12 Simple Actions to Help the Planet
Marching for the environment and demanding action on climate change is not enough.
Although governments worldwide need to push measures to control carbon dioxide emissions and regulate other pro-environmental actions, the bulk of the actions taken by the community represent the most immediate and, ultimately, the most permanent change.
Better still, you don’t need to spend loads of cash or make drastic alterations in your lifestyle to make valuable contributions to the safekeeping of the planet.
Here’s 12 easy and cost-free actions that you can right do now to help in this crusade. They will not only help the environment, but they may even be kind to your health and your pocket, all of them good reasons to start implementing them at once.
1.- Ditch Single Use Plastics
Picture: Rawsome
We can’t repeat it enough - simply avoid the use of plastics.
Unfortunately, plastics have been around for so long, in so many forms, and in so many familiar products that’s it’s nearly impossible to eliminate them altogether, particularly in situations where you need them for sanitary or health reasons.
However, you can help reduce them by making a conscious decision to permanently eliminate single-use plastics from your life: drinking straws, spoons, forks, plates, cups, bags, cellophane, plastic wrap, food containers, packing trays, Q-tips, etc.
When we start to take notice of how much superfluous plastic we have around - in packaging, in artifacts that could perfectly be of a different, sustainable material - we take conscience of the changes we can make in our consumption.
Some countries have already passed strict laws banning these products from the market. If this is not the case where you live, take the initiative and avoid using these items yourself.
Finally, if you have no alternative, try to give the plastic items additional uses instead of discarding them right away. For instance, wash and reuse plastic cutlery at the office, when travelling, on picnics, etc.
Also, beware of ‘hidden plastics’, such as the one used in clothes and shoes. Instead prefer natural fabrics, such as cotton, linen and wool.
2.- Reduce Your Waste
Picture: Shutterstock
Every day each person on the planet produces around 5 Lbs (10 Kg) of garbage. That’s 35 Lbs (70 Kg) per week, 140 Lbs (280 Kg) per month and a staggering 5,880 Lbs (11.740 Kg) per year, per person.
Most of this waste takes centuries to decompose. It is therefore evident that we need to reduce our rate of consumption in order to reduce our waste. Our days of mindless consumerism are over. But how do we change that?
The best way to reduce waste is to stop producing it.
Most of us buy on impulse - because something’s on sale, because we crave for it, because we ‘might’ need it in the future, or simply because we fancy it. Before we notice, we accumulate tons of things we don’t use or need or want anymore.
Think before you buy. Avoid buying things on impulse, specially trinkets and little unnecessary things that you will not use or want after one use.
Before you buy anything, ask yourself - Will you still use it in two years time? Or will you toss it away next week? Is it something you really need? Or do you already have something else at home that can do the job? Are you buying on impulse, or out of real necessity?
Whenever you can, buy reusable products, not disposable ones, and opt for those with the least packaging and transport, manufactured with the most sustainable materials.
If you already have lots of items you don’t need or want, plan a yard sale. Or you can also donate the items to charity stores such as Goodwill , Oxfam or Coaniquem - that way you’ll be doing a double good: to those in need and to the planet.
3.- Prefer Simple Packaging
Packaging is often used as a marketing strategy to attract clients. In truth, we all love fanciful packaging that resemble treasure chests or gorgeous presents - the presentation of the product is a fundamental part of its marketing image.
But the conscious consumer will not fall into this trap. They know that the less packaging, the less waste; and the less waste, the better for the planet.
The conscious consumer also knows that just because a packaging is made of cardboard, it doesn’t mean it’s environmentally-friendly - laminated cardboard is not recyclable and takes as long to decompose as regular plastic.
When in doubt, check if the packaging bears the recycling symbol.
Zero waste grocery stores, a growing trend, allows customers to bring their own containers to shop for their food, thus skipping entirely the packaging of individual items. Which, in fact, is exactly how people used to buy their food before ‘progress’ introduced an ever increasing modes of packaging.
If this type of store isn’t available in your area, try to buy the product with the simplest and most sustainable packaging.
Better still, prefer unpacked products (such as loose fruits and vegetables), and if they are packed, prefer those which come in environmentally friendly containers, such as glass and recyclable paper/cardboard.
Did you know you can help the planet by changing what you eat?
