call to water action

FFBW has many modes of participation available to everyone. I have positions for advocacy activism, lobbying, and working between partners and individuals for micro-loans. I also include 5 ways for young adults to be sustainable.

5 Ways For Young Adults to be Sustainable

Introduction

Climate change is a threat to you and your environment. Oftentimes, people believe sustainability is out of their control or they would have to make drastic changes. Improving sustainability is in the hands of everyone, standing idly by only furthering our path of a global crisis. The best thing the average person can do is to stop thinking of themselves as one person and think of how their actions impact the people around them. Individuals partake in daily tasks which hinder sustainability simply because they lack information regarding their actions and fail to recognize sustainable alternatives. Isabel, Jackie, Joe, and I (Colleen) aim to inform you of 5 simple ways to live a sustainable and healthier lifestyle. 

Reduce Emissions From Food Products

Greenhouse gas emissions are a huge contributor to climate change, but there are things the average person can do to improve their GHG emissions. Total emissions from the average person are about 7000 kg annually, but that can be dramatically reduced with a few simple changes (Carlsson Kanyama et al., 2021). One area of improvement can be in food. Meat and dairy products are significantly more polluting than their alternatives. Pork, for example, pollutes five times more than tofu (Carlsson Kanyama et al., 2021). Meats can be replaced with tofu and soya, and dairy products can be replaced with vegan cheeses and many different nut milks. These options will all dramatically reduce emissions. Locally grown lettuce may be 12 times less polluting than conventionally grown lettuce, so in addition to eating less meat and dairy products, shopping for local produce can also be a great way to reduce emissions (Carlsson Kanyama et al., 2021). If cutting out all animal products seems daunting, consider trying to eat those products one less day per week, and continue reducing consumption gradually. This can make the switch to plant-based products much more manageable.

Make Your Own Cleaning Supplies to Improve the Environment

A simple change you can make that will help protect the planet is switching to natural cleaning products. Not only are these cheaper, but they also limit the number of dangerous chemicals released into the environment. According to scientists, well-known cleaning products contain phosphorus and nitrates which water treatment facilities are unable to remove (Rescue My Time Cleaning Service, 2021). Using white vinegar, baking soda, and essential oils are all able to properly clean your home, especially when combined in the correct increments. Even if you are not the do-it-yourself type of person, you can buy natural cleaning supplies. These products are non-corrosive and non-toxic. In addition, their packaging and manufacturing methods are more sustainable and ethical  (Rescue My Time Cleaning Service, 2021). This simple change will not only improve the environment but will not damage the surfaces you are cleaning in your home, saving you money while saving the environment!

How to Travel More Sustainably

Holidays are also ruining the planet. Studies have shown that a lot of emissions are caused as a result of holiday travel. Winter holidays and the new year are coming up, and with 2022 coming to an end a lot of people are looking to travel and relax. Holidays bring people together, yet doing so damages the environment. Traveling has a harsh impact on the environment because of fossil fuel emissions(Issi, 2019). That being said, all travel is not bad, simply some of the ways it is conducted are problematic. There are many different ways of travel during the holidays, including planes, cruises, cars, and many others. And after traveling, people make their way to luxury hotels that emit incredible levels of waste and pollution (Issi, 2019). Luckily, there are ways to travel more sustainably, especially during the holidays, one is avoiding making the itinerary too busy. After all, you are there to enjoy your time with your family and friends so try to be more intentional with your events. Try spending more time in one space, carpooling, or taking public transportation to that destination. Spend more time in that place, instead of rushing to the next, and walking around the area. Who knows, you never know what kind of experiences you would have missed out on if you had not taken a walk. While you're there, also try opting for local businesses as well. 

Shop More Sustainably

Fashionable retailers often are cheap causing devastating environmental impact. Not only are their working conditions unethical, but after one fast fashion trend goes out of style, the clothes go out in the trash. "According to the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the [fast fashion] industry is the second-biggest consumer of water and is responsible for 10% of global carbon emissions" and 85% of all textiles go to dumps each year (Maiti, 2022). Microplastics are also a huge contributing factor to harming the environment. 35% of all microplastics in the ocean result from synthetic textiles such as polyester (Maiti, 2022). A disturbing fact is "the world consumes around 80 billion new pieces of clothing every year, 400% more than what it was 20 years ago" (Environmental Impact, 2015). In addition, these new clothing pieces being made just to be thrown away in a few years require a lot of non-renewable energy and release waste into the environment (Maiti, 2022). You can still be fashionable without spending too much money and shopping from convenient fast fashion retailers. Consider shopping from local businesses and investing in pieces of clothing you love that you also know will last you a while. Buying basics is also something that will never go out of style. Some sustainable brands include For Days, Pact, Vetta, and Back Beat Co (The Good Trade, 2022).

