Hope is not lost: Be the change you want to see
Flickr / Takver
Hand-wringing and finger-pointing will not save the planet, but we don’t have to leave it to Greta Thunberg to make a difference. Governments need a united, international response through respecting accords like the Paris Climate Agreement. Yet for every great action, a thousand tiny footsteps pushed the giant forward.
Every one of us can do our part and stop the destruction of our home.
Mother Earth gives, and too often all we do is take. We can set an example to save the planet for our grandchildren and great-grandchildren before it is too late. Here are five simple steps you can begin today.
1. Watch what you eat
The global trend of veganism is going to prove great for waistlines and the climate! As anyone who has seen “Cowspiracy” knows, meat production is the biggest contributor to climate change. Here’s a fact that will make that veggie burger taste better than the real thing: ‘eating beef 3-5 times a week for a year is the equivalent of driving a car 6,618 km (4,112 mi), whereas eating nuts 3-5 times a week for a year is the equivalent of driving 12 km (7 mi).’
2. Finish what’s on your plate
A shocking one-third of the food around the world is thrown away. Not only is that appalling given that 10,000 children die from hunger every three seconds. The lost energy from the food production chain means that food waste contributes to 8% of climate change.
On a micro-level , you can buy less, plan your meals, and be creative with your leftovers. On the macro level, governments can mandate home recycling and ban food dumping on landfills.
3. Buy green
Organizations like the RainForest Alliance, FairTrade, and Flocert all support sustainable practices. Products certified by these organizations are guaranteed to meet minimum standards for farmers and the environment alike.
If you are careful about the companies you support, you can ensure you are not contributing to damaging environmental practices, unfair prices, or child labor.
4. Cut out plastic
When you come home from the grocery store laden with plastic bags, or your Amazon package arrives wrapped three times over in plastic packaging, it will all likely end up as microplastics in our oceans. There are around 270 billion tonnes of plastic floating in the oceans. The plastic pandemic is a huge contributor to climate change; single-use plastics contribute to greenhouse gas emissions at every step of their cycle.
At the government level, many countries are banning single-use plastics. Giant supermarket chains are cutting out unnecessary plastic packaging. You can do it too: take your own bag to the store, skip the gift wrap at checkout, stop buying bottled water, and carry your own coffee mug for your flat white.
5. Vote Like A Madre
It’s simple. Encourage your local and national communities to make the right choices. Support organizations that are trying to make a difference.
The #VoteLikeAMadre movement is a great example to follow and join.
- Climate change is a huge threat to our children’s lives, especially those in vulnerable communities like many Latinx.
- Voting is the #1 way to protect our kids on a large scale.
- Madres across the country are pinky promising their kids to #VoteLikeAMadre for candidates with bold plans to fight climate change. And challenging friends to do the same.
No matter what we look like or where we come from, most of us believe America should be a place where everyone counts, where our kids are able to breathe clean air, grow up in a stable economy, and experience the natural world.
So please, take the Pinky Promise with your kids. Vote like your life depends on it because it does. Make your plan to #VoteLikeAMadre.
Disclaimer: This sponsored article was produced and distributed in partnership with Latino Victory Project, in support of the Vote Like a Madre campaign.
