Eat Less Meat
You don’t need to become a complete vegetarian in order to feel good about helping the environment. A significant portion of the earth’s surface is used to raise livestock, and the livestock farming industry is the number one agricultural source of greenhouse gases worldwide, according to an article by UC Davis. When enough people reduce their meat consumption, it can put pressure on the farming industry to change their ways.

Take Action
If you’re passionate about making a difference, get in touch with your local and state officials. Let them know that their community is expecting them to take action on climate change. Make suggestions like implementing a plastic bag ban, or to increase awareness of local farmer’s markets so people can buy locally, or ask them to install more public water fountains so that people can use reusable water bottles instead of relying on plastic water bottles. The more that local government is involved, the higher chance of changes being implemented.

Skip Buying New
Whether it’s clothing, a car, the new cell phone, household items and furniture – by reusing items, giving them a professional cleaning, or simply being OK with visiting the local thrift store and not having the newest phone, fewer resources are being used to make new items. The textile industry is another significant contributor to climate change: according to the United Nations Environment Programme, it takes 3,781 litres (around 1,000 gallons) of water to make one pair of jeans, which is roughly the same as watching 246 hours of TV on a big screen. Reusing items, borrowing instead of buying, or buying used can make a huge difference.

Learn About Green Burials
This may not be something that you can do right now, but educating yourself and others is essential. The burial industry is yet another contributing factor to climate change. Caskets, burial vaults, embalming fluids, the use of land for cemeteries, maintaining the land, and more, all go into a traditional burial. While cremation is a much better alternative, there are still emissions being produced in the process. With a green, or natural burial, the only things that are used are a biodegradable cloth to wrap the body, and a small piece of naturally preserved land. The body is simply placed in the ground without the use of chemicals or processed materials.

The Cemetery
The cemetery grounds themselves need to be maintained, such as the grass, headstones, trees, and flowers. This costs the town or city money to hire the maintenance company, as well as resources, including water and the means to bring in the water. In many cases, fertilizers are used to maintain the appearance of the grass, which can be harmful to groundwater, nearby animals, and potentially to pets or people walking through the area. 

Now, Imagine Being Buried Naturally
No chemicals being put into your body, no expensive wooden or steel caskets, no one maintaining the plot with fertilizers, far fewer resources being used – simply returning your body back to the earth. It sounds refreshing!