Global warming is the term that indicates the increase in the average temperature of the Earth's surface caused by greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide emitted by the combustion of fossil fuels or increased by deforestation; these gases trap heat which would instead be dissipated. Fortunately, every citizen can do a lot to reduce the effects of this phenomenon and for children and young adults it is never too early or too late to do something for our planet.
Steps
Part 1 of 6: Knowing Your Carbon Footprint
Step 1. Learn about the impact human activities have in terms of carbon dioxide production
The carbon footprint is the amount of carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases that a person produces to conduct their daily activities and live a normal life. In other words, the carbon footprint measures an individual's impact on the environment. To live an environmentally friendly existence that doesn't contribute to global warming, you need to try to have the smallest possible carbon footprint.
- The ideal is to have a neutral or no impact.
- Carbon dioxide accounts for 26% of all greenhouse gases, which is why people are worried about reducing their carbon footprint.
Step 2. Learn what factors contribute to your carbon footprint
Virtually every human activity that involves the use of fossil fuels contributes to the rise in the earth's temperature. It can be the direct use of fuels, for example driving a gasoline car, or the contribution can be indirect, for example by eating fruits and vegetables that have traveled a long way before reaching your table.
The majority of the factors that have the most important impact on our carbon footprint are related to the indirect use of coal, natural gas and oil, including: consumption of meat, electricity, transportation of people (driving a vehicle or taking aircraft), commercial transport (by land, ship or air) and the use of plastics
Step 3. Determine your impact on the environment
Since greenhouse gases promote global warming, knowing your carbon footprint allows you to understand when your lifestyle contributes to this phenomenon and to climate change. You can use one of the many online calculators to find this figure.
Part 2 of 6: Reduce Your Dependence on Fossil Fuels
Step 1. Choose alternative means of transportation
In the United States alone, private vehicles such as automobiles are responsible for about one fifth of all emissions. Choose a different method of travel if you want to decrease your carbon footprint and have a minor impact on Earth's warming. Instead of taking the car or asking for a ride to the park, school, a friend's house or anywhere else, try:
- Walking or running;
- Go by bike or skateboard;
- Use skates.
Step 2. Take advantage of public transportation
Although trains and buses are often powered by fossil fuels, they produce less pollution and, for the same number of passengers, consume less energy than private vehicles. The next time you need to go to an area of the city that is too far away to walk or bike, take a bus or other public transport instead of asking your parents to accompany you.
Step 3. Organize group cars
Children who do not live close enough to walk and do not have public transport available can organize a car pooling service with the parents of friends who attend the same school. Instead of having four parents driving four cars to take their children to school, you can schedule daily or weekly shifts to accompany and pick up all the kids in one vehicle. In this way, there are three fewer cars on the road.
Also recommend this solution to parents of friends who do the same activities as you, such as for training and sports matches, after-school hobbies, classes and social events
Step 4. Talk to your parents about buying an electric or hybrid car
Driving a car that does not consume petrol or diesel allows you to drastically lower your carbon footprint, because it not only reduces the direct exploitation of fossil fuels and therefore emissions, but also the pollution generated by the production, processing and distribution of petrol.
- Hybrid or electric cars are generally more expensive than traditional ones, so they are not always a solution for several families.
- Be aware that if the electricity you use comes from a power plant that uses fossil fuels, driving an electric car does not reduce your carbon footprint.
Part 3 of 6: Saving Energy and Water
Step 1. Turn off the lights
When you leave a room where no one else is, turn off the lights. This also applies to electrical devices such as televisions, radios, computers and other similar household appliances.
Step 2. Unplug the electronic devices
When you leave the house all day to go to school, unplug all electronic accessories that are not in use from their power outlet. Many appliances continue to absorb energy even when they are turned off. These include:
- The watches;
- TVs and radios;
- The computers;
- Cell phone chargers;
- Microwaves and other appliances with clocks.
Step 3. Turn off the faucet
Turn the water knob when brushing your teeth, soaping your hands in the sink, washing dishes by hand or soaping in the shower. Also try to reduce the consumption of hot water when washing or cleaning the dishes, as it takes a lot of energy to heat it.
Step 4. Keep doors and windows closed
When the house heats up in the summer or cools down in the winter, remember to close all doors behind you and don't leave the windows open. Hot or cold air dissipates quickly and the boiler or air conditioner has to work and consume much more to maintain a constant temperature.
Step 5. Use the curtains and blinds
In winter, open the shutters during the day to allow solar energy to heat the house and close them when the sun sets to prevent cold air from filtering into the house. In the summer, keep the curtains and blinds closed during the day, so the sun's rays don't make the house even warmer.
Step 6. Do activities that do not require the use of electricity
In the United States, for example, much of the electricity is produced through fossil fuels; using less electricity, you can therefore reduce your carbon footprint. Instead of watching television, playing computer games, or video games, try:
- Light;
- Playing outdoors;
- Playing board games;
- Physically spending time with friends.
Step 7. Do your homework with an ecological approach
There are many environmentally friendly methods for doing daily chores, such as starting the washing machine or dishwasher only with full load, washing clothes with cold water and hanging them outside instead of using the dryer.
