10 Hard Things To Do To Fight Climate Change

Climate change is a global and potentially catastrophic problem. What to do? As individuals, how do we have an impact on such a gargantuan, global problem? First off, it will take all of us working together. Yeah, humans have never really been very good at that, but we are learning. We all need to do something about it, both individually and collectively. It won’t be easy, but we need to make some large-scale, serious changes to how we do things. Changes in our economies, industries, and societies. It might feel overwhelming, but fear not! We’ve got some ideas to help you get started.

Sure, eating less meat, driving less, and creating less waste are all good steps, but they won’t save the world on their own. We need to think bigger! It’s time to support some serious systemic changes that can help us reduce our overall carbon footprint. As consumers and citizens, we have way more power, especially collectively, than most people think. Imagine if everyone stopped using fossil fuels for a week. Just one week. Or even one day—just one single day. It would literally change policy overnight. If we all voted with our purchases for a cleaner environment, we would support products that support the environment and stop spending on things that are harmful to the environment. Large-scale change could happen.

Think about investing in clean energy infrastructure, encouraging international climate action, and supporting policies that promote sustainability and fairness. And stop all fossil fuel burning. These changes won’t be easy, but they’re crucial for creating a future that’s resilient, fair, and sustainable for all of us and for generations to come. Or really, to have any future at all.

Remember, we’re all in this together! By joining forces and taking collective action, we can make a difference and lessen the worst impacts of climate change. It’s time to get involved. If not now, when?

The Hard Things To Fight Climate Change

Here are 10 not-so-easy things we can all work on to help make a positive impact on climate change:

1. Demand more green infrastructure: Green infrastructure is great for cities. It helps cool them down and improve air and water quality. Things like green roofs on buildings and permeable pavement to reduce stormwater runoff, more trees, and microforests wherever space allows. It’s been proven that green infrastructure in cities can reduce the urban heat island effect by up to 10 degrees Fahrenheit in some areas! And that makes for a cooler planet.

2. Carbon capture and storage: This technology captures and stores greenhouse gas emissions from big sources like power plants and factories. According to studies, it could reduce global CO2 emissions by 10–20% by 2050. It could create over 2.5 million jobs, helping create a greener economy.

3. Regenerative agriculture: We can make a difference with how we grow our food. Practices like cover cropping and reduced tillage can help improve soil health, increase biodiversity, and lower greenhouse gas emissions. In fact, regenerative agriculture practices can sequester 10 times more carbon than conventional farming methods.

4. Sustainable transportation: Electric vehicles are on the rise, but we’ve got more work to do. Sales of electric vehicles grew by a whopping 41% in 2020 (despite everything going on!). And here’s some good news: the cost of electric vehicle batteries has dropped by 87% since 2010, making them more affordable than ever. Let’s keep pushing for even more sustainable transportation options!

5. Carbon offsetting: Support companies that offset their carbon emissions by investing in projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions elsewhere. The market for carbon offsets grew by 6% in 2020. Ideally, there should be more financial incentive to invest in reforestation rather than deforestation. Corporations destroying the earth for short term profit need to have their toxic financial incentives removed.

6. Environmental advocacy: We need people who care and speak up for the environment. Environmental advocacy groups are more important than ever. You could help raise awareness about climate change and push for policy change. Just look at the Clean Air Act in the United States—it has helped reduce greenhouse gas emissions by a whopping 85% since it started in 1970. Not to mention that strong climate policies can also actually boost economic growth.

7. Sustainable building practices: Construction is responsible for a lot of greenhouse gas emissions, but sustainable building practices can make a difference. Simple things like cool roofs can reduce a building’s cooling energy use by up to 20%. Let’s normalize green building techniques and materials, and give our planet a well-deserved break.

8. Clean energy research: Investing in clean energy research is super important. We need to develop new technologies that can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Support advancements in battery storage, making renewable energy sources like solar and wind even more reliable. Plus, the cost of solar and wind power has dropped considerably. Renewable energy technologies are finally becoming serious competitors to fossil fuels!

9. Clean energy infrastructure: We need to speed up the transition to a low-carbon economy. Encourage investing in clean energy infrastructure! Building wind and solar farms can replace those old fossil fuel power plants. And expanding transmission networks will help get renewable energy to the places that need it most. It’s estimated that these investments could contribute up to a whopping $98 trillion to the global economy by 2050!

10. International climate action: Climate change is a global challenge, so we need a global solution. Supporting international climate action is more important now than ever. Look at the Paris Agreement—195 countries signed it in 2015 to limit global warming. While it’s not the ultimate solution, it’s a huge step forward.

We can also make changes in our own lives, from lowering our carbon footprints to encouraging companies to put sustainability first by shopping green. And let’s not overlook the influence of collective action. We can push for change from those in authority by banding together with people in our communities and around the world. It’s going to take all of us to create the change needed.

By: TerraGreena.com