According to recent studies, livestock (the source of most of the meat, dairy and leather we consume) occupies 70% of the agriculture land available, which represents a staggering 30% of the planet’s land surface, and produces 18% of greenhouse gases, such as methane and nitrous oxide. But for all this environmentally costly production, it takes 7 kilograms of grain and thousands of litres of potable water to produce a single kilogram of meat.
What’s worse - our rhythm of consumption of these products means that these appalling numbers will only increase over the years, furthering damaging our planet, if we don’t change our food habits now.
Here’s a few simple tips:
- Eat less meat (beef, pork, poultry) and less dairy products. Instead, shift to vegetable protein (such as the one available in legumes, seaweed and tofu), which is just as nutritious and also better for your overall health.
- Reduce your sugar intake - Our increased addiction to sugar is the cause for massive deforestation and the loss of wildlife habitat worldwide. Worse still: sugar, in its many forms, it’s hidden in many products that we do not consider ‘sweet’, such as salad dressings, breads and sauces, making it harder to reduce its consumption. A clue: in general, most processed foods contain sugar. Cut off your sugar intake progressively, and you will not only be helping the environment but you’ll also notice how your health also improves.
- Eat the local fruits of the season. If you can, go to a local farmer’s market or, if you have a green thumb, make a vegetable garden of your own.
-Be mindful of your food choices. Fancy ‘healthy’ produce such as avocados, soy beans, quinoa and cocoa actually pose a huge negative impact on the environment. For instance, avocados require huge amounts of water (which end up drying rivers and wells) and farmers cause massive deforestation in order to make way for all these money-making crops. If you must buy these, make sure they come from certified sustainable and environmentally-friendly sources.
Once upon a time, buying an item with the label ‘Made in...’ was an exotic occurrence, sometimes tinted with the expectation of superior quality. Nowadays, most of our products are made in far away locations. In fact, we don’t even notice or care - and yet, we should.
From a purely environmentally point of view, buying products produced locally means a lesser impact on the planet resources. Ironically, it may not always be the cheapest alternative, but for those concerned for the well-being of the planet - and the well-being of their communities - it’s a price worth paying for.
As for the quality, with a few exceptions, producers in most countries have developed competitive production standards to ensure that their products can match or surpass those from foreign producers.
By buying local products you help to reduce your carbon footprint, help your local industries, and the local economy, all of which in turn will return in an increase in jobs and support global sustainability.
If you want to go the extra mile, check for your local B Corp stores and support them - that way you’ll be contributing to your local economy, the environment, a better society and the causes that these support.
Zero waste grocery stores, a growing trend, allows customers to bring their own containers to shop for their food, thus skipping entirely the packaging of individual items. Which, in fact, is exactly how people used to buy their food before ‘progress’ introduced an ever increasing modes of packaging.
If this type of store isn’t available in your area, try to buy the product with the simplest and most sustainable packaging.
Better still, prefer unpacked products (such as loose fruits and vegetables), and if they are packed, prefer those which come in environmentally friendly containers, such as glass and recyclable paper/cardboard.
4.- Change Your Food Habits
Did you know you can help the planet by changing what you eat?
According to recent studies, livestock (the source of most of the meat, dairy and leather we consume) occupies 70% of the agriculture land available, which represents a staggering 30% of the planet’s land surface, and produces 18% of greenhouse gases, such as methane and nitrous oxide. But for all this environmentally costly production, it takes 7 kilograms of grain and thousands of litres of potable water to produce a single kilogram of meat.
What’s worse - our rhythm of consumption of these products means that these appalling numbers will only increase over the years, furthering damaging our planet, if we don’t change our food habits now.
Here’s a few simple tips:
- Eat less meat (beef, pork, poultry) and less dairy products. Instead, shift to vegetable protein (such as the one available in legumes, seaweed and tofu), which is just as nutritious and also better for your overall health.
- Reduce your sugar intake - Our increased addiction to sugar is the cause for massive deforestation and the loss of wildlife habitat worldwide. Worse still: sugar, in its many forms, it’s hidden in many products that we do not consider ‘sweet’, such as salad dressings, breads and sauces, making it harder to reduce its consumption. A clue: in general, most processed foods contain sugar. Cut off your sugar intake progressively, and you will not only be helping the environment but you’ll also notice how your health also improves.
