So COP17 inspired me to do something.
I mentioned it in my Captain Planet article. I've always been aware that I should make changes to my lifestyle to make my difference and was active a few years ago but I've become lazy. I throw away large volumes of paper without recycling, I've been doing bad things with batteries and even picking up trash that has missed the bin has become a mission. In between thinking of big ways to innovate things and save the world, you know brainstorming, I've come up with Green Month x2.
There are specific things that I'm going to try for two months. I could end up extending Green Month x2 to Green Month x12 and maybe even Green Month x∞. I'm on a mission to pick up good green habits. They say if you can do something for more than two weeks then it becomes a habit. I'm trying to quadrupley reinforce green habits. I was going to do Green Month for just one month but then I realised that I wasn't going to be at varsity for the first month. That could spell disaster for all the hard work I did in picking up my new skills once the semester started. So it's Green Month x2. A lot of the things that I will do seem insignificant but if I can motivate you to do them too, and you can motivate your friends to join you then we're doing something right. A lot of the time we forget just how powerful collective action is.
The main aspects of Green Month are:
1. Vegetarian
Did you know that a domestic cow will emit 280 liters of methane gas each day? Methane is even worse than carbon dioxide for the atmosphere and short of setting all the cows a light we have to do something else. The idea behind going vegetarian means there is less of a demand for meat in my family. We buy less meat, you buy less meat, less cows are needed and therefore less methane is hosed into the atmosphere.
 |
| The cows are the enemy! Courtesy of Aerosvit |
Farmers would also have to plant more vegetables to deal with the increased demand for vegetables. More plants are good for the atmosphere! We'll worry about decreasing bio-diversity due to farming some other time. My challenge for you is to also consider a vegetarian lifestyle of sorts. Cutting down on meat, more veggies and maybe even having a "Veg-out Day" every week when you don't eat meat at all that day.
2. Public Transport
We are always encouraged to use public transport to cut down on our carbon footprint. Truth is public transport is a hassle. However, I will use public transport at least once a week. This means I will walk or get onto a bus. You could do the same or try car-pooling?
3. Plant
I'm going to try my hand at gardening. The goal is not to start something I can't maintain but rather to plant two trees during Green Month x2, so a tree every month effectively. You could start a herb garden or actually tend to your dying garden.
 |
| You can help these guys if you want to. Picture available here |
4. Recycle
I don't have to explain this one. I just need to say that I'm going to get bins so I can separate things so they can be effectively recycled. Then I'll work on ways to make compost without making everywhere stink.
5. Terrarium
I mentioned innovative ideas about how to solve our global warming problem. Playing with a terrarium is one of the ideas I have. I just have to make one during Green Month x2. So just ignore this one, unless you feel like playing with terrariums too.
The world is really a beautiful place, we need to work together to prevent the climate change horrors that await us.
In the meanwhile, I will save up for my bunker, build it and lie in wait for when the world's weather flips out and there is no water for you.
