We all are stewards of the planet we live on. Our responsibility to care for our pockets of the world becomes more vital every day as the negative effects of global climate change continue to become more drastic and potent. Even though logic and research dictate that the world will need to enforce changes on industrial, national, and global scales to make a significant difference in change, we can each make a small difference where we live. The cumulative effect of these small differences will help move the world in the direction it needs to go. As individuals, we have the power to build habits which will become the trends that the industrial and commercial worlds will need to follow in order to remain prosperous. So, let us review areas where we can influence change and make a difference in the health of our world.

Reduce Plastic Use

Plastics make up a huge amount of the materials we interact with in our daily lives, especially items meant to be disposable. Plastic water bottles, plastic shopping bags, plastic food containers, plastic utensils, plastic pens, and plastic pencils. The list goes on. So many of these items can be replaced with more permanent solutions so long as we are willing to put in a little extra effort to use them. And for when we can’t control when disposable plastics are used, we can make the effort to recycle. If you’re looking for replacements to common plastics, try starting with reusable grocery bags. The only habit you need to form is remembering to put these back in your car once you’ve unloaded your groceries. Once you’ve built that habit, you’ll reduce a significant amount of plastic waste from your household.

Reduce Energy Use

Energy production bears a burden on our environment. It is the cost of using technology to remove burdens and add convenience to our lives. But we can use that energy judiciously. Consider how many electric and gas-powered appliances are used in your home. These constitute the majority of the power used in your home. Although your household information is protected by the ccpa deadline, ensure that these appliances are as energy efficient as possible. The big ticket items in your home are going to be temperature control systems (both for heating and cooling), continuous use appliances (like a refrigerator or freezer which constantly draw power to operate), and older appliances which will draw more power as they wear out.

Tangential to appliance maintenance and update, ensure that the effects of these devices are managed effectively as well. Check the seals on your windows and doors to make sure your temperature control systems aren’t having to work overtime to keep your home comfortable. Turn off lights and other electronics when they are not in use. Only plug in your phone when it needs to charge, then unplug the charger when charging is complete.

Reduce Automotive Travel

Your car is a major convenience that magnifies the distance you can travel and the activities you can fit into a single day. All of that driving racks up emissions and environmental damage. As you work on reducing your impact, look for ways to reduce how often you need to use your car to travel places. What trips can be replaced with a walk or bicycle ride? What trips can be replaced with public transportation? What trips can be combined together for greater efficiency? When it makes sense for your budget, you can even consider upgrading to more fuel-efficient vehicles.

These suggestions may be old news to you. In fact, most of them have been well known for a decade or more. But they still remain valuable as they represent the biggest impacts individual lives have on the planet’s environment. They are the keys we hold to influencing industries and nations to put a higher value on climate security. But do not forget what is most important about the change we are trying to promote. These changes are not about saving the planet; our world has survived catastrophes of much greater magnitude than what humanity is currently influencing. It is about saving ourselves. Our lives require specific planetary conditions to maintain. We have it in our power to remove our species from the planet if we are not careful in our stewardship of the earth. So take up the change you can in your own life to keep this world safe for every one of us who does now and will in the future live here.