I’ve been interviewing individuals on ways they’re helping our climate crisis, but I think we all have a part to play and can do a lot to tackle this problem of our lifetime. While people in power are working to destroy democracy and our rights while making more money, nature has its own ticking clock.
Let’s do what we can and come together to help each other help the earth. I’ll share short tips here from things I learned in my Climatebase fellowship. I’m also happy to answer any questions about my experience in cohort 6. Cohort 7 is well on its way but there will be more opportunities to sign up for future cohorts.
We live in a capitalist society and that can be used to our advantage. Deciding to use your power to support brands and companies that align with your values is a great way to do something when you feel helpless.
There have been many boycotts since the beginning of this administration and we can keep it going. Most large corporations spend a lot of money trying to figure you out, creating fear and self-doubt so that they can sell you answers in their product or service. They use psychology to convince you that you aren’t lovable unless your body looks a certain way, your hair is shiny and your makeup is flawless. Instead of allowing their expensive ads pull you into an insecurity stupor, think about whether any of that is true. Will buying their product truly make you happier or are you just feeding the CEOs of that company?
Your worth isn’t determined by what you look like. It’s not determined by your car or your bank account. Yes there are people in power right now with those things but if we were to judge one another by our ethics and morality and values, who really would be winning right now?
This first easy tip is to use your purchasing power wisely.
- The next time you fill up your cart, think of supporting local small businesses that care about the earth.
- The US is built on capitalism with large corporations taking a monopoly of the wealth in our country. It’s appalling that 2/3 of the total wealth in the US is owned by the richest people (top 10% earners). This was in the beginning of 2024 according to Statista. Forbes created a list of the richest 400 people in 2024 and guess who made the top 3? You might have heard them around the White House a lot lately. Someone associated with an EV, another with a famous social media platform and another that sells books, and pretty much everything online. Money it seems won’t just buy you things, but the power to control everything. You can help by being mindful about what you spend your money on. Grow your own fruits and vegetables. Buy used clothings, and furniture or don’t buy anything at all. I love following Kathryn on Instagram for all of her great reusable and sustainable ideas.
- There is an app called Goods Unite Us that tells you the political affiliation of different companies.
- I love buying cleaning supplies from Earth Hero, but they also sell beauty products, toys and other things.
- Do your own research to make sure you’re giving back to the organizations that align with your values. Recently, my husband sent me this Honolulu Civil Beat article and I learned that the convenient green drop containers I have been donating to is actually a for profit company that takes away donations from nonprofit organizations like Salvation Army and Goodwill.
- Think about each product you already own and the packaging it takes to create it. Next think about what parts of the product are reusable and/or toxic. Is there a better way to create it? When you run out of that product such as shampoo or toothpaste, consider purchasing something with less packaging and/or that contains less chemicals when broken down. A good example is dehydrate toothpaste or toothpaste tablets.
- Use this time to be conscious and aware of what you are buying and if you truly need it or if there are more creative ways you can reuse, make or completely do away with something you thought you needed. You might think twice about driving your car and biking or walking instead. For those that travel a lot by plane (which is a huge problem for the planet), maybe condense your travel into one trip instead of many throughout the year. Consider buying local to reduce the harm of shipping. It can be fun to think of new ways to do things. Bring your own bags, containers, and cups to reduce the need for plastics. Pick up trash when you see it. The pandemic taught me that I can cut everyone’s hair in our family which saves us a bunch of money as well as the travel and resources it takes to go and get our hair cut at a salon. And be mindful of your use of AI. One thing we learned during the fellowship is that AI takes huge amounts of energy to run. I see people using it for fun without realizing the harm it’s doing to our planet. It’s just like when we go to the coffee shop and drink our lattes and matcha in a few minutes and then dump our cups in the trash. We’re unconsciously wasteful using resources that is not sustainable. We are taking way more than we have and eventually we will all feel it. Not just the poorest amongst us.
In honor of Earth Day, what are you doing to help the earth?
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