It has become quite obvious that our environment needs us to take better care of it. With CO2 emission becoming a bigger and bigger problem for our planet, one of the smartest things to do, during this year, would be to focus on giving something back to Mother Nature. It’s never too late to make an impact on our environment; you only need to understand how to do it in the best possible fashion.
Protecting nature and reducing our general impact on it should be one of the most important tasks for the year ahead. Our general health and well-being as a species depend on our environment, so we need to focus and try to take care of our home planet. Luckily, doing so isn’t that hard. It may be a bit challenging, but it’s far from impossible. We’ve done a bit of research and we’ve come up with these ideas which should help point you in the right direction when it comes to preserving and taking care of our environment. So, without much ado, let’s dive in and get straight to it.
Buy from local farms and cut back on meat
Getting your food from local farms is helpful in many different ways. Firstly – you reduce the carbon footprint usually created by the long transportation of food from far away. This is very important as the University of Michigan did a study in which they’ve proven that the transportation of food accounts for 11% of CO2 emissions. Going for a few miles to your local organic farm can significantly affect that percentage in the long run.
It’s also known that livestock takes up to 49% of all agricultural emissions on our home planet. With that in mind, one of the possible solutions would be to cut back on meat. Of course, no one is saying you should become a vegan right away, but eating less meat and more vegetables is healthier for you and your environment, so think about it. By simply adapting your habits you can make a significant impact on your surroundings.
Focus on recycling
It seems that everywhere you look there’s some talk about recycling. Whether recycling happens in the construction business, everyday life, or in some big new discovery, recycling has become an essential part of our lives. Recycling your waste properly, while disposing of it in the best possible way can help you save money and impact your environment, so you should learn more about it in the following year.
First of all, you need to understand why recycling is so important. Regular waste disposals are usually using high temperatures to melt and burn the trash. This process can seriously harm the ozone layer, and that’s why we need to focus more on some less-invasive methods of trash disposal. When it comes to dangerous substances – recycling should be the only way to dispose of them. If toxins from those substances reach any ecosystem, there is a high chance that they can destroy it. When recycled, those dangerous materials are disposed of properly, and some of those can be reused for the same purposes, significantly lowering their making costs.
Avoid fast fashion
If you haven’t heard about fast fashion, it’s a term that defines cheap and quickly produced clothing products. These products are made in environmentally unfriendly conditions and they leave quite a carbon footprint. There are also a lot of issues related to the working conditions in factories that make those products. According to some studies, people buy around 80 pounds of fast fashion products per year in the U.S. alone. You can significantly reduce these figures with smart choices when it comes to clothing. Investing a little more in your clothing can pay off quite well in the long term. Do your research and look for brands that don’t harm the environment, that way you can both look nice and make a real impact on your surroundings.
Change your transportation
One of the best ways to reduce your carbon footprint is to start using a bicycle as a means of transportation. Cycling has become quite a thing during the past few years, and more cities are adapting their streets and pavements for cyclers every day. Using your bike as transportation more than just a hobby can help you save money and stay healthy, while also helping you make a significantly positive impact on our planet. It’s not that hard to find great bikes for sale and find the best one for you. One of the healthiest and smartest decisions you can make in 2018 is to start using a bicycle as the main transportation means.
Final thoughts
These are just some ideas for fighting climate change in the following year. Technological advances are happening daily, and we can expect quite a lot of new sustainable and eco-friendly solutions for our everyday challenges. With some planning and determination, everyone can do their part in protecting the planet, and we will all be happier for it. Don’t be afraid to change if the change can bring only good things to you and your environment.
