News media across the country are debating the political maneuver that has world leaders seething. Trump’s recent decision to withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord, an environmentally progressive contract signed in December 2015 under the Obama administration, has fashioned the United States one of three countries (alongside Syria and Nicaragua) not bound by the constraints of the agreement. The response globally to the US disengagement has been overwhelmingly critical. In fact, the international response to Trump’s decision was described by the Guardian as “a tsunami of global condemnation.”
If you are a US resident who disapproves of the decision made by the president, do not feel hopeless. Remember, there lies boundless power in the hands of the individual. Or to put it in the eloquent words of activist Mahatma Gandhi, “In a gentle way, you can shake the world.”
And you can shake the world (or save it) by following the below steps to stay environmentally friendly:
1. Carpooling
Hitch a ride with your eager, organized, always-on-time, co-worker on your commute to the office. Offer to give your cute curly-haired classmate a ride to campus--you’ll get a chance to strike up an interesting conversation and you’ll be saving the Earth while you’re at it. In fact, by carpooling just twice a week, you can decrease greenhouse gas emissions by 1,600 pounds each year.
2. Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth
Brushing teeth is a rather mind-numbing activity. It’s easy to let thoughts wander while scrubbing away the remainders of dinner stuck between those pearly whites to tomorrow’s schedule or the new TV show on Netflix. And that’s fine--as long as you take a second to remember that the water does not need to be running while brushing those teeth. In fact, turning the tap off while you’re brushing can save up to four gallons of water per minute.
3. Wear an extra sweater or throw on a blanket before you turn up the heat
Make your grandma happy by throwing on the over-sized sweater she knitted you last Christmas- you’ll make the Earth and your wallet happy, too. Turning down the thermostat seven to ten degrees Fahrenheit from its normal temperature can save you up to 10 percent on heating costs annually.
4. Use reusable water bottles instead of plastic ones
According to The Water Project Inc., plastic bottles take 1,000 years to bio-degrade and over 80 percent of them simply become litter. So instead of buying a 24-pack of Poland Spring, invest in a reusable water bottle. Unlike plastic water bottles, reusable bottles come in plenty of shapes and colors and some even come with built-in filtration systems.
5. Stop littering
Ed the Duck was not happy when his throat was caught inside a plastic beer ring. Neighborhood resident Jeff Marley jumped off a bridge to save the duck and broke his ankle in the process. Stop making cute ducks unhappy. Stop breaking innocent ankles. Stop littering.
6. Meatless Mondays
According to PETA, “A staggering 51 percent or more of global greenhouse-gas emissions are caused by animal agriculture.” You can help decrease this amount by going vegetarian just once a week. Not only is it healthy, but it’s also a great way to discover new tasty recipes you may not have tried otherwise.
7. Contact your legislators
These initiatives are all important, but I cannot emphasize this one enough. Far too few people know the names of their state senators or their district assemblywomen. These individuals have the power to develop and enforce local rules. While Trump may not believe in adhering to environmental standards, some of these individuals might. They can draft up environmental proposals and sign these proposals into law, making your state a cleaner and greener place for all residents. They won’t do this, however, unless they know that this is what their constituents want. So call them. A simple Google search will give you their phone number and email address.
