Being climate-friendly is something that we can all practice in our day-to-day lives. There are countless ways to actively support the planet. While some changes to our daily routines and spending habits are smaller and easier than others, no change is insignificant—really!
Many changes we can make to be more climate-friendly involve everyday actions we might not even consciously think about. You’re not alone if you are struggling to figure out where to begin making changes for a greener lifestyle. The good news is, if you’re reading this, your heart is in the right place, and you’re well on your way to doing Earth some good.
Together, we can make changes to our everyday lives -- we know you’ve heard it and though you may not believe it, small changes across a growing group of determined activists can make a huge, lasting difference. 👭🏾🌎
What Impact Do We Have on the Environment?
We humans have the power to impact the environment both positively and negatively.
Humans, unfortunately, hurt the physical environment in many ways. On the daily, we contribute to overpopulation, destruction of natural habitats, the creation of pollution, and the burning of fossil fuels.
That said, there are also positive impacts we can have on the environment. Simple actions such as recycling can help improve the health of ecosystems. We can also give back to the planet by promoting the expansion of green space, or by planting trees. Check out organizations like American Forests to learn why trees matter (e.g. annually, U.S. forests capture and store almost 15 percent of the country’s carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels!) and how you can support their efforts.
Better yet, when we advocate for environmental regulations that help the planet, we’re taking things beyond just changes to our everyday lives and towards changes that affect entire regions!
DID YOU KNOW?
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In 2019, U.S. greenhouse gas emissions totaled 6,577 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents.
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In 2018, the United States was ranked second, behind China, in terms of the most emitted carbon dioxide in the world.
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Only approximately 8,000 facilities are required to report their emissions annually, and the reports are made available to the public.
Easy Steps Toward Everyday Climate-Friendliness
We agree -- these statistics are troubling. So, before we continue, we’re offering up a big ol’ virtual hug ((🤗)) to all our current and soon-to-be climatarians. Eternal optimism is our secret weapon!
And there is good news! We can get through this -- but only if we work together. There are a few easy steps toward everyday climate-friendliness that we at Moonshot are trying to put into practice, and we think they can work for you too!
Travel Green
Traveling green is an effort we can all make, and there are numerous ways to do it!
One of the easiest ways to travel green is by foot or by bike whenever possible. Both options are good for our health and the planet’s health. You can broaden this to include skateboards, scooters, etc., depending on your preference!
Local transportation is also a great way to travel green. Not only does local transportation reduce air pollution, save money, and increase mobility, but it also benefits our communities’ economies.
On that note, there’s also carpooling. If you have the means to drive yourself to and from work and pick your kids up from school, why not offer a ride to a co-worker or your children’s friends? Carpooling can be the most entertaining method of green transpo, especially if you make it a sing-a-long adventure a la James Corden carpool karaoke! 🎤🚗
Vacation tips: Enjoy your vacation, but whenever possible, avoid air travel. If you do fly, get to know the place that you are visiting by staying there longer instead of hopping from location to location—maybe there is even a chance for you to give back to the local community while you are there.
Did you know that jet fuel releases GHG (Greenhouse Gas) into both the earth’s atmosphere and the oceans? Air travel is extremely carbon-intensive, so try to cut back on it whenever you can. You can also consider offsetting your trip's impact through a platform like Nori.
Even worse than you traveling in a commercial plane is the private jet trend that many celebrities and politicians partake in. Costco has even begun renting out private jets on the heels of Covid travel concerns.
We can do our part by speaking out about corporate and government jet-setting extravagances. You may even want to consider boycotting Costco until they give up this egregious “service.” 🚫
Eating Green
Eating green is also a phenomenal and easy step toward everyday climate-friendliness. Don’t worry -- we don’t just mean eating leaves all day! We are ALL about delicious, delectable food here at Moonshot (please see delicious exhibit A).
The exciting thing about eating green in the 21st century is that you don’t have to sacrifice taste—there are tons of super tasty plant-based foods that are easily available these days!
Going vegan is the best way to eat green. The University of Oxford found that consuming a solely plant-based diet allows individuals to reduce their food-related carbon footprint by up to 73 percent.
Feeling overwhelmed by the idea of going “cold turkey” (no pun intended) and cutting out meat and dairy products altogether? Even if you start slow and implement a vegetarian or vegan meal as often as you can, it makes a difference. Eventually, if you keep at it, eating vegan or vegetarian will become second nature!
Another easy way to eat green is to eat locally grown foods. This will support local businesses and your local economy, and align you with a more climate-friendly lifestyle. Plus, think of all the transportation-related emissions you can help avoid!
Our final suggestion when it comes to food is simply to avoid waste. Food waste is a surprisingly big contributor to the food system’s climate impact. How bad is this problem? Up to 40% of food is wasted every year in the U.S. alone, producing more greenhouse gas emissions than 37 million cars during the same time period! That’s why we are so big on becoming Zero Waste Heroes.
Living Green
Living green is another easy step towards a climate-friendly lifestyle. At Moonshot, we try our best to avoid single-use plastic and single-use materials in general. When we do use single-use materials, we try to ensure that they are climate-friendly and disposed of correctly.
Don’t forget what our childhoods taught us either: reduce, reuse, recycle!
Reduce new purchases – try thrifting or trading clothes with a friend instead of purchasing something new. Purchase or make reusable bags, and get into the habit of remembering to grab them when you plan to go shopping. These little measures really do add up, and go a long way in making a permanent, viable change.😊
A great way to live green is to strive for carbon neutrality. Whenever we can’t reduce our carbon footprint, we should try our best to give back. This can come in the form of supporting carbon offset projects as we do with Native Energy. Learn more about Carbon Neutrality here!
Supporting Green
Supporting companies that are kind to the planet is another great way to go green.
Even our small everyday decisions, like what snacks we buy, have an impact on the environment. That’s why Moonshot makes crazy delicious snacks that take a bite out of climate change, one tasty cracker at a time.
We want to show you that living a climate-friendly lifestyle isn’t as difficult as it seems. Moonshot is committed to being climate-friendly at every level. We’re even a carbon-neutral company.
Moonshot wants to make the planet happier and healthier for all of us – especially those tiny future humans that haven’t landed on Earth just yet. Julia Collins created Moonshot to help food brands rethink food production, and make your snacks a tool for regeneration.
Did you know at least 25 percent of our greenhouse gas emissions come from our food?
The Bottom Line: Climate-friendliness is absolutely achievable.
Climate-friendliness is absolutely achievable for all of us! There are countless ways to support the planet. While some changes to our daily routines and spending habits are easier than others, no change is too small.
Understanding the impacts we have on the environment and taking a few easy steps to live a planet-friendly lifestyle is a great place to start! Cumulatively, making climate-friendly changes to our daily routines adds up to make a big difference. You never know who else you’re inspiring!
Although this blog post is all about individual actions we can take to help our environment, climate change cannot be solved by individuals alone. We need political policies to change in order to mitigate climate change. Vote for propositions and lawmakers with eco-friendly politics, call your local representatives to advocate for improvements closer to home, write to your senators about national issues, and campaign to declare a climate emergency. Advocacy is also a big part of being eco-friendly!
Together, we can work to make changes not just in our own lives, but across entire industries! Still don’t know where to start? How about the world’s most deliciously climate-friendly cracker?
Sources:
Human Impacts on the Environment | National Geographic
U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks | EPA
Each Country's Share of CO2 Emissions | Union of Concerned Scientists
U.S. EPA Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program (GHGRP) | EPA
greenhouse gas | Definition, Emissions, & Greenhouse Effect | Britannica
