off from the frets in-between the strings!
2) Refuse single-use plastic whenever possible.
It's no secret that the overpollution of single-use plastic products is one of the great crises of our time - because of their durability and the centuries many of them take to break down, they often find their ways into waterways and eventually, the ocean, and are mistaken by animals as food, all the while shedding microplastics that are terribly difficult to clean and work their way up the food chain, causing health complications and wreaking havoc everywhere they go. Limiting our consumption of single-use plastic products is crucial, and there are numerous options available for durable, long-lasting products made from sustainable materials, like glass or metal straws, my aforementioned bamboo toothbrushes, cloth bags to replace plastic ones, and so on. Furthermore, investing in projects and initiatives such as The Ocean Cleanup, Oceana, and others that work hard on cleaning up plastic products already loose in the ocean and other waterways is incredibly important for mitigating the problem.
3) Eat less meat, or go vegetarian/vegan.
The meat industry is one of the biggest contributors to global carbon emissions, between the power used for the factory farms where most livestock are bred, raised, and cruelly slaughtered, the machinery and mass transportation that has to go into keeping the grounds where livestock are kept, growing the food that they're fed, and transporting them to slaughterhouses and eventually to stores and homes, and the enormous quantities of water that are needed to bring up animals raised for red meat in particular, not to mention the fact that the vast majority of global deforestation, especially in rainforest regions, is done to make way for farming and raising livestock for meat. Obviously vegetarianism and veganism are not accessible or possible lifestyles for everyone in the world to make; many people, especially rural or indigenous communities in isolated environments, many of whom have been sustainably hunting and raising livestock for thousands of years, depend on meat and animal products and may not have many non-animal products to eat. And vegetarian and vegan alternatives are not always necessarily good the environment inherently, as mass production of anything does require a great amount of resources and labor and can also be harmful. But they're also undoubtedly better for the environment compared to most animal products, so for those of us who live in regions of the world where most animal products come from highly polluting factory farms and there are ample non-animal product alternatives available, eating less meat and animal products is a surefire way to make a massive difference in one's individual carbon footprint. It pays to be cautious with these products as well, to chose, say, rice milk over almond milk given that almonds are a highly water-intensive crop, and to make sure that products are sustainably grown and harvested, avoiding, say, quinoa that is grown and harvested by impoverished communities in Central America that are greatly overworked, mistreated, and underpayed.
4) Shop locally and in-season as much as possible.
Farmer's markets are amazing things. By patronizing local businesses and farmers and getting to taste locally-grown products in all their respective seasons, you'll also minimize the distances that food needs to be transported, and ensure that it doesn't go bad while having to travel crazy distances. Whenever you're able to, choose strangely shaped fruits or vegetables - even if they're in perfect condition to eat, deformed or weirdly shaped specimens that don't comply with typical aesthetic standards are simply thrown away on account of their appearance alone. Additionally, keep food and ingredients visible or in clear containers in the fridge to minimize the chances of it spoiling and having to be thrown away, as studies have shown that we eat what we can see clearly, and compost everything that you're able to.
5) Use soap and shampoo bars instead of ones that come in plastic bottles.
Another huge contributor to the plastic crisis is that of plastic soap and shampoo bottles. I personally have exclusively used soap bars since the start of this year, and have only used one small plastic bottle of shampoo, using shampoo bars almost exclusively. Soap bars sold in paper bags or small cardboard boxes are widely available, even in places where they're sold alongside bodywashes packaged in plastic, for comparable prices, and so are quite accessible. Shampoo bars often tend to be a bit on the pricier side, but I've found them just as, if not even more, long-lasting than bottled shampoo, as it often takes just a quick rub against a wet head in the shower to have enough to wash with. It's a switch I cannot recommend enough.
6) Travel responsibly.
