The Quarantine Quintuple: 5 Easy Eco-Conscious Habits You Can Start Today
Begin Your Sustainability Journey Today!
By Benjamin Zou
Thinking about climate change can be overwhelming, especially in the wake of a global pandemic. In the face of what sometimes feels like an insurmountable issue, it can be hard to know what actions to take or feel empowered to make any changes in our own lives at all. While individually our actions may not seem like much, when millions of people collectively decide that they’re going to make even minor changes in their lives, those little changes can really add up to some big differences.
Plus, let’s be real — making lifestyle changes always requires sacrificing something, usually convenience — and sometimes we simply aren’t willing to give that up. For me, that’s bringing a water bottle; I either forget to bring one or I remember to bring one, but then forget that I brought one in the first place, so I lose it. Other times, the eco-friendly thing to do isn’t a practical solution for everyone. For example, while a New Yorker might easily be able to give up Ubering around in favor of taking the subway or even biking, that simply isn’t an option if you live in the suburbs or even cities with less-developed public transportation systems.
Finally, some lifestyle changes are honestly just more hassle than they’re even ultimately worth, in terms of how much (or little) you’d reduce your carbon footprint. For instance, I understand that paper-based cotton swabs are better for the environment than regular cotton swabs, but has anyone ever even seen a paper cotton swab when casually browsing the personal care aisle at CVS? Besides, you could also just use paper tissues which are much easier to find.
So, while compiling this list of my top 5 eco-conscious lifestyle habits, I aimed to choose practical actions that minimize hassle while maximizing impact. I also wanted to skip all the ones that everyone already knows (i.e. take showers instead of baths). Without further ado — here are 5 easy habits anyone can incorporate into their own lives that can truly make a difference.
1. Eat Less Meat!
Problem:. Studies show that people who eat more red meat are at higher risk for death from heart disease, stroke, and diabetes — and Americans eat more meat per capita than any other nation in the world at 219 lbs per person in 2019. Ethical reasons also abound. But those arguments aside, the supply chains for meats are among the most polluting of all food sources. For instance, the production of just 1kg of beef creates 60kgs of GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions, compared to just 0.9kgs of GHG emissions per kg of peas, or 0.4 kgs per kg of apples.
Solution: Reduce how much meat you eat, whether that means being meat-free twice a week or becoming vegetarian. Look, I understand that meat can be delicious. Humans are omnivores, after all. However, I believe that there simply is no reason for people to consume more than 200 pounds of meat every year; science suggests it’s probably even downright unhealthy. That said, if you’re not a huge fan of meat anyway or have the self-restraint to transition to a fully plant-based diet, more power to you — but not everyone needs to make such a dramatic change. There are a huge range of diets between veganism and carnivorism, from pescaterinism to flexitarianism. Also, certain meats are less polluting than others — for example, poultry produces only one-tenth the carbon footprint of beef, per kg — so if you really don’t think you can give up chicken just yet, consider weaning off of red meats first. Choose a (meat-reductionist) diet that works for you!
2. Take It Easy on Your Thermostat!
I used to have a roommate in college who I got along with in pretty much every way except for the fact that he enjoyed blasting the A/C all through the year, even during the winter months. This was in the Northeastern US, mind you. I could not for the life of me understand why he insisted on keeping the apartment so cold USING THE AIR CONDITIONER when he could just just crack open the window and let in the freezing air from outside! Truly baffling.
I don’t think I need to spell out the problem or solution here. Be reasonable about what temperature you set your thermostat to. If it’s 35 degrees outside, set it to 60 or even 55 — wearing a sweater indoors won’t kill you. In the summer months, say when it’s 90 degrees outside, consider setting your A/C to 75 or even 80 degrees and just wear a t-shirt/tank top/sports bra/however little you want, it’s your home. Air conditioners produce 117 million metric tons of carbon dioxide a year in the US alone — let’s try to cut down on it when possible (especially if you can just crack open a window).
3. Thrift It!
Problem: Did you know that it takes over 3,000 lbs of water to manufacture the fabric needed for just 1 pair of jeans, equivalent to over 30kgs of carbon emissions? If that’s the carbon footprint for one garment, imagine the carbon footprint of your entire wardrobe. In fact, the fashion / garment industry is so wasteful that it is responsible for over 10% of annual carbon emissions, more than all international flights and maritime shipping combined.
Solution: The next time you feel the urge to shop, consider hunting for vintage treasures at your local thrift shop or online at a second hand site like Poshmark! Not only is it much better for the environment, but you’ll also probably save a bunch of money and get to bask in that wonderful post-bargain-snagging glow.
4. Fight Vampire Power!
Problem: Vampire power, also known as phantom load, refers to the energy that many electric appliances and devices consume when plugged in despite being switched off. In the United States alone, vampire power costs US households more than $3 billion a year — in fact, the amount of vampire power the US wastes each year is so great that it could instead be used to power the entire country of Italy!
Solution: Obviously, it wouldn’t be practical to unplug all of your electronics and appliances from your walls whenever you’re not using them. Consider using surge protectors — these can easily be switched on and off without having to unplug several items at once. If you’re going on vacation or even just taking a little weekend trip away, unplugging your electronics is something you should definitely consider. Sure, it might be slightly annoying to have to get on your hands and knees to reconnect your wifi router later, but it will save you money in the end.
5. Write it Down!
Problem: Of course, this list of eco-conscious habits won’t mean anything if you don’t hold yourself accountable to actually incorporating them. That’s why it’s important to have a space dedicated to writing down your thoughts about how to live more sustainably and reminders for actions you want to take. As we kick off the new year, there’s no better time to begin holding yourself accountable than right now!
Solution: Having either an electronic or physical space to record your thoughts around climate change and observing as the pages of said journal gradually fill up is also a great way to help remind yourself that you are, in fact, consciously making an effort towards solving this climate crisis. And as many of us who experience eco-anxiety know (see our latest blog post on climate anxiety to learn more), receiving a reminder every now and then that we are making a difference is sometimes all the encouragement we need to continue making those eco-conscious decisions. The Climate Journal Project’s guided journal is the first of its kind aiming to bring relief to those who suffer from eco-anxiety and environmental grief, which I find useful not only for its therapeutic benefits, but also just to hold myself accountable and keep track of the progress that I’m making in my own sustainability journey.
Hopefully after reading through my 5 top habits, you feel more empowered and energized to take on the climate crisis! There is power in numbers — while humans collectively have created some serious environmental issues, if we start to consciously make environmentally-friendly decisions, we also have the collective power to reverse course and heal the planet as well as ourselves.
What are your favorite ways to live sustainably? Let us know in the comments below!
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