The fun part! How much are we as individuals really affecting the planet with our daily habits? Read the facts and suggestions below to learn about your impact and how to reduce it. Instructions for the activities may be found on the References page.
Fast Facts
- The carbon dioxide emissions of a typical email are 4 grams and can reach about 50 grams in the case that the email includes an attachment.
- The meat industry is “the primary source of methane emissions, a greenhouse gas 86 times more potent than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period” (Helen Christophi, Sierra Club).
- According to the Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness Network, symptoms of climate change include diminishing sea ice, fires, drought, extreme weather, and record-breaking heat, year after year.
- Accroding to a research study published in the Cryosphere, between 1994 and 2017 alone, 28 trillion metric tons of ice were melted, with 2017 accounting for 1.3 trillion tons.
Simple Changes
- Unsubscribe from any email subscriptions which you are no longer interested in or do not read.
- Reuse plastic and glass containers where possible (some examples include undamaged takeout containers, deli containers, and food/sauce jars).
- Reduce your usage of single-use plastics.
- Reduce your meat consumption by participating in “Meatless Mondays” (or any other days of the week) – eliminate or reduce the amount of meat you eat for one day per week.
- When waiting for water to heat up (e.g., when washing your face), save the water to water plants, give to pets, wash dishes, and more (just be sure to put it in a clean container).
- Share this website with friends!
Bigger Changes
- Install solar panels on your home to limit the usage of electricity.
- Make the effort to shop only from sustainable brands (use the Good on You app to see which brands are the most ethical).
- Invest in reusable food packaging options, such as reusable snack bags and beeswax wrappers.
- Try to go vegetarian or vegan (this one is a bit harder than the others, so no worries if you find it difficult).
Fun Activities
- Use number six plastic (usually found in the form of containers for takeout or bakery items) to make shrinky dinks.
- Make recycled crayons out of old ones to be reused.
- Use old or shredded paper to make your own handmade paper (supplies needed).
My Mother Earth 