Perhaps you're ready to take your dedication to environmental stewardship a step further if you feel that switching to LED lightbulbs for your incandescent bulbs and composting your kitchen trash aren't enough to protect the environment.
Less children, or none
Although some of these tactics can appear a bit radical, they are among the most beneficial steps you can do to safeguard and preserve the ecosystem on Earth
Because it makes all of the other environmental issues worse, overpopulation is arguably the biggest environmental issue in the world. From about 3 billion people in 1959 to 6 billion in 1999, the world's population increased by 100% in just 40 years.
By 2050, the world's population is expected to reach 9.7 billion, according to UN estimates.
Despite having a slower growth rate than the second half of the 20th century, this will nevertheless result in a significant increase in the number of people who need to be housed.
Earth is a closed system with finite resources, including a finite amount of clean air, fresh water, and arable land.
Our limited resources must be stretched to accommodate an increasing number of people as the global population rises. That might not be possible in the future, especially if we don't make significant adjustments to the way we consume resources.
In the end, we need to revert this increasing tendency by progressively reducing the global human population to a level that is more reasonable. As a result, more people will need to decide against having kids. On the surface, this may appear to be rather straightforward, but all animals have a fundamental need to procreate. Many people find it difficult to minimize or skip the experience due to emotional, cultural, and religious traditions and constraints.
It may be necessary to have a big family in many emerging nations. To ensure that some children will survive to assist with farming or other jobs and to care for the parents when they are elderly, parents frequently have as many children as possible. Lower birth rates will only become a reality for people in cultures like this after pressing problems like hunger, poverty, squalor, inadequate sanitation, and disease freedom have been successfully addressed.
Consider contributing to initiatives that fight famine and poverty, enhance sanitation and hygiene, or advance family planning, education, and reproductive health in underdeveloped countries in addition to keeping your own family modest.
Reduce water use and maintain cleanliness
No one can survive for very long without fresh, clean water, yet it is one of the most endangered resources in our increasingly vulnerable ecosystem. More over 70% of the surface of the Earth is covered by water, however the majority of that water is salt water. The availability of freshwater is far more constrained, and a third of the world's population currently lacks access to clean drinking water.
The 2017 UN World Water Development Report states: Over 80% of wastewater worldwide is dumped into the environment without receiving the proper treatment, making it an untapped resource. Unsurprisingly, 829,000 people die each year from diarrhea brought on by contaminated water. You should only use as much water as you need, avoid wasting the water you consume, and work to protect water supplies, especially if you live in a dry region.
Responsible eating
Eating locally produced food helps local farmers and businesses in your neighborhood while also lowering the amount of fuel, air pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions needed to transport your food from the farm to your plate. Pesticides and chemical fertilizers are kept off your plate and out of rivers and streams by choosing organic meat and produce.
Eating sensibly entails consuming less meat and other animal products, such dairy and eggs, or maybe none at all. Eating less meat is an issue of good management of our restricted resources. Raising animals for food uses much more land and water than growing food crops and emits methane, a powerful greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming. You might conserve a great deal of water if you stopped consuming meat and other animal products. On nearly a fourth of the world's ice-free territory, livestock graze. In addition, the production of animal feed takes up almost a third of arable land. Water is needed in large quantities for the care of cattle and their crops. Some estimates claim that every time you eat a plant-based meal as opposed to an animal-based one, you'll likely save around 1300 gallons of water.
Conserve energy and use renewable sources instead
Increased use of walking, bicycling, and public transportation. Less driving. You'll not only be more healthy and contribute to protecting limited energy resources, but you'll also save money. Families can save over $10,000 annually by utilizing public transit and having fewer cars, which is more than the typical American household spends on food each year, according to a study by the American Public Transportation Association.
Numerous alternative strategies exist for energy conservation. When not in use, you can switch off the lights, disconnect your appliances, and wherever it makes sense, use cold water instead of hot. Weather stripping your doors and windows and not overheating or undercooling your house or business are other simple steps you may take. (As an extra bonus, productivity is increased by a comfortable office temperature.) Obtaining a free energy audit from your neighborhood utility is a good place to start.
Pick renewable energy over fossil fuels whenever possible.
To acquire some or all of your electricity from wind, solar, or other renewable energy sources, for instance, many municipal utilities now provide green energy alternatives.
Cut Back on Carbon Footprint
The usage of gasoline-powered automobiles and the use of coal-fired power plants both produce greenhouse gas emissions that warm the environment and contribute to climate change.
Significant climatic shifts that scientists are now observing suggest that severe consequences are likely.
Some scenarios predict a worsening drought that might further deplete food and water resources while also causing sea levels to rise, submerging islands and coastal regions and displacing millions of people due to the environment. Online calculators can assist you in calculating and reducing your own carbon footprint, but since climate change is a global issue that calls for global solutions, the world's nations have so far been slow to unite around it. Along with reducing your personal carbon footprint, communicate with your elected leaders that you expect them to take action on this matter and keep up the pressure until they do.
