As the hard realities of climate change become clearer in our daily lives, taking responsibility for mitigating these effects is a front-of-mind issue. But meaningful change does not mean a grim life of deprivation. New habits and energy-smart investments can make a real difference.
Peter LaPuma, of the Milken Institute School of Public Health at the George Washington University, recommends finding an activity that fits your budget and energy level.
“Treat it like something that’s fun and get into it,” he said. “Learn about an energy-saving activity enough to where you feel comfortable with it; then move on to the next activity.”
This project relied on the expertise of LaPuma and Sabrina McCormick, both associate professors of environmental and occupational health at the George Washington University, to explain meaningful ways each person can reduce the rapid rate of climate change and contribute to a healthier planet on different scales.
“I wanted to learn how to live sustainably and demonstrate that it’s a good quality of life,” said LaPuma, who has tried many of the recommendations below. “I didn’t want people to think that it was running off into a cave somewhere and becoming a hermit or something like that. This is actually a very good, very healthy lifestyle.”