Introduction: What are the effects of Climate Change?
Climate Change is a global issue that affects everyone and everything. Because of human activity over the past century, our planet’s average temperatures and weather patterns have shifted to more dangerous levels. Signs of climate change are continuing to arise everywhere. Examples include increased sea levels, sea acidity, and atmospheric greenhouse gases, which all have dangerous effects on all species on Earth. Some species, including the Golden Toad, Chinook Salmon, and Polar Bears are dangerously impacted to the point where they are facing extinction and endangerment, or have already become extinct. On a similar note, humans are also receiving dangerous consequences, including droughts, heat waves, and intense short-term precipitation. Without the recognition of these dangerous consequences, then the fast pace of climate change would have done much more damage to our planet.
Why do we have a role in the fight against climate change?
Climate change is driven by human activity, which means that we also have the ability to fight against it and minimize the consequences. Together, as a society, we have to work collectively and take care of our planet before it is too late. Now more than ever, our role in the fight against climate change is crucial before we jeopardize our situation further. Although reversing climate change can seem to be a slow process, our role matters for the future of our planet and future generations. Throughout this blog post is a list that consists of 5 ways that you can help from your home, 5 ways from your community, and 5 benefits that you can get from the fight against climate change.
5 ways you can help from your home
1. Use your energy more wisely
- A common way to fight Climate Change is to save energy at home. The majority of our electricity and heat are powered by fossil fuels, including oil, gas, and coal. We use these electricity and heat to heat up your home, provide lighting, doing laundry, etc…
- However, these routines use a lot of energy and there are often ways to use less of it. For example, your energy consumption can be lowered by simply reducing your heating and cooling uses, washing your laundry in cold water, hanging up your laundry instead of using a dryer, etc… On top of that, you also have the ability to switch your source of energy to be more efficient. There are many ways to use your energy more wisely, but it is up to you to be mindful of your routines and use your energy more wisely at home.
2. Eat more meat-free meals
- People who eat meat actually emit more greenhouse gases per year when compared to vegans. In terms of numbers, each meat eater contributes 1.5 more tons of greenhouse gases than vegans. By eating more meat-free meals, you are able to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. This is a very simple method to do at home and can go a long way for both you and the fight against climate change. All it requires is a change in diet.
- In no way are we forcing the idea that in order to fight climate change, you should become totally vegan. Really it’s enough to make a slight change to more plant-based diets to help the environment.
3. Waste less food
- Similarly, wasting less food also reduces your environmental impact. Did you know that wasted food in a landfill can produce methane, a powerful greenhouse gas? Hence, the food that you waste also contributes to your carbon footprint and the atmospheric greenhouse gases. To waste less food, be mindful of how much food you are purchasing and compost any leftovers.
4. Create a garden
- Did you know that all plants are carbon sinks? This means that they can absorb the carbon dioxide to produced our beloved oxygen that we breathe instead of sending that carbon dioxide back to the atmosphere. Creating a garden does just that, but at the same time, it can also add some aesthetic to your home so this may be a fun way to try when fighting against climate change.
- To add, your plants can also help towards reversing the existing effects of climate change. Even just one plant or two is enough to provide refuge to species whose habitats have been taken over or destoyed.
5. Reduce, reuse, and recycle your materials
- As mentioned before, wasting food can contribute to your carbon footprint, but every item that we have ever had has produced carbon emissions at some point. While this part is unavoidable, throwing our manaufactured goods away is not, especially when it comes to plastics. Did you know that even when you place your plastic in the recycling, less than 10% is recycled?
- When possible, fighting against climate change should include reducing the amount of new clothes that you buy and repairing your things so that you can reuse them. Electronics, clothes, and plastics are some of the most notable things which can contribute to climate change, but it is up to us how much of an impact it will have.
5 ways you can help from your community
1. Make your commutes more eco-friendly (i.e. walking, biking, taking the bus, etc…)
- Using cars are one of the leading human activities that emit the most carbon emissions. Whenever reasonable, making your commutes more eco-friendly, like walking and biking. This can help the world reduce carbon emissions and greenhouse gases.
- Similarly, taking away more cars on the road by participating in activities like carpooling and taking the bus can also be eco-friendly as less people are contributing to carbon emissions. Small decisions like walking and carpooling to your routines can make a huge difference in your carbon footprint.
2. Talk about climate change with others (spread the word)
- Have a conversation about Climate Change! Although this global issue may be well-known, there are facts, tips, and reminders that others may not know otherwise. Spreading the word about climate change inspires others to become involved in the fight and lead to a healthier Earth. Besides, you might be able to teach your friend something that they might not have known and you would be able to see your impact from that.