- Eat the local fruits of the season. If you can, go to a local farmer’s market or, if you have a green thumb, make a vegetable garden of your own.
-Be mindful of your food choices. Fancy ‘healthy’ produce such as avocados, soy beans, quinoa and cocoa actually pose a huge negative impact on the environment. For instance, avocados require huge amounts of water (which end up drying rivers and wells) and farmers cause massive deforestation in order to make way for all these money-making crops. If you must buy these, make sure they come from certified sustainable and environmentally-friendly sources.
5.- Buy Local
Once upon a time, buying an item with the label ‘Made in...’ was an exotic occurrence, sometimes tinted with the expectation of superior quality. Nowadays, most of our products are made in far away locations. In fact, we don’t even notice or care - and yet, we should.
From a purely environmentally point of view, buying products produced locally means a lesser impact on the planet resources. Ironically, it may not always be the cheapest alternative, but for those concerned for the well-being of the planet - and the well-being of their communities - it’s a price worth paying for.
As for the quality, with a few exceptions, producers in most countries have developed competitive production standards to ensure that their products can match or surpass those from foreign producers.
By buying local products you help to reduce your carbon footprint, help your local industries, and the local economy, all of which in turn will return in an increase in jobs and support global sustainability.
If you want to go the extra mile, check for your local B Corp stores and support them - that way you’ll be contributing to your local economy, the environment, a better society and the causes that these support.
6.- Watch Out for Palm Oil
All these products -and more- contain palm oil.
It’s the miracle vegetable oil found in almost every product, from lipstick to ice cream, and one of the reasons for massive deforestation across the planet.
The main casualty of palm oil plantations is the orangutan. The forests where this primate lives - its only habitat in the world - are being razed to make way for palm tree plantations in order to satisfy the voracious consumption of its oil.
Tragically, palm oil has been around for decades as a cheap and versatile vegetable oil, introduced in countless products, both edible and not. In fact, there’s virtually not a single snack or cosmetic product that does not contain this ingredient in one of its many forms.
Although at this point it’s nearly impossible to avoid products containing palm oil, you can reduce your palm oil use by identifying the products that contain it and making a switch to alternatives that do not contain this ingredient.
Some products, such as Biscoff coffee biscuits, use palm tree oil from certified sustainable sources, which may give the consumer some relief. But the best option is to skip its use entirely.
As a hint: normally, certified organic products (cosmetics, cleaning agents, etc.) do not contain palm oil.
Prefer these products and help save forests and wildlife.
Few things are more rewarding than planting a seed and watch it grow, an experience that most of us have during childhood and yet we seem to forget over time.
Planting a tree, or even keeping a small garden, can be a truly rewarding and even a de-stressing experience.
And yet, planting a tree involves more that merely planting a seedling - it means caring for it regularly so that it may develop into a healthy, full grown tree.
The main casualty of palm oil plantations is the orangutan. The forests where this primate lives - its only habitat in the world - are being razed to make way for palm tree plantations in order to satisfy the voracious consumption of its oil.
Tragically, palm oil has been around for decades as a cheap and versatile vegetable oil, introduced in countless products, both edible and not. In fact, there’s virtually not a single snack or cosmetic product that does not contain this ingredient in one of its many forms.
Although at this point it’s nearly impossible to avoid products containing palm oil, you can reduce your palm oil use by identifying the products that contain it and making a switch to alternatives that do not contain this ingredient.
Some products, such as Biscoff coffee biscuits, use palm tree oil from certified sustainable sources, which may give the consumer some relief. But the best option is to skip its use entirely.
As a hint: normally, certified organic products (cosmetics, cleaning agents, etc.) do not contain palm oil.
Prefer these products and help save forests and wildlife.
7.- Plant a Tree
Few things are more rewarding than planting a seed and watch it grow, an experience that most of us have during childhood and yet we seem to forget over time.
Planting a tree, or even keeping a small garden, can be a truly rewarding and even a de-stressing experience.
And yet, planting a tree involves more that merely planting a seedling - it means caring for it regularly so that it may develop into a healthy, full grown tree.
Planting a tree will not only help the planet but it will also provide you with a sense of accomplishment.
