Young people protecting the Earth. Getty Images Illustration
Every year on April 22, over a billion eco-conscious people from 190 countries celebrate Earth Day by participating in events and activities to help protect the planet.
Can your actions really make a difference in the fight against climate change? In short, yes!
Daily activities like driving to school or work, using plastic shopping bags, charging electronic devices, and tossing out trash increase carbon emissions and impact the planet.
If you want to lower your carbon footprint and be good to the environment for Earth Month, here are eight simple things you can do.
Use LED Light Bulbs
Trading traditional light bulbs for energy-efficient LEDs is an easy way to help the environment.
LED light bulbs – especially ENERGY STAR bulbs – “use at least 75% less energy and last up to 25 times longer than incandescent lighting,” according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
Saving energy lowers electric bills, decreases greenhouse gas emissions, lowers overall electricity demands, and uses less natural resources, like water, according to the EPA.
You can estimate your annual energy savings, CO2 savings, and cost savings with Duquesne Light Company’s (DLC) Lighting Savings Calculator.
Once you switch, you’ll discover that every bulb swap creates a win-win for you and the planet.
Unplug Unused Devices
Leaving your laptop, smartphone and tablet chargers, the toaster, and any other electronic devices plugged into a wall outlet uses energy, even if the power is off. To stop these energy “vampires,” from needlessly sucking power, unplug any device you’re not using. You can use DLC’s Vampire Calculator to calculate your annual energy and cost savings.
Plant a Tree
Forests are so much more than groves of trees. All sorts of plants, animals, and microorganisms live and function in a forest’s natural ecosystem. Weather events like wildfires and drought or using the land for other purposes destroys these lush natural habitats.
Between 2015 and 2020, 10 million hectares of forest were lost each year, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
Planting billions of trees worldwide is one of the most significant ways to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and fight climate change and deforestation.
Learn more about supporting EARTHDAY.org’s Canopy Project and planting trees here.
Have Meatless Mondays
Whether it’s Monday or any other day of the week, having at least one meatless meal per week is good for the planet — and your health.
Livestock production generates more greenhouse gas emissions and consumes more resources than plant-based food, according to research from Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future.
In fact, it contributes 14.5% of all global greenhouse gas emissions from human activities. And producing just one quarter-pound beef burger uses enough energy to power an iPhone for six months and uses 425 gallons of water, according to the Meatless Mondays campaign.
On the flip side, skipping one serving of beef once a week for a year saves the same emissions that driving a car for 348 miles releases.
Furthermore, eating red meat and processed meat also increases heart attack, stroke, and cancer risks, according to Mayo Clinic cardiologist Dr. Stephen Kopecky. A diet rich in whole grains, veggies, fruit, fish, and olive oil reduces many health risks.
Reduce Food Waste
Around 30-40% of the U.S. food supply goes to waste, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Unfortunately, this lost food could feed millions of hungry people. In the U.S. alone, 34 million people face hunger, according to Feeding America.
Food that goes to a landfill decomposes and releases methane, a greenhouse gas that “is 25 times as potent as CO2 at trapping heat in the atmosphere,” according to the EPA.
Reducing food waste helps combat these issues.
To cut food waste at home, only buy what you need at the grocery store, plan meals, eat or freeze leftovers before they spoil, store food properly, and compost fruit and vegetable scraps.
Take Reusable Bags to the Store
Single-use plastic handle bags are lightweight and convenient. But they’re not good for the planet.
According to the Center for Biological Diversity, “plastic bags start out as fossil fuels and end up as deadly waste in landfills and the ocean.” Plastic never breaks down. When plastic pollution drifts into the ocean, marine creatures like sea turtles often mistake the bags for jellyfish and die ingesting them.
Take reusable cloth bags to carry items when you go to the store. Doing so helps curb the global pollution crisis and saves marine lives.
Walk or Bike When Possible
Driving is a fast and convenient way to get where you need to go. However, according to the EPA, a typical passenger car emits about 4.6 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year. If you have multiple vehicles in a household, the number increases accordingly.
Consider walking or biking anywhere you have to go that is a reasonable distance. Are you visiting a neighbor? Going to a local park? Go on foot or pedal your way there.
You can also carpool or rideshare to work, school, or appointments to decrease your carbon footprint—the fewer internal combustion vehicles on the road, the better for the environment.
Reuse and Recycle Items
Finally, reusing and recycling items reduces waste that goes to landfills. It also saves energy and vital resources. According to the EPA, making new items and going to the store to buy them uses energy and resources and generates greenhouse gases.
Reusing or repurposing items is fun. For example, turn those old t-shirts into cleaning rags or a quilt. Make an end table out of an old trunk. The possibilities are endless.
For Earth Month and beyond, remember that Duquesne Light Co. is always here to help Pittsburgh area residents find ways to save energy and protect the environment. Visit our Home Energy Center for more information — and happy greening!
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