This one is definitely tricky. Most forms of long-distance transportation rely on carbon-based technology and are a source of greenhouse gas emissions. It goes without saying that making the choice to walk or bike whenever possible is greatly important, as it avoids unnecessary emissions. As for the others, it's not necessarily as easy or clear cut as saying that, for instance, taking a train is inherently more efficient or causes fewer emissions compared to a plane, as the footprint depends on a large amount of contextual factors, such as the technology used, distance traveled, number of passengers transported, energy inputs (i.e. using a train over a plane in Europe almost definitely would emit less, given that most trains in Europe are electric), and so on. But it can be tentatively said that, in terms of emissions relative to number of passengers traveled, the modes of transportation could be ranked as follows: local public transportation, bus, train, plane, car. Of course, it pays in any context while planning travel to research available options and keep factors like those listed before in mind, and to carefully look into options for offsetting emissions from travel.
7) Avoid retail, thrift and shop responsibly!
Due to the resources needed to produce new clothes, the fashion industry is another huge contributor to global carbon emissions, as well as to waste, as many metric tons of clothes wind up in landfills every year, and many clothes are made from materials that shed microplastics into the water system whenever they're washed. Therefore we need to reevaluate our relationship to fashion and retail. Only buy new clothes that you need, and whenever possible, buy your clothes from thrift shops and drop off your old clothes there, and look for clothes made from sustainable materials such as hemp. As for the issue of microplastics from existing clothes, there are laundry filters out there that can be used to trap them and minimize the offset from loads of laundry as much as possible.
7) Organize, protest, and most importantly, VOTE.
Although things may seem gravely daunting and it's easy to get bogged down and feel hopeless, individual choices DO make a big difference, especially when done en masse, as it helps to keep the conversation alive, open people's eyes, and lobby for change. But it's no secret that, while important, individual choices can only go so far when 100 corporations are responsible for over 70% of all carbon emissions, and it will be pretty well near impossible to make any significant, lasting improvements without massive systemic and policy changes. So support and uplift the voices and messages of climate activists, join movements, join protests whenever you are able to and feel comfortable doing so, and vote for candidates with eco-friendly platforms and explicit intentions to enact important and necessary changes and control on dangerous industry.
8) Delete your old emails and stored online files.
This seems incredibly simple and banal, but many computer servers need air conditioning to be cooled, and the more emails and files they support, the more cooling they need to properly function. Deleting old, unneeded files and emails is a great little way to keep emissions to a minimum!
9) Don't despair.
I know that, as I mentioned before, this is pretty difficult. I myself will make no secret of the fact that I'm terrified of many aspects and implications of the future with all of these issues going on. But let's not give up. We owe it to ourselves, to everyone in the world, especially to the younger generations that will have to take it over and the marginalized and impoverished communities suffering the most who have contributed the least to the problem, to fight for what's right, to demand change, to show governments and corporations that they must be held accountable for their undeniable role in the climate crisis, and that we will not let them get away with destroying the environment and, as Greta Thunberg so accurately puts, "stealing our future and selling it for profit." Use your energy and motivation to support change and justice. Remember that no one is perfect, and that what we need and can realistically have right now is not a world of people living perfectly zero waste lifestyles, but a world of people consciously making choices for good, even if they can't access every alternative. Keep the conversation alive, help people open their eyes, and above all, continue to demand change. The beautiful Earth is our only home, and we have to take care of it and fight for it.
Over the course of the past year or so in particular, I've been doing my best to cut corners on my own consumption, and make the best choices possible in terms of limiting wastefulness, as amazing movements and organizers such as Greta Thunberg, the Fridays for Future initiative, Alexandria Villaseñor, Earth Uprising, and others fighting against the nefarious forces contributing to climate change have gained traction, and numerous eco-friendly and zero waste alternatives have been coming about.
Let me say first and foremost that I am by no means an expert or authority on this subject matter. I'm simply an average deeply concerned twenty-three-year-old civilian who wants to do his best to encourage conversation, change, and fight for a future for this world and all those who inhabit it, particularly the younger generations. I'm by no means perfect, and have much room for improvement in how I approach these matters. I will also admit that lately the news around climate change have been greatly impacting my mental health, triggering my anxiety and depression, and that at times it is difficult to feel hopeful about the future. But my hope is that by sharing these tips and changes that I try to apply in my everyday life with all the power I have, I can show others ways in which they too can make a difference, in many cases by choosing to do things that are already very much possible and accessible.
