Have you heard about the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report released earlier this month? If not, here is a good summary.
Basically, the world’s leading climate scientists say that we have 12 years for “global warming to be kept to a maximum of 1.5 degrees Celsius, beyond which even half a degree will significantly worsen the risks of drought, floods, extreme heat and poverty for hundreds of millions of people“.
There are major changes that need to happen, but every single person can also do their part to reduce carbon emissions, starting with some small, easy changes.
So what can you do to make a difference? Here are 7 ways to reduce your carbon footprint.
We would also add to that list that you can avoid using plastic wherever possible – especially single use plastics! You can do this by carrying with you (and using!) your own reusable shopping bag, water bottle, travel mug, stainless steel straw, etc. You can also replace your plastic wrap and ziplocs with beeswax wraps and bags.
Why Should We Avoid Plastic?
Plastic production has a significant impact on carbon emissions; it is often produced as a single-use product and as such has a low rate of recycling. In the EU it’s estimated that as little as 30% of plastics are actually recycled; the rest is ending up in landfills, being incinerated, or even worse…an estimated EIGHT MILLION TONNES of plastic waste end up in the ocean every year. Read more about the impact of plastics here.
Doing Our Part
A big focus of the “do good.” pillar of The Island Jar has to do with reducing our environmental impact and encouraging others to do the same. To do our part, The Island Jar implemented a Green Discount program last year. We encourage you to bring your own travel mug or reusable smoothie cup and get 5% off your drink!
We also have many products to help you reduce your carbon footprint available at The Island Jar. Stop by and ask for suggestions, and be sure to check out our vegetarian and vegan options to cut down on meat consumption (even if it’s just cutting out meat for one meal a day or one day a week – maybe give ‘Meatless Monday’ a try!).
We’ve reached a critical point in terms of climate change; in order to slow down increasing temperatures, we need to take action. Every one of us can start by making small changes right now to tread lighter on the earth.
Climate Change Infographics