Don’t have a yard? Don’t have a green thumb? Even those aren’t excuses. You can join reforestation projects, such as Reforestemos.cl , in which, in exchange for a small donation, you select a tree to plant and a team of experts will plant it and care it for you - but you can also follow your tree’s progress via satellite.
You can also sponsor a tree or, simply, adopt a tree in your neighborhood and care for it as if it were yours.
In addition, you can also change your internet searches to Ecosia a web site that devotes most of its profits to reforestation efforts all across the globe.
The idea is to keep and increase the green on the planet and help to prevent its disappearance.
If you consider this an exaggerated measure, you may want to rethink your approach to this vital resource.
After all, every drop of water we use, is a drop we’ll never see again.
Reducing your water consumption will not only lower your bills, but it will also reduce the waste of potable water in the planet, thus helping to preserve this vital mineral for our future use.
Just like water, electricity is such a commonplace convenience that we may forget the environmental cost it poses to generate it.
In fact, producing a single kilowatt-hour of energy generates 760 grams of CO2 from fossil fuel emissions, such as lignite, coal and oil. Something to keep in mind when considering electric cars as a ‘green’ alternative to fossil-burning fuel cars.
In view of the environmental challenges we’re facing, many communities have taken active measures to generate clean electricity through solar panels or windmills. But until these options become the norm and not the exception, we should try to regulate our energy consumption to the minimum.
- When not in use for long periods, unplug your items - even when turned off, your items will continue to suck in energy if still plugged.
- Change your light bulbs to energy efficient bulbs, and buy energy efficient (Green Star) appliances, which will reduce the amount of electricity consumption.
- Open the refrigerator only when needed and briefly, turn off the lights and every other electrical appliance (TV, Radio, computer, etc.) you’re not using.
Finally, energy also includes all your battery-run appliances, from your wristwatch to your cell phones, to your laptops.
You may think that your iBook is saving trees by not using paper, but you also need to consider the batteries - these will eventually end up in a dumpster and take thousands of years to decompose, poisoning the ground and underground water streams in the lengthy process.
The decaying batteries of our current digital appliances may become the ‘plastic problem’ of the future. It is up to us to prevent this from happening.
If you use them, remember to discard your used batteries in the containers specifically disposed for this purpose. Discarding your used batteries along the common waste poses a high risk of contamination for the environment.
What you use at home to clean may not be just killing harmful bacteria but also contributing to increase the level of harmful pollutants in the environment - and they may be hidden even in the soaps you use daily.
Bleach is one of the most common cleansing agents found in every household, and one of the main causes of water poisoning and killer of natural life. Unlike other pollutants, bleach can’t be fully treated or eliminated from served waters, so it remains fully toxic as it reaches the seas.
If you need to use bleach, use it in small quantities - a little goes a long way.
Antibacterial cleaners - contained in house cleaners and even in soaps and shampoos - contain a substance that not only kills harmful bacteria: it can also lead to the onset of certain forms of cancer. Also, it has been proven that children who grow up in squeeky-clean environments are prone to develop allergies, simply because they never have the chance of growing antibodies against bacteria.
Having a little bacteria around is normal and necessary to our organism, so try not to overuse products containing antibacterials.
Also, if possible, ban the use of sprays entirely: pesticides, plaguicides, odorizers, etc. Sprays release uncontrollable amounts of chemicals into the air, which can linger and travel freely to other locations, leaving toxic traces that may end up polluting potable water, poison the soil, kill helpful insects such as bees, etc.
Even spray perfumes such as Glade have been linked to some forms of cancer.
Do yourself and the planet a favour and restrict as much as possible the use of sprays and chemicals in your household.
Although much-touted in most ecological campaigns, recycling has proven to be of little help when all of the above measures aren’t taken, which is why is the last suggestion on our list.
Also, recently it has been discovered that sometimes the garbage sent abroad to be recycled have actually ended up in regular dumpsters, without the recycling process they were supposed to have.
If you’ve followed the above steps, you’ll probably have very little waste left, but if you do, try to recycle as much of it as you can.
Many households keep separate bins to organize the recycling items as they come, and thus have them ready to deliver them to the nearest recycling centre.