1) Use bamboo toothbrushes instead of plastic ones.
Plastic toothbrushes are one of the biggest contributors to the onslaught of plastic products that are finding their way into ecosystems, endangering the ocean in particular, and take hundreds of years to decompose. There are numerous options out there for purchasing bamboo toothbrushes - I myself ordered a pack a few months ago from Wowe Lifestyle which were very cheap, costing about $11 for a pack of four of them. They work just as well as regular toothbrushes, last the same amount of time, and are completely biodegradable - just pull out the bristles when you're done with one and then compost it, or otherwise just throw it out and it will rot in the landfill. I honestly would recommend them a lot. If you happen to have any old plastic toothbrushes lying around and are concerned about throwing them away, there are all sorts of random and creative uses you can find for them - I myself keep an old plastic toothbrush in my guitar case and use it to clean the dust off from the frets in-between the strings!
2) Refuse single-use plastic whenever possible.
It's no secret that the overpollution of single-use plastic products is one of the great crises of our time - because of their durability and the centuries many of them take to break down, they often find their ways into waterways and eventually, the ocean, and are mistaken by animals as food, all the while shedding microplastics that are terribly difficult to clean and work their way up the food chain, causing health complications and wreaking havoc everywhere they go. Limiting our consumption of single-use plastic products is crucial, and there are numerous options available for durable, long-lasting products made from sustainable materials, like glass or metal straws, my aforementioned bamboo toothbrushes, cloth bags to replace plastic ones, and so on. Furthermore, investing in projects and initiatives such as The Ocean Cleanup, Oceana, and others that work hard on cleaning up plastic products already loose in the ocean and other waterways is incredibly important for mitigating the problem.
3) Eat less meat, or go vegetarian/vegan.
The meat industry is one of the biggest contributors to global carbon emissions, between the power used for the factory farms where most livestock are bred, raised, and cruelly slaughtered, the machinery and mass transportation that has to go into keeping the grounds where livestock are kept, growing the food that they're fed, and transporting them to slaughterhouses and eventually to stores and homes, and the enormous quantities of water that are needed to bring up animals raised for red meat in particular, not to mention the fact that the vast majority of global deforestation, especially in rainforest regions, is done to make way for farming and raising livestock for meat. Obviously vegetarianism and veganism are not accessible or possible lifestyles for everyone in the world to make; many people, especially rural or indigenous communities in isolated environments, many of whom have been sustainably hunting and raising livestock for thousands of years, depend on meat and animal products and may not have many non-animal products to eat. And vegetarian and vegan alternatives are not always necessarily good the environment inherently, as mass production of anything does require a great amount of resources and labor and can also be harmful. But they're also undoubtedly better for the environment compared to most animal products, so for those of us who live in regions of the world where most animal products come from highly polluting factory farms and there are ample non-animal product alternatives available, eating less meat and animal products is a surefire way to make a massive difference in one's individual carbon footprint. It pays to be cautious with these products as well, to chose, say, rice milk over almond milk given that almonds are a highly water-intensive crop, and to make sure that products are sustainably grown and harvested, avoiding, say, quinoa that is grown and harvested by impoverished communities in Central America that are greatly overworked, mistreated, and underpayed.
4) Shop locally and in-season as much as possible.
Farmer's markets are amazing things. By patronizing local businesses and farmers and getting to taste locally-grown products in all their respective seasons, you'll also minimize the distances that food needs to be transported, and ensure that it doesn't go bad while having to travel crazy distances. Whenever you're able to, choose strangely shaped fruits or vegetables - even if they're in perfect condition to eat, deformed or weirdly shaped specimens that don't comply with typical aesthetic standards are simply thrown away on account of their appearance alone. Additionally, keep food and ingredients visible or in clear containers in the fridge to minimize the chances of it spoiling and having to be thrown away, as studies have shown that we eat what we can see clearly, and compost everything that you're able to.
5) Use soap and shampoo bars instead of ones that come in plastic bottles.
