Scientists believe that human civilization will end in 2050 if the climate change problem isn’t addressed and solved as soon as possible. That’s still three decades from now, but time moves really quickly in this fast-paced world. That means that climate change is no longer an issue that can be dismissed as nothing more than a scientific theory.
The effects of global warming and climate change are evident in what’s happening in different parts of the world. Typhoons, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, bush fires, hurricanes, tsunamis, and so many other natural disasters are happening one after the other. And while these are all naturally occurring disasters, their devastating effects are only being further magnified by climate change.
All these events are indeed much bigger than you or your entire family combined, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t contribute to helping address the climate change problem. That’s because in the grand scheme of things, contributing in small ways is still much better than not contributing at all.
Introducing small changes to the way you manage your home or carry out your day-to-day tasks can go a long way when it comes to practicing environmentalism. In fact, here are five things that you can do at home to stop global warming, or at least, not let it get worse than it already is:
1. Take Recycling Seriously
Reduce, reuse, and recycle. That’s something that you’ve been hearing since you were a little kid, but it’s said as a mere suggestion than an actual rule of thumb. So many opportunities to help save the environment are lost when recycling isn’t taken as seriously as it should have been.
But it’s not too late to make some changes. Start this practice at home by segregating your biodegradable, non-biodegradable, and recyclable wastes properly. You can also bring your recyclables to recycling centers that use an industrial baler machine in their waste management process so that you can rest assured that the wastes won’t just go to landfills or incinerators afterward.
2. Switch to Water-efficient Fixtures
So much water is wasted just because the models of faucets, showers, and toilets in people’s homes are outdated or inefficient. Even if the homeowners aren’t intentionally wasting water, not doing anything about the problem when they know that it exists can count as neglect. This is especially true because the world is facing a water crisis.
However, this can be solved by making a simple change: switching all standard or traditional models to water-efficient fixtures. By doing so, you can conserve water and only use what you actually need. Optimizing your home for efficiency will help you save the environment and money in the process.
3. Replace All Fluorescent Lights with LEDs
Most homes are traditionally lit with fluorescent lights because that was what the world was accustomed to. However, more recent studies showed that fluorescent tube lights are not only harmful to people’s health because of the presence of mercury, but it’s also harmful to the environment.
By replacing all your fluorescent lights at home with LED lights, you can do your part in saving the environment because the latter option is much more sustainable. They consume less energy, last longer than fluorescent lights, and can also save you more money in the long run.
4. Forego Single-use Plastics
The golden age of consumerism has been very beneficial to global economies, but it came at the expense of the environment. This need to continuously manufacture goods to keep up with consumer demands plunged the world into an unhealthy obsession with single-use plastic, which was the cheaper and more convenient option compared to its alternatives.
People have grown up using plastic straws for their drinks, plastic bags for their groceries, or buying ready-to-eat snacks that come in plastic packaging so much that it can feel impossible to live without. However, no change is ever easy. This habit may be difficult to forego, but it’s a change that is necessary.
5. Patronize Small Eco-friendly Businesses
Last, but not least, you can do your part in saving the environment by supporting the businesses that practice sustainability and social responsibility. You might not know this, but multinational corporations that manufacture goods at such a large scale are among those that contribute the biggest to the global carbon footprint.
That’s because, to provide for global demand for consumer goods, they will have to burn fossil fuels that will release carbon emissions into the atmosphere, which can then speed up global warming. Instead of giving your hard-earned money to socially irresponsible companies, you’re better off patronizing small eco-friendly businesses that use sustainable practices.
The devastating effects of climate change on the planet and the billions of people living in it may no longer be reversed, but it can be stopped from worsening. Small individual efforts may go a long way, but for these efforts to have an impact on a large scale, global climate policies have to be enacted into law.
