Hearing all the talk about the impending doom of climate change can be extremely intimidating. It may feel like the solution is too far out of our grasp but there are tons of easy things you can do to combat it. I am going to share some simple environmentally friendly tips and tricks that you can incorporate into your lives.
- limit meat consumption
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A lot of people immediately jump to veganism and vegetarianism when trying to reduce their carbon footprint but that is quite a drastic lifestyle change. You can still make a difference in reducing your meat consumption by simply incorporating more plant-based options into your diet. Try out Meatless Mondays, opt for chicken or pork over beef and treat meat as a side dish. In doing this you are reducing greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, soil degradation and water use.
- Reduce your plastic usage
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There is so much plastic use that comes with shopping and a lot of it we have no control over. However, we can reduce our plastic usage by remembering to do a few simple things. Avoiding single-use plastic is a very easy thing to do and it makes a huge impact. You can do this by choosing reusable grocery bags, using reusable silverware and buying your food in bulk.
- Drive less
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There is of course no problem with driving when necessary but try to walk, bike or take public transportation when you can. It is a great way to squeeze in some exercise and spend time outside. Also, it will save you a lot of money in the long run – especially considering how high gas prices are right now.
- Shop and eat locally
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Shopping locally is an amazing thing to do because you are both giving back to your community and helping the environment. In doing this, you are decreasing your food miles which is essentially the distance your food travels to reach your local supermarket. The higher your food miles are, the more fossil fuels are burned which allows more harmful greenhouse gas emissions to be released.
Additionally, shopping locally protects our farmers as it helps them gain revenue and successfully operate their business. Richmond is the perfect place to do it because we have tons of local coffee shops, grocery stores and restaurants that you can choose from. Make conscious spending decisions and shop local when you can!
- Conserve water
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This one you probably hear a lot but it is still so important and probably the easiest thing to do. Taking shorter showers, avoiding letting the faucet run and not watering your lawn daily are all great ways to conserve water. It takes an immense amount of energy to pump, treat and heat water, so saving water reduces greenhouse gases.
I hope you can take these tips into consideration and try to incorporate them into your life. None of these things evolve much of a lifestyle change but they still make a huge impact. Each of us has the power to make a difference in reducing our carbon footprint.