27 ways you can help reverse global warming (17 are free)
You can make a difference!
Think of this as a checklist for climate action, ranging from the small and simple (listening to a song) to the big and effective (changing your diet).
How many items on this list can you tick off already?
You may not agree with all of these suggestions and that’s totally ok. The goal is to focus on what you can do, not what you object to.
Audio version:
You can also find this episode on Apple, Spotify, Google or search 'Good you can do' anywhere you enjoy listening to podcasts.
Let’s start with the easy ones…
1. Listen to the song ‘We love the earth’. My kids love this jam. Search for the clean version if you don’t like swearing.
2. Sign a climate petition.
3. Use the ‘Ecosia’ search engine. Get this free browser extension and plant trees with every search. Make it your default search engine and make sure you get the app on your phone too. According to Ecosia, approximately 45 searches results in a new tree being planted.
4. Start a compost bin at home. Note: The easiest way to make this a regular family habit is to have a small compost bin in your kitchen and then empty it into your bigger outdoor bin once every few days. This way you aren’t running outside every 5 minutes with a banana peel.
5. Follow 350.org on Facebook.
6. Make a personal commitment to vote for candidates at your next local or national election who care about global warming and are willing to stand up against large fossil fuel companies to bring about serious change.
7. Plant a tree or gift one to a friend.
8. Buy locally grown food – take notice of where fruit comes from – check stickers/labels. If your oranges were made in the USA, a big fossil-fueled ship needed to carry them here.
9. Visit a beach and ponder how sad it would be for it to disappear as sea levels rise.
Adjust your diet
10. Have a red meat-free day.
11. Have a dairy-free day.
12. Encourage others to eat less red meat and dairy. Buy someone an almond or coconut milk flat white.
13. Visit a plant-based restaurant next time you go out for dinner.
14. Commit to doing meat-free Mondays.
Note: You can half your carbon footprint simply by removing animal products from your diet...
Get educated
15. Watch Cowspiracy (a documentary available on Netflix).
16. Read an article about climate change. Understand the issue.
17. Read ‘Uninhabitable Earth’ by David Wallace-Wells.
18. Watch Before the Flood.
Bring about change with your wallet
19. Switch to a 100% renewable electricity company.
20. Commit to making the next car you buy an electric one (or at least a hybrid). Click here to search for electric cars on trademe.
21. Start the process of switching to a bank that doesn’t invest in fossil fuels.
22. Donate to Carbon Critical's Net-Zero fund.
24. Donate a tree via an organisation like trees that count.
Getting places
25. Ride public transport to work or an event when you normally would have driven.
26. Walk or bike somewhere local when you normally would have driven (like school, or a local shop).
Last but not least…
27. Share this post!
Further listening:
We can solve climate change now: Rich Roll interviews Paul Hawken
Further reading:
The Rubbish Trip – An incredible online resource for anyone looking for advice on how to reduce their waste. Also provides no-waste shopping guides for New Zealand.
What you can do about climate change (Ministry for the Environment)
More examples of what you can do to help fight climate change