3. Encourage governments to find ways to fight against climate change
- On a similar note, spreading the word of Climate Change can also inspire governments to act. As a citizen, you have the power to encourage governments to participate in the global issue and work with them. With the government involved, they are able to work with their respective areas and find ways, on a bigger-scale to fight against Climate Change.
4. Clean up your community
- Many people litter, whether it be plastics, foods, or even clothes. Statistically speaking, plastics alone made up 3.4% of the global greenhouse emissions in 2019, and on top of that, plastics can linger for hundreds of years. It is true that there is a Great Pacific Garbage Patch where there are plastics lingering on the ocean’s surface, and just like every item, these materials can create more greenhouse gases and contribute to climate change. While international initiatives are more suitable in cleaning those garbage patches, it is notable that those garbage patches came from us. Let that be a reminder that it is important to do your part as a citizen in your community, clean up after yourself, and dispose your garbage in proper areas.
5. Be part of Earth Hour
- Earth Hour is a one-hour lights out event (remember: lights out is one of the ways you can use energy more wisely) that is a symbol of commitment towards our planet and nature. Anyone is allowed to participate in Earth Hour. Although the event is only an hour, it is meant to be a reminder for everyone to continue to be aware and fight against Climate Change throughout the rest of the year. Your participation in Earth Hour can allow you to recognize that you are not alone in this fight and that people around the world have the similar beliefs as you.
5 benefits you can get from fighting against climate change
1. You are able to cut down costs
- Especially when it comes to being more wise when it comes to energy consumption, what foods you eat, and how you manage your materials, you are able to cut down costs and save money. Being aware of how much you actually need to buy not only helps your fight against Climate Change, but it also helps you save money.
2. These actions can improve your health in general
- When it comes to how you eat food, consider walking/biking, and even just talking about climate change, all of them can improve many sections of your health. Whether it be physical, from how you eat more meat-free meals, mental, from how you are able to express your thoughts, or other sections of your health from the actions that you do. After all, it is your choice to fight against climate change and these are some of the many benefits that you can receive from pursuing something complicated in simple ways.
3. Your help can assist farmers to yield more food
- Due to Climate Change, farmers are experiencing worse conditions that have affected the amount of food that they yield (food that can we eat) for us. However, our fight against Climate Change is meant to fight alongside these farmers in hopes that one day they can achieve better conditions and yield more food for people like us. Keep in mind that farmers also contribute to the economy, mainly as the foundation as they create the food.
- In a societal sense, climate change can jeopardize our economies by making it difficult for farmers to yield food for us. This is another example of why climate change is also affecting us, but it is also another reason of why we must fight against it. When these farmers have better conditions, we can be able to comfortably experience all kinds of food without that worry.
4. You can realize that your voice matters and that you are not alone
- As foreshadowed from when Earth Hour was mentioned, your fight against climate change can allow you to realize that you are not alone and that your voice matters. After all, climate change is a global issue in which everyone is affected and everyone has a role towards it. Although your actions as a person may seem small, you are part of a society in which your simple efforts lead to the solution of a very complex issue. By participating in the fight against climate change, it will not be long before you find someone under the same path as you. As mentioned before, you can have a conversation about climate change and potentially teach someone something that they might not have known beforehand.
5. You get to experience more perspectives
- Hopefully, this blog post was able to teach you some new things and new ways to fight against Climate Change. While this isn’t the Closing Section yet, I just want to point out that you just experienced another perspective towards the fight against Climate Change. This blog post, and many other forms of expressions, can allow you to experience different viewpoints towards Climate Change. Although we all have our own perspective, we are shaped by the amount of perspectives that we experience. As I have briefly mentioned from the possibility that a conversation about Climate Change can teach someone something new. Being involved in the fight against Climate Change certainly means that your voice matters and that you are not alone, but it also means that you can be open to others’ voices and collaborate with not only them, but with the rest of the world, so all of you can someday win the fight against Climate Change.
– A moment similar to beating Climate Change
TL;DR: Speak up in the fight against Climate Change
All in all, your efforts towards the fight against Climate Change leads to the world’s efforts to fight against it. Although there are certainly much much more ways to help from your home and community, and certainly more benefits in the process, I hope that just 5 of each from this blog post was enough to teach you something new and encourage you more to fight against Climate Change. No matter how you fight Climate Change, understand that it is a human-caused global issue and that you have the human power to reverse that so that future generations and species can live a sustainable life. It does seem terrible to experience Climate Change yourself, but just remember that we all have a chance to prevent future generations to experience this. As the peoples of 21st century, we are advancing in ways that used to be unimaginable, but we have a world to take care of in the process. Unfortunately, my next post will not come for a couple of months, but until then, remember your impact through the fight, create more, and most importantly, enjoy your summer!
