A recent study found that 82 per cent of Canadians are concerned about how climate change will impact future generations.
If you’re among that dominant group, here are four ways you can help fight against climate change.
Book a staycation
Planning a holiday at or close to home has multiple benefits. For one, you don’t have to break the bank with pricey airline tickets or multiple tanks of gas for an epic road trip. Cutting out those items also reduces the carbon footprint of your vacation.
Visiting nearby attractions helps you better connect with your community and keeps your hard-earned money circulating in the local economy.
If you do plan to go abroad, consider adding carbon offsets to the budget to help reduce your impact.
Apply the three Rs to your wardrobe
Globally, “fast fashion” is a major contributor to climate change and it also fills up landfills. Rather than buying cheap clothing that will fall apart after a few washings, invest in better-quality garments that will last for years to come.
Another option is to shop at thrift or consignment stores rather than buying new. You’ll save some money, and someone else’s previously loved clothing will get a new lease on life.
Finally, you can repurpose old clothing into new with some adornments or strategic snips with the scissors. Are we ready for the return of the iconic Daisy Duke jean shorts?
Eat smart
Much like a staycation, buying your food from local providers has multiple benefits, including reducing the carbon footprint required to get the food to your table and supporting nearby producers.
Wherever you source your food from, take steps to not waste it. Planning a menu ahead of time means you can use up leftovers and items you already have in the fridge or pantry before they go bad.
You can save yourself time and money by buying food in bulk and making large batches of your family’s favourite dishes. Reheat some of the leftovers for an easy meal the next day and freeze the rest in single-serve containers for healthy, homecooked lunches later on.
Conserve energy at home
Reducing energy consumption at home not only helps the planet; it also helps your wallet. One way to reduce your energy use is by using Wi-Fi enabled switches such as Square D. By pairing your switches and plugs with an energy monitoring system like Wiser Energy, you can use your phone to control light switches for intelligent home energy management.
(Source : News Canada)
