Three easy and feasible ways to fight climate change.

As of 2023, our world population currently stands at 8 billion, growing at a rate of 0.84%. Demographers project the world population to reach 9.8 billion by 2050.

The sudden proliferation of homo sapiens was first observed during the 18th century. This was no coincidence or a random occurrence. Industrial revolution in the mid 18th century sparked a new era of ideas, inventions and the thriving of mankind. Through the mechanisation of production, goods that had once been painstakingly handcrafted are now machine produced in mass quantities. Small rural and agrarian towns transformed into industrialised, urban ones. Within 2 centuries, advancements in medicine, agriculture, transportation and improved sanitation have made the average life expectancy of humans to increase from less than 30 years to over 72 years. Clearly, humans have flourished, but at what cost ?

Many people fail to see or choose to ignore the damage we do to the environment. Our daily activities actively contribute to the unsustainable use of raw materials, the deforestation of rainforests and the burning of fossil fuels. From the cars we drive, the clothes we wear to the food we eat, the society we built generates extensive pollution that causes global warming. Our consumerism, the constant acquisition of goods, is a vehicle for personal satisfaction and economic stimulation. This pervasive cultural attitude when exploited, will lead to the using up of scarce resources the earth have taken millions of years to produce.

Multiple articles have been published on how some cities such as Amsterdam and Venice experience frequent floodings. Cities with low levels of elevation are threatened by the imminent reality of complete submersion from steadily rising sea levels. Similarly, constant reports on droughts, wildfires and natural disasters all over the world desensitises people to such tragedies. We bear witness to the devastating consequences of nature's futile attempts to rid itself from the pollution by men. Humanity appears to be on borrowed time, as fragile Earth inches closer to catastrophe every ticking second.

Each of us holds a responsibility in our part to minimise the negative impact of human activity while cultivating positive ones. In my hopes to reduce our carbon footprint, this article will explore three .

easy and feasible ways to tackle climate change.

1.Reduction of personal car usage

2.Separation of trash between recyclable and non recyclables

3.Conscious consumerism

Reduction of personal car usage

67 million cars are produced every year and 2 new vehicles enter the road every second. According to Our World in Data, the transport sector is the second largest carbon emitter, making up one fifth of global carbon dioxide emissions. 74.5% of transport emissions come from road vehicles. Undoubtedly, cars are one of the biggest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions.

To tackle this problem, the use of personal cars should be reduced. This can be done by carpooling, taking public transport, or cycling to nearby places. Nowadays, big cities around the world have developed huge complex networks of public transportation, making them more accessible than ever. Unlike personal cars, they are much cheaper and do not require any parking or maintenance. Additionally, they can beat traffic jams during peak hours and carry more passengers which reduces emissions per capita. Other ways such as carpooling and cycling also reduce the amount of vehicles on the road. As such, following these methods to reduce personal car usage would reduce the usage of fuel and harmful emissions.

Separation of trash between recyclable and non recyclables

The world generates 2.01 billion tonnes of municipal solid waste annually. Statistics from the World Bank shows that 70% of our waste is discarded in open dumps and landfills while only 13.5% is recycled. Worldwide, one person generates an average 0.74 kilograms of waste daily. This is expected to increase by a whooping 70% by 2050. These statistics paint us a good picture of our excessive consumption of goods. Not only a huge amount of land space is used for landfills, tons of greenhouse gases are emitted (mainly carbon dioxide and methane) as byproducts of decomposition and incineration of waste.

In eccessence, every consumer is the primary determinant of how our waste is treated. We can consciously make decisions and efforts to increase the amount of waste being recycled. In our homes, we should separate our trash between recyclables and non recyclables and make a habit of recycling. Recyclable materials include glass, paper, cardboard, metal, plastic, rubber, textiles, batteries and electronics. If every household makes a custom of recycling, we work towards environmental sustainability by redirecting output and reducing input of precious resources .

Conscious consumerism

In this modern society, everything is a race to keep the economy thriving. Big fast food chains, fast fashion brands and huge electronic companies are constantly launching new products faster than we can ever consume. They advertise their products in ways customers cannot resist, encouraging the demand for more and more goods. From beauty products, electronics devices, clothes to food, many of these goods from big companies are often manufactured in the most cost efficient way. This usually means using of cheap materials in production, employing underpaid workers and even unregulated disposal of factory waste. Procurement of goods has become more accessible than ever, with the rise in online shopping and the delivery of goods to our doorstep. People now change their mobile phones once every two years or rush to buy the latest sneakers when they already own several good pairs. Collecting and hoarding goods has become a hobby and a statement of wealth, serving personal satisfaction.

In our greed, we are blinded by the fact that our demand for goods is only encouraging the supply of it. What we need to do is “conscious shopping” and not fall into the marketing traps of companies. Firstly, we can make conscious shopping decisions by researching brands and avoiding brands that do not follow ethical and environmental guidelines of production. Secondly, we can choose to patronise and support local businesses rather than big chain retailers or corporations. Lastly, and most effectively, we should avoid purchasing goods that we do not need. Having less is always better for the environment.

With just these three simple ways, we do our part and move towards a more sustainable environment for ourselves and our future generations. If everyone takes baby steps to fight climate change, saving the world might not be too late.