How can you help the planet this Earth Day?
The largest issues of our time – climate change, water scarcity, and land degradation – are invisible. In our modern lives, we don’t usually encounter or think about rising oceans, underground aquifers or faraway glaciers and snowpacks, and soil contamination. These issues are also invisible because they manifest slowly, inching the baseline for what is tolerable ever upwards. Social and political change around these issues is thus equally slow without an urgent crisis to react to. Real change in our complex world is hard and takes years of effort and stakeholder negotiation.
Fortunately, this Earth Day we have something to celebrate. Today, over 195 countries will be signing an agreement called the Paris Accord that requires them to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to collectively keep global temperature rise well below 2°C and to pursue efforts to limit it to 1.5°C. In the US, the Clean Power Plan will be a large part of our ability to meet our commitment to the Accord. The Plan gives individual states the authority to determine the best and most cost effective way to reduce emissions for their particular resources and economy. This of course has some controversy as most political things do, but all indications point to an outcome that will put the US on the path to meeting climate goals that align with the rest of the world.
4 Resources for Going Green #EarthDay2016
Want to do your part to help this Earth Day? There are many things you can do. Success is not all-or-nothing. Here are just a few ideas and resources that you might not have heard about before:
- Avoid purchasing products that use chemicals and pesticides that can harm fisheries, pollinators, and other wildlife in the food chain. Want to know the fruits and veggies that are most important to buy organic? Want to know what sunscreens contain harmful carcinogens? The Environmental Working Group publishes reports on the most earth- (and people-) friendly products and food backed by their own lab work.
- Use programs supporting renewable energy and energy efficiency that you are likely already paying for on your electric bill. In most states, this fee on your bill entitles you to receive rebates on energy-saving appliances, low cost or free home energy audits, and lowered prices on solar panel installation. Database of State Incentives for Renewable Efficiency USA (DSIRE USA) funded by the US Department of Energy is a good resource to start with. Another good resource if you live in California is Energy Upgrade California. Often there are financing options and lease-to-buy arrangements to help with the more costly home upgrades.
- Talk to your financial advisor about what social and environmental outcomes (in addition to financial returns) you want to support with your retirement and other investment accounts. Learn more about impact investing from the Global Impact Investing Network and the Stanford Social Innovation Review.
- Talk to a relative or friend about some aspect of the environment that’s important to you. The topic could be lowering your carbon footprint or preserving our wilderness lands or something else, but the important thing is to be an ambassador for this earth we all call home. The three main aspects that form our daily lives – people, our environment, and economics – are often pitted against each other. Change will happen because people have conversations about how to make these three aspects work together. Make this a priority conversation.
About the author: Laura Brenner Kimes is a social entrepreneur who has dedicated her career to helping build companies and programs that reduce carbon emissions and create resilient communities. She is the co-founder and Director of Ecosystem Services for Fresh Coast Capital. The company is dedicated to helping cities manage stormwater and revitalize vacant and contaminated land. Fresh Coast activates impact investment and private capital to revitalize cities by planting trees, flowers, and other revenue-generating “working landscapes” for climate resiliency. Connect with Laura @laurakimes and @freshcoastcap.
