Yes, you CAN make an impact on the environment
Dear Mother Nature: Do my actions really make a difference?
You may have heard that 100 energy companies are responsible for 71% of the world’s emissions of greenhouse gases, also known as GHGs. GHGs are powerful gases like carbon dioxide, methane, and others that trap heat in the earth, and they come from a wide variety of sources. With statistics like these and the fact that the world is so large, it’s easy to wonder if it’s worth it to try and make Mother Nature more comfortable. After all, what can one person really do? Fortunately, the answer is more optimistic than you might think!
Humans are a highly social, observant species
People are extremely social and malleable to the actions and opinions of others. From friendly advice to peer pressure, we are always making decisions based on who we surround ourselves with, even if we don’t explicitly realize it.
If you start adopting more environmentally friendly habits like those previously discussed in this column (turning off the lights, reducing waste, washing laundry in cold water, etc.), it is likely your friends and family will notice.
As you share your habits with your loved ones, they could even adopt the same habits, themselves. In this way, the actions of one person have multiplied as a direct consequence of human behavior. It doesn’t get easier than that!
The effects of human communication go beyond our social circles, too. We could support political causes, write to our representatives, and more.
In the words of Katherine Reich, associate director of the UCLA Center for Climate Science, “collective action to reduce carbon emissions is absolutely necessary … but collective action can’t possibly happen if individuals throw up their hands and decide not to pitch in.”
We have TONS of greenhouse gas emissions to work with
The United States is the world’s third largest GHGemitting country.
Each US citizen contributes 19 tons of greenhouse gas emissions. This is equal to the emissions of 12 cars.
For more context, that means that Americans emit 115 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions each day.
In other words, we emit so many gases, pretty much any choice we make to reduce them will make a difference. Heating and cooling systems make up a significant portion of our GHG emissions.
In that case, adjusting our thermostat to match the outdoors when we are out of the house would greatly reduce our 115-pounds-per-day rate.
For more tips on reducing GHG emissions, read “How You Can Help Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions at Home” from the National Park Service. For more details on the topic of this month’s column, read “Climate Change: Can One Person Really Make a Difference?” from Crowdsourcing Sustainability and “Why Your Actions Absolutely Make A Difference In The Fight Against Climate Change” from Bustle.
“Dear Mother Nature” is a monthly column written by Gabby Barber, a sustainable research and conservation specialist. If you have a question about sustainability and environmental stewardship you would like answered in “Dear Mother Nature,” please send it to gabhriel.barber@okstate.edu. For more tips and knowledge about sustainability, feel free to visit sustainability.okstate.edu online or follow the Oklahoma State University Sustainability Office on all social media platforms @OSUGreen.