Creative minds will also reuse elements of waste into the creation of a new product: furniture, clothes, plant pots, picture frames, decorations, etc.
If you do so, remember that plastic is a material better reused in whole (or not used at all) than recycled in secondary objects, simply because, as it decomposes, it generates microplastic that continues the chain of pollution into the environment.
The safest way to deal with plastic is to take it out of the chain entirely.
Helping to restore the world’s natural balance through our actions is as simple as using a little common sense. Perhaps even retaking the simple ways of our ancestors, who lived lives of greater harmony with the environment.
More than any rally or demonstration about ecology, it is our sustained actions over time which will help revert the adverse actions we have imposed on our planet for too long.
Every little action counts and it is our hands to make the change.
Each one of us, through our daily actions, make the world we live in. What world will you help create?
Sources: The World Bank, OECD/NEA, The David Suzuki Foundation, WWF, WorldAtlas.com
Don’t have a yard? Don’t have a green thumb? Even those aren’t excuses. You can join reforestation projects, such as Reforestemos.cl , in which, in exchange for a small donation, you select a tree to plant and a team of experts will plant it and care it for you - but you can also follow your tree’s progress via satellite.
You can also sponsor a tree or, simply, adopt a tree in your neighborhood and care for it as if it were yours.
In addition, you can also change your internet searches to Ecosia a web site that devotes most of its profits to reforestation efforts all across the globe.
The idea is to keep and increase the green on the planet and help to prevent its disappearance.
8.- Keep An Eye On Your Fashion
The textile industry is ranked among the most pollutants in the world.
A single pair of jeans requires 1,000 gallons (10.000 litres) of clean water to be manufactured, and it’s no secret that the textile industry uses harmful toxic dyes that pollute rivers, kill the soil, and cause incurable diseases to textile workers and those who come in touch with these agents - sometimes including the wearers.
Add to this the massive carbon footprint left by the textile industry due to lengthy travel from the production and manufacturing sources to their final markets, and you get an idea of the shocking environmental cost of each item of clothing we wear.
How to help? Don’t be a fashion victim - buy only the clothes you need and will wear.
If you can, opt for organic fabrics and textiles produced locally - this will also help prevent social problems such as sweat shops and human trafficking, in addition to reducing your carbon footprint.
Also, read the labels of the items you buy, specially if they include ‘furs’ as these may come from actual animals cruelly sacrificed for the sake of fashion.
Highly sustainable clothing initiatives, such as Pure Waste, Globe Hope and Relooping Fashion are even implementing textiles made of materials and recycled fibres in order to reduce the consumption of new materials.
For those willing to go the extra mile, buy second-hand clothes: you may find that many of the items are still fresh off from store racks! You will save your pennies and help the environment, all in one.
9.- Be Mindful of Your Water Consumption
Clean potable water is the most precious resource on the planet, absolutely essential for life, and one that’s quickly disappearing due to draught, deforestation, climate change, and pollution.
And yet, we seldom pay attention to how much of this precious liquid we use every day.
I learned this the hard way when, during a blackout, our water service was cut for two days and I had to rely on bottled water. Only then I realised that I was using water for almost every single activity I did at home, in amounts greater than my real needs.
I had always thought that I was a conscientious water user because I never left the faucet open and was on the lookout for leaks; but this experience made me realise that, while this is good practice it is not enough, particularly now.
We need to learn to use water more efficiently, only when we really need it, and always in amounts proportionate to the use we’re giving it.
Draught is a serious issue, probably the worst threat the world is facing today. Therefore, being mindful of our water consumption - and water waste - is absolutely essential to our survival.
Small simple actions, such as turning off the tap while you brush your teeth or as you lather in the shower can save gallons of potable water per day. That is thousands of litres per year, for a single person.
Some countries have even launched campaigns to shower in 5 minutes or less, so as to reduce the water consumption to a healthy minimum.
Dúchate en 3 Campaign Video (0:38")
If you consider this an exaggerated measure, you may want to rethink your approach to this vital resource.
After all, every drop of water we use, is a drop we’ll never see again.
Reducing your water consumption will not only lower your bills, but it will also reduce the waste of potable water in the planet, thus helping to preserve this vital mineral for our future use.
10.- Be Mindful of Your Energy
Just like water, electricity is such a commonplace convenience that we may forget the environmental cost it poses to generate it.
