5 Bigger Things You Can Do to Be More Sustainable

If you've decided that you're ready to make bigger changes to your life to be more sustainable, here are some suggestions that go beyond small, easy-to-accomplish tips.

1. Surrender your privilege to fly Air travel is the single worst thing that most people can do for the climate. Flying across the US emits over a ton of CO2, which is the same as driving about 2,250 miles in a gas-powered car. In addition, like a lot of things related to the climate crisis, air travel is horribly inequitable: Around 80% of the world's population have never flown on an airplane, but the richest 1% are responsible for about half of all aviation emissions. Giving up your privilege to fly also sends a message that we are in a crisis right now and need to do things about it.

2. Change your car usage It may be worth investigating if your household could get by with fewer cars, or without a car at all. Depending on the public transit situation where you live, one or zero cars could be enough for your transportation needs. Cutting back on cars will also likely save you money. You could also decide to get an electric car, although electric car batteries do contain minerals that are mined in unethical and unenvironmentally-friendly ways.

3. Install solar panels Solar panels are also worth looking into. If your electricity currently comes from a source that emits fossil fuels, installing solar will lessen your dependence on fossil fuels, possibly eliminating between 3 and 4 tons of CO2 emissions each year. While solar panels can be expensive, they save money in the long run, since once they're installed, you will be paying a greatly reduced electric utility bill. (Additionally, they increase your property value, and since many solar installation companies are local, you will be investing in your local economy and creating local jobs.)

4. Cut meat or animal products from your diet Eating meat isn't sustainable. Raising animals requires much more land than farming plants does, which drives deforestation--it's estimated that if everyone only ate plant-based food, we would need only a quarter of our current agricultural land. In addition, the meat industry emits a lot of greenhouse gases: the production of one kilogram of beef emits over twenty times as many greenhouse gases as does the production of one kilogram of rice. Removing meat (red meat in particular) from your diet is a great thing to do for the environment; you can take it further by also cutting out dairy. (Eggs, honey, and other animal products are more sustainable than dairy.)

5. Get involved in local politics Your town or city may have a climate commission or committee that you can apply to be appointed to. Serving on such a committee gives you an opportunity to help make your community more sustainable. In most cases, these commissions advice the city or town council on matters related to sustainability. Usually, the members are volunteers who live inside the area and meet on a regular basis; there may also be specific opportunities for youth members.