By Jordan Petteys.
Keeping Savannah beautiful is something all of us can do. Although our lifestyle choices leave behind a carbon footprint, we can manage our usage of wasteful materials– such as plastic and fossil fuels– to encourage a more sustainable environment. Listed below are eight practical ways to reduce your carbon footprint.
1. Resist the straw
A material used for only a number of minutes takes hundreds of years to decompose into tiny particles that, when consumed by a fish or turtle, causes major indigestion and possibly lead to starvation. According to the EPA, every bit of plastic ever made still exists. That includes every lipstick stained and chewed up straw you, me, and everyone else has ever used ever in our entire lives. Not to be dramatic.
2. Quit flipping plastic bottles over for fame
50 million bottles of water are consumed each year, and only 23% of those bottles are recycled. However, one durable and reusable water bottle saves over one thousand plastic water bottles from a landfill in just five years. If your amazing water bottle flipping skills still haven’t made you famous, chances are it’s time to try something a bit more sophisticated. As Beyonce once said as (I’m pretty sure) she was buying a bright blue Nalgene, “Let me, let me, let me, upgrade ya, grade ya.”
3. BYOB (bring your own bags)
According to Waste Management, only 1% of the 12 million plastic bags per year are returned for recycling in America. Plastic bags that never make it to a landfill end up polluting the ocean and harming wildlife. Reusing plastic bags and investing in durable grocery bags can help reverse this vicious cycle.
4. Invest in a pair of Heelys
Not only is gas rudely expensive and traffic horribly annoying, but automobiles actually contribute to one-third of air pollution in the United States. In fact, 80-90% of a vehicle’s environmental effect stems from fuel consumption and polluting emissions. Carpooling, combining errands, using public transportation, or opting for a bike ride can amazingly reduce your carbon footprint and your gas bill. If you’re looking to impress on a first date, Heelys might just be the trendiest way to get around town.
5. Sit in the dark and never shower
Okay, that might be a bit extreme. However, turning off the lights when you leave a room, using rechargeable batteries, printing double sided, recycling scraps, and taking quicker showers sponsors a more sustainable living space. Take notes on your arms or write essays on your legs. This helps avoid paper waste. Okay, that might be getting extreme again.
6. Stop ordering extinction off the menu
I know, I also eat ice cream three times a day and enjoy a good cheeseburger at 3 am. Unfortunately, red meat and dairy products make up a third of all food emissions in the United States. Thankfully, chicken and vegetables leave a carbon footprint that is ten times smaller per serving, so minor diet adjustments can make a huge difference. Purchasing more organic food brands and refraining from genetically modified ingredients supports not only the environment, but your sizzlin’ summer beach bod.
7. Strut your fair trade fashion
Many fast-fashion brands contribute to local waterway pollution and toxic gas emissions in China, Indonesia, India, and all over the world. Cheap fabrics like viscose, man-made from wood pulp, pollute water and air during the chemical process and therefore make the water dangerous to consume. However, shopping fair trade discourages the fast-fashion process while simultaneously promoting ethical treatment for employees and more wholesome ingredients. Fair trade clothing companies provide sustainable jobs for men and women globally and promote honorable economic and artistic practice.
8. Make reducing, reusing, and recycling more convenient
One of the biggest hindrances to fostering a more sustainable community is a lack of opportunities to recycle. Individuals have the power to reverse the unsustainable climate we have created by renovating wasteful lifestyle habits. By implementing a recycling system in your classroom, workspace, and home, you can empower others to do the same. Ultimately, reduction sprouts the most effective change. If we use less, we waste less.
