The belief that we have no time or resources or that a gesture has to be large-scale to actually make a difference leads people to resign to the fact that we can’t as an individual help save, let alone protect, Mother Earth.
While the changes indeed have to be sizable to truly create a huge impact, it doesn’t mean that simple lifestyle changes done even by one person wouldn’t matter. Here are some of the simplest things an individual can easily do to enjoy life while protecting the planet.
Bike or walk
Walking or riding bike to work—if feasible—is a great way to protect the environment and improve one’s health. Doing so helps improve cardiovascular system, not to mention lessens carbon footprint. It’s free, easy, and there’s a bonus of enjoying and keeping Mother Nature’s fresh air clean.
Eat more greens, less meat
Eating greens has its slew of healthy benefits like glowing, beautiful skin, good digestion, strong heart, alert mind, happy disposition, lighter feeling to help with mobility, and many others. More importantly, eating more greens and natural products help in lessening the carbon footprint.
Eating greens is said to be the most effective way to reduce carbon footprint, even more than recycling or using an electric car. A study conducted in 2018 by Oxford researchers Poore and Nemecek claimed that meat and dairy production uses the vast majority (83 percent) of farmland and produces 60 percent of agriculture’s greenhouse gas emissions such as carbon dioxide, nitrous oxides, and methane globally.
By cutting out meat and dairy consumption, global farmland use could be reduced by more than 75 percent—an area equivalent to the US, China, European Union, and Australia combined.
Conserve water
Dry season or not, it’s vital to always conserve water. The practice of saving water should not only be done when there’s no regular service of water running through the pipes. For instance, when washing dishes or taking a shower, turn off the tap if not yet needed or use a pail of water when washing the car. What a person saves by using water more intelligently may not be much, but as they say, a little goes a long, long way.
Say no to (or at least reduce) single-use plastic
The irresponsible use and discarding of single-use plastic products (which takes hundreds of years to decompose) affect Earth’s rich marine life. Improper disposal of single-use plastic products also poses serious consequences to human communities as these clog natural waterways and increase instances of deadly floods.
Plastics are convenient, but there are ways to reduce independence on them such as having reusable containers handy (e.g. drinking bottles or water containers) when exercising or working, recyclable bags for shopping, or metal (or bamboo) drinking straws or utensils when dining out. It’s a small gesture but it helps in lessening the use of single-use plastic materials.
Support a local organization
An individual can also do their share in protecting the environment by supporting a local organization like Hineleban Foundation. This non-stock, non-profit group based in Bukidnon is focused on the rainforestation of the mountains of Mindanao, home to the country’s last watersheds inhabited by Indigenous People and Bangsamoro communities.
Globe subscribers can take part in this rainforestation movement easily by donating their Globe Rewards points. Every 100 Rewards points donation is equivalent to one tree. To donate, just download the Globe Rewards app and click the “DONATE” banner. Tap “HELP100” and press “REDEEM”. Upon receiving the confirmation message, tap on the Hineleban site to name your tree. Enter your name, email, mobile number, and tree name, then wait for a confirmation prompt that you have successfully named your tree.\
Watch and be inspired
Sometimes, seeing the reality creates the biggest impact on a person’s life. The latest Netflix Original series “Our Planet” lets the audience learn more about the place we all call home.
Stream “Our Planet” and other Netflix Originals with Globe At Home. Enjoy world-class entertainment with no data cap starting at just P1,699 per month. Subscribers also get six months access from Globe to top streaming apps such as DisneyLife, Fox+, HOOQ, Amazon Prime Video, and iflix.