Ask other family members to use the same techniques
Part 4 of 6: Offset Your Carbon Footprint
Step 1. Plant a tree
An adult tree consumes nearly 22 kg of carbon dioxide per year, converting it into oxygen that we can breathe. In addition, the trees around the house provide shade and protect from the wind, thereby reducing the need to use the air conditioner in the summer and heating in the winter.
Deciduous trees provide shade in the summer, but shedding their leaves in the winter allow the natural heat of the sun to warm the home
Step 2. Grow a vegetable garden
The further food has to travel to reach your table, the greater the carbon footprint. Although plant products are lower than meat and dairy products in the list of foods that produce greenhouse gases, they still need to be transported to the markets where you buy them and all this requires the use of fossil fuels. By growing a vegetable garden, you reduce your contribution to greenhouse gas production and at the same time increase the number of plants on the planet that consume CO2.
Step 3. Reduce, reuse and recycle
You may have heard this motto before, but you may not have realized that it is a golden rule for reducing your contribution to global warming! Recycling is an energy-consuming process, but it's still better than making a container from scratch. Reusing is even better, because it reduces the amount of waste, avoids the energy exploitation necessary for recycling and reduces consumption.
- Practice reuse by giving new life to old containers, clothes and household items. For example, collect cans to make a bottle holder to give to parents.
- Recycle the cans, bottles, jars, Tetra Pak, containers and everything else that your local disposal center accepts.
- Reuse and refill items like ink cartridges and pens.
- Instead of buying a new soap pack every time, fill up the one you already have.
- Shop at thrift stores instead of buying new clothes and housewares.
Step 4. Practice composting
The amount of energy and fuel used to transport organic matter to the recovery center (if your municipality does not have a composting plant) increases your carbon footprint. Moreover, this type of waste does not decompose properly in this environment, so it is better for each person to compost. Not only do you reduce the amount of waste you send to landfills, but you get some homemade potting soil to grow and fertilize your garden.
Part 5 of 6: Being a Conscious Consumer
Step 1. Use less paper
Paper products contribute to global warming because their realization requires the exploitation of fossil energy and the felling of trees that could absorb carbon dioxide. You can reduce the need for paper by making a few simple changes like:
- Avoid printing emails when not strictly necessary;
- Borrow library books or read them digitally instead of buying paper ones;
- Ask for electronic receipts whenever possible;
- Ask parents to purchase recycled paper products, such as tissue paper, toilet paper, printer paper, and writing paper;
- Scan the books digitally instead of photocopying them;
- Send e-cards instead of real ones.
Step 2. Don't buy bottled water
In most municipalities, tap water is perfectly safe for human consumption; therefore, there is generally no real need to buy bottled water in Italy. However, consumers love this convenient and portable product, even though it takes three liters of water to produce one in the bottle, not counting the millions of barrels of oil needed to make the bottles, caps and packaging to meet the demand.
If your parents buy bottled water, ask them not to do it again. Even if they decide not to comply with your request, use a glass or metal water bottle, which you can fill with tap or filtered water
Step 3. Avoid products with a lot of packaging
Most of the packaging used in Italy has a purely commercial purpose and carries out more of a marketing task than of product protection or consumer protection. Since the packaging is usually made of plastic, it means that petroleum derivatives have been used to make it and that many are not recyclable. By avoiding buying over-packaged goods, you are able to reduce your carbon footprint and inform companies that their sales methods are not acceptable.
Part 6 of 6: Encouraging Friends and Family to Take Action
Step 1. Tell the family how they can help
Sometimes there are things you simply can't do without the help of loved ones. Ask parents to contribute and make a difference by establishing new family rules and habits.
- Ask for the boiler thermostat to be set slightly lower or not to use the air conditioner as much.
- He explains that compact fluorescent lamps use 70% less energy than incandescent bulbs, thus saving both energy and money.
- Remind parents to use ceramic cups for coffee instead of plastic cups for take-out.
Step 2. Go to the agricultural markets
In most cities and towns there are local agricultural markets; by doing the shopping, your family and friends can support the local economy, teach the importance of zero-kilometer products (this way less greenhouse gases are generated to transport food) and have fresh and delicious food for meals.
Remember to bring reusable shopping bags to both the farmer's market and the grocery store
Step 3. Choose fresh fruits and vegetables that are sold loose
Packaging for vegetables, fruits and pre-cooked meals is often made of plastic, and the plastic is made from petroleum. It may take some time to get used to, but it's possible to leave the supermarket without too much packing material. Keep in mind that cooking takes time, so offer to help parents prepare meals with fresh ingredients; in this way, you save them time, you learn to cook and encourage parents to buy fresh products more frequently.
- As much as possible, try to buy foods in large quantities, rather than prepackaged portions, such as pasta, cereals, flour and spices.
- Buy products in bulk, such as individual carrots instead of fruit and vegetables offered in predefined packaging.
Step 4. Ask your parents to prepare more vegetarian or vegan meals
The production of meat and dairy products contributes 18% to world emissions; by completely eliminating them from your diet you can reduce your diet-related carbon footprint in half. Encouraging family members to eat less meat and dairy is a big step towards reducing one's contribution to global warming.
