Fighting Climate Change

Climate change has already begun to impact our planet in more ways than we can think. Temperatures
continue to rise throughout the planet and we are experiencing changes in precipitation patterns as we have
never seen before. The main cause of these catastrophic effects on our planet is pollution.

Fortunately, there are always things that we can do to fight against climate change. Saving the
environment starts with us and it is our responsibility to act against these terrible changes to preserve the
planet for future generations.

1. Make Your Commute Green

Millions of people drive to work every day. It is simply unavoidable in our modern-day society. However, the
downside to this is that millions of cars emit greenhouse gases that destroy our atmosphere. Vehicle emissions
are a close second when it comes to the top causes of climate change. There are always other options that you
can utilize to make your commute to work eco-friendly. For starters, taking public transportation to work is a great
way to cut out emissions. Riding your bike to work is also incredibly helpful to the environment and is a great
method to get exercise.

2. Be More Conservative with Energy Usage

Becoming more energy efficient is a great way to prevent pollution. It causes the power plants to expend less
energy that can lead to the production of greenhouse gasses. This means that you should do what you can to
cut down on energy usage in your household. Make sure to turn off lights and unplug devices that you are not
using anymore when you are done with them. Replace your light bulbs with energy-efficient light bulbs to help
you save electricity too.

3. Get Active and Vote

One of the best ways to improve climate change to is to help those who will fight against it get into office. This
means voting for legislation and politicians that aid against the detrimental effects of climate change. Many
corporations have politicians on their payroll and use them to lobby against legislation that would require more
regulations against them. Voting the right people into office will help pass legislation that allows us to fight against
these corporations that are mainly to blame for climate change.

4. Recycle
Manufacturing plants emit a large number of greenhouse gasses per year. It is unavoidable in the production of
goods that we use on a regular basis. However, a cleaner alternative would be to invest in recycling. Recycling
is a cost-effective and eco-friendly process that eliminates waste and doesn’t emit greenhouse gasses into the
environment. Be sure to collect your discarded paper, glass, plastic, and electronics to your local recycling center.
The professionals will take these items to a processing plant where they will be remade into other recyclable
materials again.

5. Educate Yourself and Others

The importance of educating others about climate change cannot be overstated in our modern society. There
are many platforms for us to utilize that can allow us to spread our message easily. Whether you use word of
mouth or social media, there are always ways to educate others on what climate change is doing to our planet.
You can help protect the planet by educating others about the dangers of climate change and how to act against
it.

6. Encourage the use of renewable energies

Focusing your efforts to spread awareness about renewable energy is the best way to create a positive impact
in your community. By informing others about how renewable energy is better than utilizing fossil fuels, you will
sway others into investing in the idea.
 How You Can Stop Global
Warming
Nations around the world are upping their game in the fight against climate change, even as President Trump recently
announced the U.S.'s withdrawal from the Paris Agreement. And despite this reckless move, American mayors, state
leaders, county officials, governors, major companies, and millions of citizens across our country have pledged that
they're "still in" when it comes to the agreement, and supporting the goal of limiting future warming to well below 2
degrees Celsius.
Even better, a new initiative by former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg gives the urban layer of this movement
a boost. He’s asked mayors from the 100 most populous cities in the country to share their plans for making their
buildings and transportation systems run cleaner and more efficiently. The 20 that show the greatest potential for
cutting the dangerous carbon pollution that’s driving climate change will share a total of $70 million in technical
assistance funding provided by Bloomberg Philanthropies and partners.

1. Speak up!
What’s the single biggest way you can make an impact on global climate change? “Talk to your friends and family, and
make sure your representatives are making good decisions,” Haq says. By voicing your concerns—via social media or,
better yet, directly to your elected officials—you send a message that you care about the warming world. Encourage
Congress to enact new laws that limit carbon emissions and require polluters to pay for the emissions they produce. “The
main reason elected officials do anything difficult is because their constituents make them,” Haq says. You can help protect
public lands, stop offshore drilling, and more here.

2. Power your home with renewable energy.

Choose a utility company that generates at least half its power from wind or solar and has been certified by Green-e
Energy, an organization that vets renewable energy options. If that isn’t possible for you, take a look at your electric bill;
many utilities now list other ways to support renewable sources on their monthly statements and websites.

3. Weatherize, weatherize, weatherize.

“Building heating and cooling are among the biggest uses of energy,” Haq says. Indeed, heating and air-conditioning
account for almost half of home energy use. You can make your space more energy efficient by sealing drafts and ensuring
it’s adequately insulated. You can also claim federal tax credits for many energy-efficiency home improvements.

4. Invest in energy-efficient appliances.

Since they were first implemented nationally in 1987, efficiency standards for dozens of appliances and products have
kept 2.3 billion tons of carbon dioxide out of the air. That’s about the same amount as the annual carbon pollution coughed
up by nearly 440 million cars. “Energy efficiency is the lowest-cost way to reduce emissions,” Haq says. When shopping
for refrigerators, washing machines, and other appliances, look for the Energy Star label. It will tell you which are the most
efficient.

5. Reduce water waste.

Saving water reduces carbon pollution, too. That's because it takes a lot of energy to pump, heat, and treat your water.
So take shorter showers, turn off the tap while brushing your teeth, and switch to WaterSense-labeled fixtures and
appliances. The EPA estimates that if just one out of every 100 American homes were retrofitted with water-efficient
fixtures, about 100 million kilowatt-hours of electricity per year would be saved—avoiding 80,000 tons of global warming
pollution.