11 Easy Ways to Help the Climate Crisis

Choose an environmental issue that’s important to you and your community and contact your local political representatives to arrange a meeting. While it may seem daunting at first, going straight to your political representatives can add pressure and help them focus on key environmental issues. 

Shopping at local food markets and buying locally-made goods is not only great for the economy but also reduces your overall impact by reducing the emissions created by transporting many grocery store foods. Have room in your backyard? Growing your very own fruits and vegetables is a rewarding hobby that can help put healthy, nutritious food on the table!

The next time you’re doing your laundry, opt for the cold water cycle option. Studies have shown that cold water can be just as effective as warm, and swapping cold for hot reduces the energy and emissions produced by a single load of laundry. Bonus points: air-dry your laundry whenever possible to skip the dryer altogether!

A fantastic way to reduce your overall impact is by purchasing secondhand items. This is now easier than ever with online secondhand marketplaces and apps. From clothing and accessories to furniture and decor, buying used instead of new will leave less of an impact on the environment and your wallet.

Trees help clean the air, filter our water, maintain biodiversity and absorb harmful carbon emissions, among many other environmental benefits. You can do your part by supporting reforestation around the world!

You heard that one right! You can reduce the amount of trash in landfills by being mindful of the trash that you produce daily. This could mean packing your own lunches for work and using a reusable cup at the coffee shop or opting for sustainable products such as shampoo bars or laundry strips.  

We know you’ve heard this one before, but swapping in one healthy plant-based meal each day can have a dramatic long-term impact on your personal carbon emissions. Snacking on fruits and veggies and incorporating more budget-friendly plant-based proteins can also leave a positive impact on your health and wallet!

Adjusting the heat and air conditioning by only a few degrees may not make a noticeable difference to you but can add up in the long run! If you want to take it one step further, avoid heat or air conditioning when possible and bundle up in the cooler months, or keep your windows open in the warmer months.

From plastic cutlery and takeout containers to grocery bags and water bottles, millions of barrels of oil are needed annually to produce these disposable items. It also takes hundreds of years for plastic to decompose in landfills. Swapping in a reusable grocery tote or a refillable water dispenser can easily cut your daily plastic consumption in half!

When shipping a product is unavoidable, buy carbon offsets! Many brands offer carbon offsets at the checkout that will help offset the emissions needed to ship you your purchase. You can even purchase carbon offsets when flying for travel yourself, with many airlines offering offset calculators and packages to determine the carbon emissions used for your flight.

If your workplace doesn’t already have any notable sustainability initiatives in place, see if you can get involved and start one! One Tree Planted offers a range of options for businesses that want to make a positive environmental impact.