By: Lorenza Zebell
Q: I want to make a sustainable lifestyle change in honor of Earth Day this year but can’t decide what to do – do you have any recommendations?
A: I’m so happy you’re thinking about taking action for Earth Day! At Sustain Dane we call these Climate Actions. There are many ways to decide what actions you want to take. You can prioritize based on climate impact and emissions reductions, financial investment and savings, time commitment, opportunity, or your personal interest.
If you’re a data person, I’d recommend trying a household carbon emissions calculator. You can rank the actions by emissions impact and pick something with a large impact like purchasing an electric vehicle. Similarly, if you are financially motivated, the calculator can rank actions by amount of money saved annually. Did you know you can save an average of $1,047 in our region by eating a low carbon diet aka a more plant-based diet, which is also the top recommended climate action for reducing emissions from Project Drawdown?
If you want a quick action with a low time commitment, I’d encourage you to come to our upcoming Earth Month Cleanup and help us pick up trash around the Starkweather Creek Neighborhood area. If you like to take walks or hike, you can commit to bringing a bag on every walk and picking up all the trash you see.
Another element that can help you decide on where to focus is opportunity. Do you need to replace your heating/cooling system? That’s a great opportunity to electrify and upgrade to a heat pump. Are you redesigning your landscaping? Perfect timing to plant a rain garden or native plants. With the Inflation Reduction Act, there is also an opportunity for additional incentives for individuals upgrading their homes.
And finally, personal interest in the action is also super important. Commit to something you are extra interested in or motivated to complete – it’s the most likely to actually get done and become a part of your routine. And completing an action will help you keep momentum going.
Check out a full list of suggestions for individuals on our Climate Action page or for organizations here.
Happy Earth Month!
Sustain Dane is a resource for your sustainability-related questions. Businesses and individuals often email our team. This year we are adding a new article section where we will share questions that have come from the Sustain Dane community (and the answers we provide) in our newsletter. Feel free to send in your question to hello@sustaindane.org