Gen Z Habits for Sustainable Change
2024 is the year for those eager to address climate change and take action. Outcomes from the COP28 conference (United Nations Climate Change Conference) share that the current emissions gap can be better explained as an emissions canyon. It’s time for exponential climate action to ensure the peak emissions start descending this year. As future leaders of this generation, we must lead by example by implementing changes that mitigate the reliance on fossil fuels.
What Can I Do?
In grade school, we all most likely learned about the polar ice caps melting and the impact fossil fuel combustion has on our atmosphere. However, as we go about our daily activities like starting our cars, it’s unlikely we consider the question: “How is this going to impact climate change?”
After reading this blog, I don’t expect you to completely transform your life. I'm simply hoping this nudges you toward subtle shifts in your day-to-day choices. By incorporating the small changes suggested below, we can begin to reduce our carbon footprint.
Turn off the lights. Prevent climate change AND reduce the cost of your utility bill? Sounds like a win-win situation to me! Doing something as simple as turning off the lights when they aren’t being used can reduce the amount of energy released. When you save energy you are minimizing the amount of unnecessary stress on powerplants. When power plants are forced to work, more fossil fuels are burned.
Ditch fast fashion. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. We all feel guilty after we order from online sweatshops and fast-fashion websites. If you start to think about the items you’ve purchased from these sites, can you recall how many of them lasted more than a year? More than 50% of fast fashion garments are disposed of within a year of being produced. This fills our landfills with clothing items that take hundreds of years to decompose. These items release toxins into our soils and the air we breathe.
Another win-win situation, you can reduce your carbon footprint, AND save money. There is one good thing the pandemic brought about and that is the desire to declutter and upcycle old clothing items. Shopping at your local thrift stores can reduce the amount of clothing that ends up in landfills. Additionally, you can support a charity or small business through your purchase or donation. Stores such as Plato’s Closet also allow you to sell your old items, which in turn puts money back in your pocket and less waste on our planet.
Leave no trace. While it is wonderful that people are becoming more interested in exploring the outdoors, it’s important to follow the saying: leave it the way you found it, or better. While this could be a fun day out for you, where you are exploring is home to much of Earth’s wildlife. Picking up after yourself will preserve nature for generations to come.
Everything Adds Up
Taking just a few moments to examine your daily energy consumption may reveal how seemingly small actions contribute to climate change. As future leaders of our generation, we must provide a sustainable environment for future generations. Recognizing that each decision we make contributes to our carbon footprint is the first step toward success. Through awareness, education, and minor adjustments, we can start to develop a path toward a more sustainable future.
About Olivia
Olivia is a senior at Grand Valley State University studying Advertising and Public Relations with minors in Adventure Tourism and Economics. She currently serves as the GVPRSSA VP of Programming, Account Associate at GrandPR, and VP of Public Relations for GVSU Strength Club (CrossFit and Powerlifting). She also is a member of the WMPRSA DEI Committee, where she has helped facilitate their annual DEIA events. Olivia is passionate about addressing inequality gaps and creating equitable opportunities for everyone.
Olivia has experience running a freelance self-run photography business. Currently, Olivia is interning at Irwin Seating Company in their marketing and communications department. Ideally, Olivia would like to work in an industry that supports the renewable energy industry. In her free time, she enjoys CrossFit, reading, and outdoor adventure.