In fact, producing a single kilowatt-hour of energy generates 760 grams of CO2 from fossil fuel emissions, such as lignite, coal and oil. Something to keep in mind when considering electric cars as a ‘green’ alternative to fossil-burning fuel cars.
In view of the environmental challenges we’re facing, many communities have taken active measures to generate clean electricity through solar panels or windmills. But until these options become the norm and not the exception, we should try to regulate our energy consumption to the minimum.
- When not in use for long periods, unplug your items - even when turned off, your items will continue to suck in energy if still plugged.
- Change your light bulbs to energy efficient bulbs, and buy energy efficient (Green Star) appliances, which will reduce the amount of electricity consumption.
- Open the refrigerator only when needed and briefly, turn off the lights and every other electrical appliance (TV, Radio, computer, etc.) you’re not using.
Finally, energy also includes all your battery-run appliances, from your wristwatch to your cell phones, to your laptops.
You may think that your iBook is saving trees by not using paper, but you also need to consider the batteries - these will eventually end up in a dumpster and take thousands of years to decompose, poisoning the ground and underground water streams in the lengthy process.
The decaying batteries of our current digital appliances may become the ‘plastic problem’ of the future. It is up to us to prevent this from happening.
If you use them, remember to discard your used batteries in the containers specifically disposed for this purpose. Discarding your used batteries along the common waste poses a high risk of contamination for the environment.
11.- Check What’s In Your Household
What you use at home to clean may not be just killing harmful bacteria but also contributing to increase the level of harmful pollutants in the environment - and they may be hidden even in the soaps you use daily.
Bleach is one of the most common cleansing agents found in every household, and one of the main causes of water poisoning and killer of natural life. Unlike other pollutants, bleach can’t be fully treated or eliminated from served waters, so it remains fully toxic as it reaches the seas.
If you need to use bleach, use it in small quantities - a little goes a long way.
Antibacterial cleaners - contained in house cleaners and even in soaps and shampoos - contain a substance that not only kills harmful bacteria: it can also lead to the onset of certain forms of cancer. Also, it has been proven that children who grow up in squeeky-clean environments are prone to develop allergies, simply because they never have the chance of growing antibodies against bacteria.
Having a little bacteria around is normal and necessary to our organism, so try not to overuse products containing antibacterials.
Also, if possible, ban the use of sprays entirely: pesticides, plaguicides, odorizers, etc. Sprays release uncontrollable amounts of chemicals into the air, which can linger and travel freely to other locations, leaving toxic traces that may end up polluting potable water, poison the soil, kill helpful insects such as bees, etc.
Even spray perfumes such as Glade have been linked to some forms of cancer.
Do yourself and the planet a favour and restrict as much as possible the use of sprays and chemicals in your household.
12.- Recycle
Picture: City of York
Although much-touted in most ecological campaigns, recycling has proven to be of little help when all of the above measures aren’t taken, which is why is the last suggestion on our list.
Also, recently it has been discovered that sometimes the garbage sent abroad to be recycled have actually ended up in regular dumpsters, without the recycling process they were supposed to have.
If you’ve followed the above steps, you’ll probably have very little waste left, but if you do, try to recycle as much of it as you can.
Many households keep separate bins to organize the recycling items as they come, and thus have them ready to deliver them to the nearest recycling centre.
Creative minds will also reuse elements of waste into the creation of a new product: furniture, clothes, plant pots, picture frames, decorations, etc.
If you do so, remember that plastic is a material better reused in whole (or not used at all) than recycled in secondary objects, simply because, as it decomposes, it generates microplastic that continues the chain of pollution into the environment.
The safest way to deal with plastic is to take it out of the chain entirely.
Helping to restore the world’s natural balance through our actions is as simple as using a little common sense. Perhaps even retaking the simple ways of our ancestors, who lived lives of greater harmony with the environment.
More than any rally or demonstration about ecology, it is our sustained actions over time which will help revert the adverse actions we have imposed on our planet for too long.
Every little action counts and it is our hands to make the change.
Each one of us, through our daily actions, make the world we live in. What world will you help create?
Sources: The World Bank, OECD/NEA, The David Suzuki Foundation, WWF, WorldAtlas.com
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