Climate Change: So, What Can I Do?

By Jonathan Foley

Three things in five categories.

1. Food. Nothing impacts the planet more than the use and production of food. Agriculture already uses up 35 to 40 percent of our planet’s land area, drives 70 percent of our freshwater withdrawals worldwide, and produces nearly 25 percent of our greenhouse gas emissions, mainly through deforestation, methane emissions from cattle and rice, and nitrous oxide emissions from fertilizer overuse. It also drives more species extinctions, and causes more ecological damage to land and water, than anything else we do.

Animal agriculture is a big part of the story. For example, 75 percent of all the land used to grow food on Earth is used to raise animals (pastures and rangeland) or feed them (cropland devoted to animal feed). The impacts of animal agriculture on water resources and climate change are quite large, too.

Fixing the food system is job number one. What can we do to help?

1. Reduce food waste. Nearly 30 to 50 percent of the food we grow – and all of the resources it took to grow it –  is wasted. Let’s start there. Make and serve smaller portions. Reuse those leftovers. Give your extra food to other folks. And take home leftover food from restaurants, work functions, parties, and so on. Be especially mindful not to waste meat, dairy and other resource-intensive food items.
2. Eat less meat, especially feed-lot beef and dairy. Meat and dairy production can cause a very large fraction of agriculture’s environmental impact  – especially in terms of land use, water use and water pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions. And they can be cut back dramatically, while improving our own health, too. Vegan, vegetarian or flexitarian, it’s your call – but it all helps.
3. Support more sustainable farming systems, including grass-fed beef (instead of feed-lots) that can help offset their greenhouse gas emissions by restoring carbon-rich grassland soils, organic farming systems (which aren’t perfect, but have many environmental benefits, especially to biodiversity, soils, local ecosystems and water), and other well-run farms. Seasonally appropriate and local food is good too, but “food miles” aren’t that big a factor in global greenhouse gas emissions, it turns out. For seafood, check out the Seafood Watch program (seafoodwatch.org) to make the best choices.

***

1. Water. While most of our use of water is through growing food, we can also help reduce water consumption through our household practices.
2. Replace your irrigated lawn with drought-tolerant garden plantings, heavy mulches, and highly rich, organic soils. Use drip irrigation systems if you need additional watering.
3. High efficiency toilets are a good idea. If you rent, see if your landlord will change them.
4. Low-flow showerheads and sink faucets are a must, and very inexpensive (less than $10). Also, when it’s time to update your washing machine, get one with a horizontal spin axis (usually a “front loading” model), which use far less water and energy, get your clothes just as clean, and are gentler on fabric.

***

Our use of energy has many impacts on the environment, but the overriding concern for energy use worldwide right now is the emission of carbon dioxide, and the rising impacts of climate change. We need to be far more efficient with our use of energy first, and then transition our remaining uses to renewable, non-carbon sources. But efficiency always comes first, then non-carbon energy. Here is where I’d start at home:

III. Transportation

1. Drive less. Walk, bike or take a bus or subway when you can. Share a ride or carpool when you can.
2. Drive 40 mpg or better vehicle. And maybe consider a hybrid or electric car, when and where that makes sense for you. (They’re getting a lot cheaper, but are still more expensive than some other cars. But you can look at tax breaks for some of these.) In the meantime, there are a lot of excellent cars that get at least 40 miles per gallon. (If you occasionally need a bigger vehicle for hauling stuff, or weekend trips, consider getting a more efficient car anyway – and simply rent a truck or SUV when it’s actually needed. You probably don’t need it for day-to-day uses.)
3. Fly less. Flying uses a lot of fuel. Sure, go on vacation, but can some work-related travel be done instead through a video or phone conference?
4. Electricity
5. Air conditioning is often our biggest use of electricity. AC units should be as efficient as possible, operated with programmable thermostats. Avoid overconditioning your space, and try skipping it altogether when possible. Use windows, shade trees, and attic fans where possible.
6. Switch your place to high-efficient lighting (LED or CFL bulbs only) and efficient appliances (especially your refrigerator, washing machine, and other energy-intensive items).
7. Start using renewable electricity if your utility offers it. Sometimes you can buy solar- or wind-powered electricity from your power company for a small extra fee, often as little as $5. And, down the road, maybe add solar to your own place, if costs permit.
8. Heating, Hot Water
9. Weatherize your doors and windows. This is hugely beneficial, especially in colder climates. Even a little (costing $10–20 in weather stripping and caulk) can help a lot. And, later on, try to insulate your attic, basement, and then your walls as you can afford it. Also, get a home energy audit – often free or heavily discounted from your utility – to find out where your place can be easily retrofitted. You may also qualify for tax breaks for some of this work if you’re a homeowner.
10. Get a programmable thermostat. You can save enormous amounts of energy (and money) by turning down the heat (or up the AC) when you’re not home, or asleep. Set your home to 55˚F at night, and while people are gone for more than a few hours. Programmable thermostats are pretty cheap, about $20 for a basic one, and there are often discounts available for these from your local utility. And they are super easy to install. If you rent, see if your landlord will install one.
11. Turn your water heater down to 120˚F, and insulate the tank if it’s an older unit. Also, consider insulating the hot water supply pipes, especially if they are in a cold basement or crawl space. And don’t waste hot water: for example, always wash your clothes in cold water.

These are the top 15 things I strongly recommend folks start with.

Two other ideas:

• Consider having a smaller family. Obviously there are more issues than just the environment in play here, but population growth (especially with very resource-intensive American lifestyles) is an important issue.
• Plant trees. Lots of them. Or maybe give money to people who do. I sometimes have trees planted in people’s names as a Christmas present.

If everyone did some of these things, we will significantly reduce our collective footprint.

The actions listed here were selected because they are all relatively doable today, reasonably cheap (if timed right, or when you can get help or discounts from your local utility or city), and have considerable impact. Most of them will also save you a lot of money, quickly, and many will improve your quality of life.

Dr. Jonathan Foley is the executive director of the California Academy of Sciences, where he is also the William R. and Gretchen B. Kimball Chair. In this role, Foley leads the greenest museum on the planet and one of the most future-focused scientific institutions in the world.

The Climate Corner is a monthly column featuring a variety of writers from around the state and Door County addressing various aspects of the challenges and opportunities climate change presents. The column is sponsored by the Climate Change Coalition of Door County, which is dedicated to “helping to keep our planet a cool place to live.” The Coalition is always open to new members and ideas. Contact the Coalition at [email protected].