Being Eco-conscious While Cleaning Dishes 

Washing dishes is a practice that can occur every day, and because of this, the importance of washing them effectively is imperative. A large number of people are living under the mistaken belief that hand washing dishes is a more environmentally friendly way to wash dishes as compared to cleaning dishes with a washing machine. As a general fact, dishwashing machines are more environmentally friendly and sustainable because they use significantly less gallons of water to clean the dishes than hand washing. It may seem like an obvious solution, but there is more to it than one might think. According to the article, Dishwasher vs. hand wash: What's more sustainable? dishwashers can still be a problem. First off, there are many barriers involved with dishwashers. It takes a long time to load dishes into the machine, take them out, and wait for them to be clean. This might influence people to hand wash, which is much quicker, and depending on the dish, is more effective at cleaning them. Another barrier is financial-based. Some people might not have the means of purchasing cleaning pods or a brand new dishwashing machine. The cheaper option is hand washing, which has one time purchases of cheap things like a sponge, drying rack, and towels. It is a common issue that some people may not have access to a higher quality dish washing machine. The older ones are known to be less environmentally friendly, and are sometimes worse than hand washing. This problem involves a lack of equity. It is important that people get the adequate boost they need to enable sustainable water use.  

The main problem that comes with hand washing dishes is that people will leave the water running while they are wiping the dish off, use an excessive amount of hot water, and waste water waiting for the temperature to increase. Not only is it wasting water, but it is also wasting energy to heat it up, and typically the amount of hot water being used is more than that of a dishwasher. This could be due to carelessness, a lack of awareness, or a lack of time. Public outreach is necessary to target certain groups of people and attempt to change their behavior. Educating your children on water conservation when they are growing up, and paying for your own water bill will give access to motivations leading to an eco-conscious mindset, which will influence behavior change of hand washing dishes to using a dishwasher. 

References

Carlsson Kanyama, A., Nässén, J., & Benders, R. (2021). Shifting expenditure on food, holidays, and furnishings could lower greenhouse gas emissions by almost 40%. Journal of Industrial Ecology, 25(6), 1602–1616. https://doi.org/10.1111/jiec.13176 

Environmental Impact. (2015). The True Cost. https://truecostmovie.com/learn-more/environmental-impact/ 

Issi, I. (2019, December 3). Environmental impact of holidays. Green Choices. Retrieved December 7, 2022, from https://www.greenchoices.org/eco-holidays/eco-holiday-choices/environmental-impact-of-holidays

Maiti, R. (2022, December 1). Fast Fashion and Its Environmental Impact. Earth.Org. https://earth.org/fast-fashions-detrimental-effect-on-the-environment/

Rescue My Time Cleaning Service. (2021, September 30). 5 Reasons to Make the Switch to Natural Cleaning Products. Rescue My Time Cleaning Service | Lawrenceville / Dacula | Maid Services. https://rescuemytimecleaningservice.com/house-cleaning-tips/5-reasons-to-make-the-switch-to-natural-cleaning-products/ 

Sugg, L. (2021, March 29). It’s time to break down the fast fashion industry | The Wellesley News. The Wellesley News |. https://thewellesleynews.com/2021/03/28/its-time-to-break-down-the-fast-fashion-industry/ 

The Good Trade. (2022, December 3). 15 Best Eco-Friendly Clothing Brands In 2023. The Good Trade. https://www.thegoodtrade.com/features/eco-friendly-clothing-brands

Additional Options for Involvement

ADvocating

Advocating for change is just one of the actions that can help save our water, keep it clean, and keep it available for everyone.

activism

Activists show up in the world with their voice to be heard, often in public spaces. To be an activist with FFBW means speak up, speak loudly, and speak for those whos voices cannot be heard.

lobbying

If your expertise is in the political world then lobbying is for you. Even if you are not a political expert you can still be very effective at lobbying your local, state, and federal government.