With nearly daily attacks on the environment coming out of Washington, it’s hard to stay optimistic about healthy ecosystems, protection for wildlife and the future of the planet. These things we hold dear need us now more than ever.
Thankfully, there are small things we can do every day to help.
1. Drive less.
It’s sometimes hard to get around in Northern California without a car, especially if you live outside of urban centers. According to the Department of Transportation, the average American drives about 29 miles each day. And, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, almost 20 pounds of carbon dioxide are produced by burning one gallon of gasoline.
If you want to reduce your carbon footprint, think about reducing your trips, your mileage and the frequency of which you drive.
You can carpool, combine errands into one trip, use transit systems, go by bike or foot. It might feel awkward at first, but the more you do it, the less you feel reliant upon your car for transportation.
2. Eat less meat.
If you’re already a vegan or vegetarian, thank you for doing your part to reduce greenhouse gasses. But for omnivores, giving up meat can feel like an impingement on basic human rights. Still, reducing meat in your diet can go a long way toward curbing climate change and improving water quality.
Raising livestock contributes to about 18 percent of greenhouse gas emissions globally, according to a 2009 study published in the journal Climate Change. Reducing consumption of beef and pork especially, can alter land use and result in a “large carbon uptake from regrowing vegetation.” Methane and nitrous oxide emission would be substantially reduced.
Americans, in particular, eat more meat than any other nationalities, except Luxembourgers. Annually, the average American consumed 71.2 pounds of red meat and 54.1 pounds of poultry, according to the U.S. Department of agriculture in 2012.
To reduce your meat consumption, look for plant-based protein sources, like beans, lentils, seeds and nuts. Order a quinoa salad instead of the burger for lunch. Try adding tofu to your curry instead of chicken for dinner. Experiment with alternatives for one or two meals a week to replace meat and pat yourself on the back for being open to helping the environment through your diet.
3. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
Californians are used to recycling, and composting has been on the rise for the last decade. But what often gets overlooked is reducing consumption of products and reusing them before recycling them.
Felicia Smith, a waste management specialist from the Sonoma County Waste Management Agency, said moving away from single-use products, like plastic wrap, to-go containers and coffee cups, can be a big break from ease of habit, but can go a long way to reducing what gets sent to the landfill.
You can also use rechargeable batteries at home, donate unwanted household items like books, appliances, toys and clothes, use rags to clean instead of paper towels and pay bills online instead of receiving paper statements.
To be informed about how to dispose of potentially hazardous materials, like paint, computers and prescription medications, check out SCWMA’s website.
4. Volunteer.
Participation is key for our democracy to remain healthy. Whether that’s attending a city council meeting, getting involved in a community action group or becoming a hike leader, this is the time to stand up for what you believe in.
There are many ways to volunteer locally, and lots of organizations, like Sierra Club, looking for good help.
Decide how much time you have a week to donate, what skills you can offer and approach groups to find out what help is needed. Our chapter has a volunteer page on our website, where you can see what positions are open in your local group or chapterwide. Other environmental groups, like 350 Sonoma have similar pages on their sites.
Volunteering can also look like being a watchdog for the environment. Sharing credible information about environmental issues in your area is a great way to get involved. Be an active citizen by calling your elected leaders and thanking them for their work on the environment or urging them to do more. Subscribe to your local newspaper and support community journalism to ensure a free press so you and your neighbors stay informed on important local issues.
This is a great time to think globally and act locally. Your individual work always matters.
5. Donate
If you don’t have enough free time to volunteer but want to make a contribution, money also helps an organization’s efforts.
Donating to the Sierra Club at a local level ensures that your money is spent primarily on local issues and advocacy. Small donations mean something too, so don’t sky away from giving $20 if that’s what makes sense for your pocketbook.
Click here to donate to the chapter, or become a member.