Another huge contributor to the plastic crisis is that of plastic soap and shampoo bottles. I personally have exclusively used soap bars since the start of this year, and have only used one small plastic bottle of shampoo, using shampoo bars almost exclusively. Soap bars sold in paper bags or small cardboard boxes are widely available, even in places where they're sold alongside bodywashes packaged in plastic, for comparable prices, and so are quite accessible. Shampoo bars often tend to be a bit on the pricier side, but I've found them just as, if not even more, long-lasting than bottled shampoo, as it often takes just a quick rub against a wet head in the shower to have enough to wash with. It's a switch I cannot recommend enough.
6) Travel responsibly.
This one is definitely tricky. Most forms of long-distance transportation rely on carbon-based technology and are a source of greenhouse gas emissions. It goes without saying that making the choice to walk or bike whenever possible is greatly important, as it avoids unnecessary emissions. As for the others, it's not necessarily as easy or clear cut as saying that, for instance, taking a train is inherently more efficient or causes fewer emissions compared to a plane, as the footprint depends on a large amount of contextual factors, such as the technology used, distance traveled, number of passengers transported, energy inputs (i.e. using a train over a plane in Europe almost definitely would emit less, given that most trains in Europe are electric), and so on. But it can be tentatively said that, in terms of emissions relative to number of passengers traveled, the modes of transportation could be ranked as follows: local public transportation, bus, train, plane, car. Of course, it pays in any context while planning travel to research available options and keep factors like those listed before in mind, and to carefully look into options for offsetting emissions from travel.
7) Avoid retail, thrift and shop responsibly!
Due to the resources needed to produce new clothes, the fashion industry is another huge contributor to global carbon emissions, as well as to waste, as many metric tons of clothes wind up in landfills every year, and many clothes are made from materials that shed microplastics into the water system whenever they're washed. Therefore we need to reevaluate our relationship to fashion and retail. Only buy new clothes that you need, and whenever possible, buy your clothes from thrift shops and drop off your old clothes there, and look for clothes made from sustainable materials such as hemp. As for the issue of microplastics from existing clothes, there are laundry filters out there that can be used to trap them and minimize the offset from loads of laundry as much as possible.
7) Organize, protest, and most importantly, VOTE.
Although things may seem gravely daunting and it's easy to get bogged down and feel hopeless, individual choices DO make a big difference, especially when done en masse, as it helps to keep the conversation alive, open people's eyes, and lobby for change. But it's no secret that, while important, individual choices can only go so far when 100 corporations are responsible for over 70% of all carbon emissions, and it will be pretty well near impossible to make any significant, lasting improvements without massive systemic and policy changes. So support and uplift the voices and messages of climate activists, join movements, join protests whenever you are able to and feel comfortable doing so, and vote for candidates with eco-friendly platforms and explicit intentions to enact important and necessary changes and control on dangerous industry.
8) Delete your old emails and stored online files.
This seems incredibly simple and banal, but many computer servers need air conditioning to be cooled, and the more emails and files they support, the more cooling they need to properly function. Deleting old, unneeded files and emails is a great little way to keep emissions to a minimum!
9) Don't despair.
I know that, as I mentioned before, this is pretty difficult. I myself will make no secret of the fact that I'm terrified of many aspects and implications of the future with all of these issues going on. But let's not give up. We owe it to ourselves, to everyone in the world, especially to the younger generations that will have to take it over and the marginalized and impoverished communities suffering the most who have contributed the least to the problem, to fight for what's right, to demand change, to show governments and corporations that they must be held accountable for their undeniable role in the climate crisis, and that we will not let them get away with destroying the environment and, as Greta Thunberg so accurately puts, "stealing our future and selling it for profit." Use your energy and motivation to support change and justice. Remember that no one is perfect, and that what we need and can realistically have right now is not a world of people living perfectly zero waste lifestyles, but a world of people consciously making choices for good, even if they can't access every alternative. Keep the conversation alive, help people open their eyes, and above all, continue to demand change. The beautiful Earth is our only home, and we have to take care of it and fight for it.
