WHAT CAN WE DO?

There are certainly things we can do to help minimize our carbon footprint. From out diet, to our buying preferences, to our buildings; we can put it in our hands to start a change.

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What can we do?: Inner_about

DIET

Our choices, our eating habits have big influences to the planet. So why we do not change them to benefit our health and earth?

In order to have a healthy model diet, we do not need to be a vegetarian or completely eliminate red meat (Cohen, 2017). Similar to vegan and vegetarian diets, the Mediterranean diet has less impact on the planet (Cohen, 2017). If all people switch to the Mediterranean diet, it can reduce 15% of global warming pollution by 2050 (Cohen, 2017).

Eating less red meat such as beef, lamp. For instance, cutting down the portion size of beef steak to the doctor-recommended 4 ounces can reduce emissions by half (Cohen, 2017).
Replacing red meat with chicken and fish in the daily diet. Chicken has 5 times lower emissions than beef (Cohen, 2017).
Eating more plant-based foods like organic vegetables and fruits. These foods have a small carbon footprint more than animal-based foods (Westervelt, 2015).
Buying local food is good for the environment because it requires little or no transportation to get to you. It doesn't get much more local than food from a nearby farm!

CONSUMPTION

No matter how you look at it, throwing clothes and other goods away can be very wasteful. You can cut back on waste and energy by donating clothes and other goods to a thrift store. We can buy clothes that are made of natural fibers or buy fewer clothes because natural fibers are better for the environment.
Washing Machines that reduce the emissions of fibers to the environment will give a more positive effect.
Companies have to start redesigning their products and make their product packaging more sustainable.
Consumers can start to purchase products from more sustainable and ethical brands.
Using durable containers, reusable food covers and beeswax covers are more eco-friendly and will reduce our use of plastic food wraps (Ewart,2017).
Reusing the plastic that is being used to pack pre-cut products and bananas, will reduce the amount plastic that is being thrown away after one use.
Recycle used electronics and batteries in e-waste bins (Harvard University, n.d.)
Selling used phones to mobile stores. For selling your phones you will earn little amount money out of it.
All that paper to make those disposable coffee cups has to come from somewhere. Those trees that were cut to make the cup could be sucking greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. Use a reusable mug when you can!
Trash is an eyesore and it can be harmful to animals and damage natural ecosystems. Properly disposing of it is a great way to help the environment.
Recycling centers turn old things into material for new things. Recycling means less pollution and less fuel burned to make the energy needed to produce new things.
Yard sales happen when people sell all the old things they don't need anymore. This cuts back on trash and also promotes recycling.

ALTERNATIVE SOURCE OF ENERGY

Solar power is anything (solar panels, for example) that uses energy from the sun to create electricity. Solar power is great for the environment because it doesn't burn gas.
Wind power is any type of power that comes from wind. Anything from massive wind-turbines to small windmills. Wind power is great for the environment because it doesn't burn gas
Diesel gas is more efficient than regular unleaded gas, so diesel cars can get better mileage than regular cars. This can mean fewer greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere.

BUILDINGS

While this section is less prescriptive, the IPPC suggests that people shift to more sustainable behavior when it comes to their homes, for example using smart thermostats or more efficient air conditioners (IPCC, 2019).
Electric driers use a lot of energy; energy that likely comes from burning fossil fuels that release greenhouse gases. It doesn't use any energy to just throw your clothes on a clothesline and wait for them to dry!
The plants in gardens help remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. They also can produce locally-grown food. Locally-grown food is good because it does'�t require a lot of gas to transport.
For every person raking leaves by hand, that is one less person using a leaf blower. Leaf blowers use lots of energy and can release greenhouse gases and pollution into the atmosphere.
Parks are great habitats for animals and plants. They also protect land from other developments like factories, houses, or roads that can release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and cause it to warm.
A tree nursery is great because planting and growing trees removes greenhouse gases from the atmosphere.

TRANSPORTATION

In order to meet 1.5 C goal, the IPCC envisages a future where people travel less, and that generally consumer preferences shift to more sustainable choices like car sharing, hybrid and electric cars. The report also looks at using more efficient modes of travel, e.g. swapping cars, trucks, and planes to buses and trains (IPCC, 2019).
Hybrid cars use both gas and electricity. Because they use electricity, they burn less gas and are better for the environment.
Electric cars are great because they don't use gasoline. Burning fossil fuels adds greenhouse gases to the environment and can cause our planet to warm.
Why not walk? It might take a bit longer, but you are also helping the Earth out by not driving. Driving releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, which contributes to global warming.
Trains transport lots of people and goods. If all those people drove cars, or all those goods were trucked, then they would be releasing a lot more planet-warming greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
Riding a bike is a great way to cut back on pollution. Sure, it might be a little bit more work, but it doesn't release any harmful greenhouse gases into the air. Plus it keeps you fit and is fun too!
If you are going to drive, why not take more than just yourself? The more people you cram in your car the less other cars need to be on the road.
Bike lanes encourage people to ride bikes. Riding bikes, unlike driving cars, does not add planet-warming greenhouse gases to the atmosphere.
For every person on a bus, it's one less car on the road. Cars and the gas they burn add greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, which contribute to global warming.
Professional car washes use less water than if you wash a car yourself. If everyone in the U.S. who washes their car themselves took just one visit to the car wash we could save nearly 8.7 billion gallons of water.