Guest author Lillian Mathews is an Environmental Studies major at Brown University and a Chief Organizer for A Better World by Design, an internationally-acclaimed student conference on social and environmental design. She was a recent delegate at Terra Madre, a conference sponsored by Slow Food International in Turin, Italy. The following piece was initially published to educate the business professionals who attend the conferences hosted by A Better World by Design.
We can’t help but notice that the world is throwing a lot of green messages at us. Install solar power. Buy a fuel-efficient vehicle. Invest in carbon offsets. While that is fine and good, for people running from meeting to meeting, Blackberry in hand, it can be hard to find the time and willpower to get going.
With this in mind, I’d like to offer five simple practices to help shift the modern worker towards a lifestyle of greater environmental stewardship.
1. Rethink Your Commute
How many hours a day do you spend at work? I’m willing to bet it’s more than you’d like, but let’s reframe the question: How many hours a day do you spend working at the computer? In today’s information age, that number is likely a high proportion of your time. Telecommuting, or working from home one or more days a week, offers an easy way to maintain productivity and slash personal carbon emissions.
According to a 2007 study by the Consumer Electronics Association, by replacing one day’s worth of the average American commute individuals can save the equivalent of 12 hours of full household electricity. If that were translated across the country, it could reduce up to 14 million tons of CO2.
If working at home is not an option, investigate other transportation options including public transit by bus or light rail. Best of all, by walking or biking to work you can save the world and yourself a couple extra pounds.
2. Buy Local
You’ve heard it a thousand times, but let’s repeat it again. Buying local – especially locally-grown produce – can save emissions, but it can also beef up your local economy and boost the area’s overall quality of life. I know the omnipresent Starbucks is convenient, but why not invest in a neighborhood coffee shop instead?
If you’re not sure where to start, check out the Delocator, which points out places within your zip code for coffee, books, music, movies, and organic food. For farmers markets specifically, Local Harvest offers a great search engine for markets and their specific seasonal offerings in your neighborhood.
3. Eat Less Meat
According to organizations like the FAO and the Worldwatch Institute, the global livestock industry composes anywhere from 19 to 51 percent of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions. To put it in perspective, one steak dinner’s energy intensity is the equivalent of driving around in an SUV for three hours with all the lights on in your house back home. If that weren’t enough, the industrial meat and dairy industry create a slew of social justice and animal cruelty issues, as well as problems with water and waste management.
Try creating a meatless day once a week and then work up to more as you become more comfortable. If you’re still convinced meatless means flavorless, check out Food Gawker’s vegetarian gallery to find some inspiration for your next meal at home.
4. Cut Down on Home Power Usage
At home there are many easy ways to cut back and save money. Try switching over to CFL light bulbs and connecting all chargers to a power strip that’s turned off every time you leave the house. Need a little incentive? EarthAid is a free new program that offers rewards to users who cut down on their monthly utility bills. Companies like the Body Shop will send you rewards for doing the right thing.
5. Volunteer with an Environmentally-Minded Organization
Yes, there are many things individuals can do, but let’s remember: collectively we can do so much more. Look around your community and find one of the many environmental groups who could use your help bettering the planet. You’d be surprised by what you can help accomplish.
Graphic or web design background? Many groups need a new identity for greater recognition and legitimacy. Fluent in Spanish? Help translate materials for an organization that is trying to expand into a new demographic.
Remember, we’re all busy, but we all have to play our part as well. Here’s to a greener 2011.