The ongoing COVID-19 crisis has kept many of us indoors, but that doesn’t mean the fight against climate change has come to a halt. For the past few years, young activists have been leading the charge to not only raise awareness about climate change, but go about changing how people operate, so that we can continue to call earth home.
Climate change is the study of the earth’s transformation pertaining to temperature, rainfall amount and humidity. It is often confused with global warming, which is the slow increase of earth’s temperature due to human activity. Although these issues are slightly different, both require more attention on a global level.
Since #EveryDayIsEarthDay, GU wants to share five ways that you can join the ranks of environmental activists. As we said, we know that most people are confined to their homes, so all of the tasks listed are ones that can be completed while you’re at home.
Do Your Research
Being informed about a topic is one of the most important steps to creating change. By being knowledgable, you enable yourself to form your own thoughts on the abuse of the environment. You can also easily sift through information on climate change and quickly determine whether it’s true or not, or if it ties into data you’ve previously been exposed to.
Check out all of ESSENCE‘s climate change coverage here.
Start In Your Home
It’s imperative to be wise about the ways you spend energy within your home.
If you’re not using a device, be sure to unplug it. Only use your dishwasher when it’s full to avoid washing multiple mini-loads. Swap out wasteful incandescent light bulbs for energy-saving ones. Even if you live at home and your family isn’t as invested in energy conservation as you are, you can still make a change.
Check out more ways to use less energy at home here.
Speak With Local Politicians
Government offices may be closed, but that doesn’t mean that your local political representatives are kicking their feet up. After researching your city and state’s approach to caring for the environment, and make a note of any behaviors or policies that you have an issue with. Email your mayor or governor, and discuss how you believe they could better be of service in the fight against climate change on a local level, as well as share any ideas you may have.
Tagging politicians on social media may help as well. Even though there’s a chance that they may not be running their own accounts, the people that are might be willing to assure that your concerns are addressed.
Raise Awareness Online
If you have social media accounts, you can use them to uplift the causes you care about most. It doesn’t matter if you have a large following or not — your voice still matters. You can engage in conversations with your followers about the effects of the worldwide virtual climate strike that happened this month, ecofeminism, how food selection plays a part in the amount of energy we’re using, or another relevant topic that’ll push the conversation forward.
Avoid Companies That Use Fossil Fuels
According to the Natural Resource Defense Council’s site, “coal, crude oil, and natural gas” all qualify as fossil fuels.” The site also shared that when these fuels are burned, heat is trapped in the atmosphere by carbon emissions, which directly leads to climate change. Knowing this, it’s crucial to avoid supporting companies that use fossil fuels, for the sake of the environment.
In 2019, The Guardian devised a comprehensive list of the top 20 companies that are responsible for one-third of the world’s carbon emissions. This list included a few household names, like Chevron, Exxon and BP. By avoiding using these companies to fuel your car, you can reduce the amount of carbon emissions you’re personally responsible for.
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