As the spring semester starts to wind down and final exams are completed, there is usually only one thing on every student’s mind: summer. Although the summer season is a common favorite, it is not always the best time for our planet. The promising warmer forecast for these few months of the year has a strong impact on both our energy and water use. Our carbon footprint, though it may feel inevitable in some cases, can be reduced by consciously taking simple steps to change small parts of our everyday routines into more eco-friendly alternatives. Being creatures of habit, having a greater awareness of these sustainable solutions to our consumption needs helps to disrupt this conditioned cycle of environmentally problematic tendencies and encourage changes that counteract the negative consequences of some of our summer activities. Implementing even one of these steps into our daily tasks can help to limit energy use, save money, and enable more guilt-free fun this summer.
- Do Laundry in Cold Water and Clothesline Dry in the Summer Sun
Using the cold-wash cycle on your washing machine not only saves energy, but it also has the potential to save about $60 a year from your energy bill if you switch to using this setting consistently. In addition to the energy used during washing, the Department of Energy estimates that 4% of electricity used in the average home goes to drying laundry. Reducing dryer use also has the added benefit of limiting the degree of wear and tear on your clothing. Using a clothesline or other methods to hang dry your clothes is the perfect way to combat all of these negative effects of using a machine.
- Buy and Eat Local
Farmers markets and seasonal produce hit their peak during the summer, so this is the perfect time to try buying more locally sourced products if you have not been doing so already. One of the most important ways buying locally helps the environment is by reducing your food miles. When you shop at the grocery store, many of the food items you buy travel over 1500 miles to reach your plate. Current air importation of fruits and vegetables generates substantial amounts of greenhouse gas emissions, part of which could be avoided. Local food production and consumption is an environmentally feasible alternative option as it does not create large carbon footprints through overseas plane travel or long truck trips. Additionally, there is not a need for shipping facilities, packing facilities or refrigeration with local sources. Buying produce from a farmer’s market also helps to keep harmful toxins used by large scale companies, like pesticides, out of the air, which helps to improve crops and air quality. Lastly, small-scale, farm to table consumerism helps to limit the amount of waste that is so common with big retailers.
- Compost
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), about 30% of what we toss can be composted instead of ending up in landfills. When we choose to compost our food scraps instead of wasting them in the trash, the need for chemical fertilizers is reduced as the soil is naturally enriched. It also reduces our carbon footprint by lowering methane emissions from landfills. There are two categories of compost that people should be aware of: browns (such as branches, twigs, or dead leaves) and greens (such as grass clippings, vegetable waste, fruit scraps, and even coffee grounds). Check out the EPA’s website to learn more about what you can and cannot compost.
- Walk and Bike More
As traffic continues to grow, our air quality will continue to decline as the typical passenger vehicle emits about 4.6 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year. One way to combat this problem is to walk and bike more. Although this is advice that you have heard repeatedly, it is still a great way to reduce emissions. Data has shown that the majority (59.4%) of vehicle trips are less than six miles, and a quarter of all trips are ten miles or less. With these relatively manageable travel distances and enjoyable weather, summer is the perfect time to take up these environmentally friendlier transportation methods and get in some extra exercise.
- Avoid Disposable Products for Outdoor Cookouts and Picnics
Each year 40 billion plastic forks, spoons, and knives are used and thrown away each year. Using disposable plates, utensils, cups, and napkins may be a desirable choice for easy cleanup, but the pros do not outweigh the cons in terms of environmental impacts of these products. Summer is a popular time for picnics, lunch on the beach, barbecues, campfires, and other opportunities that are surrounded using these disposable eating tools. By making some minor changes to these gatherings, you can have a significant impact on the Earth. Alternatives to these disposable products include things such as compostable disposable plates, wooden utensils, compostable trash bags, and reusable food wraps.
- Shop Second Hand
Spring cleaning is done and it is time to find a new home for your own items. Garage and yard sales are popular in summer, and thrifting is a great option for repurposing already used clothes, furniture, books, gadgets, and other lucky finds! Buying second hand is an amazing way to recycle old, and sometimes new, clothing pieces. With fewer new items being bought or produced, less water is used, waste is reduced, and fewer carbon emissions are released into the air. Although fast fashion may be tempting for some, trends come and go. Switching to a capsule wardrobe by purchasing items that are interchangeable is another way to maximize your cost per wear and limit one-time use that so often leads to more waste.
- Pull Down your Shades During Hot Summer Days
Some people have the luxury of having air conditioning or other cooling systems or devices to maintain a comfortable temperature inside their homes during the hot summer. These luxuries, however, use a great deal of energy and dramatically impact electric bills. Instead of using these options, effective window coverings can go a long way towards minimizing the extent of our use of such interventions. According to the Department of Energy (DOE), 76% of sunlight that falls on windows during the summer months enters the home to become heat, which significantly raises temperatures. Keeping curtains drawn can reduce heat gain on even the hottest of days and still allow light to come in. If you choose to use blinds, this reduction in heat gain is even greater, and you also have the option to adjust the slats to allow light to pass through and ventilation. This concept can also be applied in the opposite way throughout the winter months when you want your house to warm up by keeping the blinds open.
- Use Reef-Friendly Sunscreen
It is estimated that 14,000 tons of sunscreen wind up in our oceans every single year. Keeping this in mind, summer is a time when people usually get the most sun exposure. To keep both our skin and ocean life safe, it is important to look for reef-safe sunscreens that do not contain the harmful ingredients that are responsible for coral bleaching. Coral bleaching occurs when reefs are distressed and start to expel too many algae. This reaction disrupts the ecosystem, leading to coral death, an indicator of reef extinction. With plenty of options on the market now, everyone should try to be more conscious when buying these products by opting for something with less, or even none, of these harmful chemicals.
- Unplug Electronics
Everyone has been reminded or reminded someone else to turn off the lights or unplug their devices at some point in their life. Unplugging during the summer, both literally and figuratively, is a great way to decrease our energy use while simultaneously de-stressing. A digital detox can have many positive health effects, so this is a solution where both you and the planet benefit.
- Opt for Eco-Friendly Swimwear
Buying a low-cost bikini for your upcoming summer vacation may seem like a wallet friendly option, but it has the complete opposite effect on our planet. Aside from all the stretching, pilling, and fading quickly, these cheaper fabrics shed plastic microfibers when washed, which will make their way into our oceans later. Choosing to buy a sustainably made bathing suit may be a little pricier, but this investment will provide you with better quality material that also reduces production runoff.
- Volunteer to Clean Beaches
The beach is a classic summer location. The number of beachgoers increases during the summer months, and so does the amount of trash that ends up in the sand or the ocean. Taking part in beach cleanups is such an easy and direct way of helping to reduce the amount of plastic that ends up in marine ecosystems every year. Whether you choose to do this on your own, with a group of friends, or with an organized group, seeing the amount of waste that you can collect is an eye-opening experience to understand just how much humans are polluting our oceans. It just takes a quick search for one in your community to get started!