You have probably heard the term, 'carbon footprint' before, but perhaps you are not sure how you can make a difference. Well, your carbon footprint is measured by your lifestyle choices and purchasing habits. The lower your carbon footprint, the greater your contribution will be towards slowing down climate change. Here are some ways to do that:
Get involved in the Circular Economy. Borrow tools from your neighbour, rather than purchase them. Host a clothing exchange party with your friends. Fix and repair or repurpose items. It is about keeping valuable resources in the economy, not the landfill. Check out this site for more info on the circular economy!
Ride your bike or walk more often. Think about leaving your car and riding to work doing errands in your community if you can. Go Bike BC is a good resource for all things cycling!
Purchase products made locally or grown locally. The spring and summer are great for buying local fruits and veggies. Find a local organic farmer and support them! Many of them have weekly delivery options like the 'Harvest in a Box' from Westham Island Herb Farm in Ladner or Schoolhouse Farms and their Summer CSA 2022 program. Backroads Family market is another great Ladner choice!
Donate to charitable organizations that do great environmental work. Canada Helps has a great list to choose from. If you are looking for perennial plants for your backyard, consider contacting Environmental Youth Alliance. Their youth-grown native plant bundles for home gardeners will be available to pre-order through our Native Plant Fundraiser.
Make your homes more energy efficient. Did you know that homes and buildings are responsible for 18% of Canada's greenhouse gas emissions? The Government of Canada's Greener Homes grant provides up to $5000 to Canadians for energy efficiency upgrades.
Reduce your food carbon footprint. Meat, cheese, and eggs have the highest carbon footprint. Fruit, vegetables, beans, and nuts (macadamia nuts, hazelnuts, and Brazil nuts in particular) have much lower carbon footprints. If you eat vegetarian more frequently, you can have a large impact on your carbon footprint.
Shop for food more frequently. About 40% of food gets tossed, yet 10% of the world is hungry. What can you do? Purchase only what you need for 2-3 days, rather than for one week. This reduces food waste considerably.
Use refilleries. This is great for cleaning products, shampoos, etc. Hub Refillery has a variety of products and Hygge are two great Delta options. Eco Refillery in Vancouver is also a good stop for those living in Vancouver. If you want to renovate your home to be more environmentally friendly, try Green Works on West 3rd Avenue.
Participate in local environmental events. Check with city hall or your local business association for local events that are good for the environment. Why not organize a shoreline cleanup through PickUp3? It’s easy and makes an immediate impact on your community!
Consider Socially Responsible Investing (SRI). According to the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the world must invest $2.4 trillion USD into the global economy to help mitigate climate change. Much of this is going to come from the individual investor – in the way of socially responsible investing. Contact me to learn more about SRI!