Sometimes the simplest actions can have the biggest impact. Choosing the bring a paper bag instead of asking for plastic. Using a reusable metal or glass straw to prevent plastic straws from winding up in the ocean and up a sea turtle’s nostril. Walking or riding your bike or taking the stairs instead of using a car or the elevator. Picking up a piece of litter if you’re hiking through nature. Using nontoxic cleaning products instead of environmentally questionable substances like TSP.
One of the biggest small actions we can all take is to tell our representatives that we want them to take action. So many of us are busy juggling our multi-tasking lives, distracted all the time by our phones and email and social media. It’s challenging to keep up with everything we have to keep up with in addition to what we want to keep up with. And then on top of that to keep on top of other people feels overwhelming.
But this is why following a local environmental group, whether by social media, or through their email campaigns, can be both beneficial and helpful. Local chapters of 350.org, ClimateResolve.org, CitizensClimateLobby.org, and TheClimateGroup.org, are a few of the organizations whose main focus is to research and lobby for policies that help reverse our carbon emissions on a large scale. Without government intervention, we cannot bring our carbon levels down below 350 ppm again, the level scientists have determined to be safe.
Your state representatives listen. It’s easy to feel helpless and believe that many listen more to dollars than to sense, but if they know their voters want something, they can be persuaded when the number of supporters is large enough to vote for it. When a group you follow asks for support on a state initiative, go to your representative’s website and fill out their email form and let them know. Their offices keep track of these requests. That’s what they’re there for. They work for you.
Actions speak louder than words, but words do matter and when it comes to effecting real change, it’s critical for each of us to raise our voice.
PopUP CleanUP cares about the health and safety of people, animals, and our environment. We strive to use sustainable cleaning solutions and lower our carbon footprint in our business operations as much as possible. If you want to calculate your carbon footprint, try one of the online calculators. Let’s all be a part of the solution.
