{"id":17416,"date":"2020-01-30T08:13:29","date_gmt":"2020-01-30T13:13:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/?p=17416"},"modified":"2021-04-07T08:42:15","modified_gmt":"2021-04-07T12:42:15","slug":"how-can-we-all-be-more-environmentally-responsible-in-2020-and-beyond","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/how-can-we-all-be-more-environmentally-responsible-in-2020-and-beyond\/","title":{"rendered":"How Can We All Be More Environmentally Responsible"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

“I want you to act as if the house is on fire because it is,” said the young climate activist Greta Thunberg to the decision-makers at the World Economic Forum in Davos on January 24th, 2019. Could this call to being more environmentally responsible be directed at us ordinary people, too? <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

While it\u2019s na\u00efve to believe that one single person\u2019s effort can compensate for the rest of the world, it is also foolish to think that your action or the lack of it doesn\u2019t count. By making environmentally responsible choices, each of us can contribute to the fight against global warming and all the other after-effects of humankind\u2019s irresponsible relationship with nature. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this article, we\u2019ll discuss just how critical the situation is and how we can get involved.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s the state of the environment now?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the sixth <\/span>Global Environmental Outlook<\/span><\/a> released at a U.N. environmental conference, the Earth\u2019s condition is constantly deteriorating. There is a need for urgent action and environmentally responsible damage control. The planet suffers from biodiversity loss, land degradation, air, water, and land pollution, and the consequences of climate change. The extinction rate of a number of species is rising. This, in turn, affects everything from the climate and soil to natural disasters. There is a notable decrease in vegetation productivity, which threatens food security. Water quality has significantly worsened since the previous decades. The industry is constantly polluting the air despite numerous modern technologies that could prevent that. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Obviously, this is not just the world\u2019s problem, but a threat to each individual life. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Should you act to prevent it?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Well, as we\u2019ve suggested above, all of these events can directly affect your life, the one of your family, and, particularly, the lives of your descendants. So, we\u2019re asking you: should you act to prevent it? <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, you should. But <\/span>can you<\/span><\/i> prevent it? <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well, you can definitely play your part<\/a>. In fact, Dr. Peter Newman of the Curtin University Sustainability Policy Institute in Perth claims that ordinary people can make a huge difference in preserving the environment. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere are things you can do with electric cars, but you can also change to using more public transport, or biking, or walking more, or reducing the need for heating and cooling,\u201d <\/span>he explained<\/span><\/a> to the reporters before the U.N. summit. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

He gave various examples, including using solar roof panels and eating less beef. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Things you can do to be more environmentally responsible<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, to elaborate more on what dr. Newman was saying, here are some things you can do to be more environmentally responsible from now on:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Join the tiny living movement<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The <\/span>Tiny house movement<\/span><\/a> is based on the idea that we will accumulate less stuff and spend less energy if we are occupying less space, which makes perfect sense. Many people are downsizing and moving from large suburban homes to small apartments and houses. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the popular ways of changing the way you live and being more eco-friendly is to opt for cargotecture. This means <\/span>building creative living spaces out of shipping containers<\/span><\/a> or, at least, using shipping containers as additional amenities instead of constructing a shed, garage, or similar structure. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recycle, reuse, repurpose<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is the golden rule of environmentally responsible living. You can use it in almost every aspect of your life \u2013 from furnishing your home to the way you drink coffee<\/a>. Since we\u2019ve already mentioned buying or building a house, if you\u2019re opting for a shipping container, you can purchase a used one (which is more affordable). You can also equip your property with repurposed or secondhand furniture. Finally, the least you can do is to renounce plastic bags when going grocery shopping. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t leave a paper trail<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019re entering the year 2020, really, who is using paper these days? Well, you would be surprised. You\u2019re probably even using paper on a daily basis. But you don\u2019t have to. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some of the steps you can take include: <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n