The ongoing climate crisis has led many people worldwide to question their own impact, especially relating to CO2 emissions, with the emphasis on how they can reduce them effectively.
Everything from diet to travel and heating the home has come under the microscope, with many asking how they can make climate-friendly choices.
There are many options. However, it is advised that you only do what is in your power. In short, do not go crazy! A world of people doing small things is great and better than a world of a couple of people doing everything perfectly.
Here, 5 simple ways you can reduce your Co2 emissions will be explored.
Diet
There has been a rise in people going vegan or vegetarian in the last few years relating to the climate crisis. Yet, this is not the only way you can reduce your carbon footprint with your diet. It is advised that you should limit your meat consumption, especially beef. However, you can still consume the majority of foods. Select fish from sustainable fishing practices. Consume local or seasonal fruits and vegetables. To avoid waste, only buy what you need.
Clothes
Throwaway fashion is cheaper. But more people are opting for clothes and shoes which are of a higher quality and will last longer. To reduce your CO2 footprint with your wardrobe, aim to take good care of your clothes. If necessary, learn how to mend and alter them if they become damaged or if you outgrow them. This is also a good time to begin practicing purchasing second-hand clothes. Or buying responsibly made clothes from products that have an Eco label attached.
Walk
Walking is not only a simple and great exercise. It also reduces CO2. In some instances, using transport is unavoidable, such as commuting to work. If you can, aim to cycle or walk to nearby places. If you are aiming to buy a car, try to buy an electric option. You can also reduce CO2 by choosing different long journey options, such as a train over a coach or airplane.
Reusable
Reusable is trendy and not only because of hipsters. If you can reuse cloth to clean your home or use reusable shopping bags, it is wise to do so. The reason these reduce CO2 emissions is simple. They are produced once and used many times before they are discarded. So, there are more steps between production and the product being thrown away.
This is also where up-cycling can come into play. You may want to research more if you are a fan of arts and crafts.
Reduce single-use
If you saw the TV show Blue Planet 2, you will remember the impact that this had relating to single-use plastics.
Plastics are hard to recycle. Often, they are used once and thrown away, creating a waste product from an energy inefficient production. To reduce your CO2 emission, an easy option is to avoid single-use if possible. In some areas, this is simply unavoidable, such as healthcare, where PPE is more important than ever following the 2020 pandemic. If you can avoid single-use, do so. Your CO2 emission will drop quickly!