User:Sameen2426/Individual action on climate change

Section :

Diet and food
Meats such as beef have a higher climate impact since cows release methane, a greenhouse gas that is more harmful than carbon dioxide. Overbreeding this animal for beef just increases the amount of methane in an environment that is already high(Grossi).

Eating meat not only affects the climate but also affects our bodies. Studies show that eating meats such as red meats have many links to current diseases and illnesses. A research team led by Dr. Frank Hu of the Harvard School of Public Health, studied over 37,000 men from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (beginning in 1986) and over 83,000 women from the Nurses' Health Study (beginning in 1980). All the participants were free of cardiovascular disease and cancer at the start of the study. Dr. Hu states that there is evidence that shows a link between a high intake of red and processed meats and a higher risk for heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and premature death. The results state that almost 24,000 participants died during the study, including about 5,900 from cardiovascular disease and about 9,500 from cancer.

Travel and commuting
Air Transport:

Airports are located everywhere throughout the world." Flying is responsible for 5 percent of global warming" (Page). The number of planes in the sky can be anywhere from 8,000 to 20,000 planes flying in the Troposphere. Depending on if these planes are domestic or flying international, these planes carry anywhere from 90 to 544 passengers per flight. Compared to longer flight routes, shorter flights actually produce larger amounts of greenhouse gas emissions per passenger they carry. Airplanes contribute to damaging our environment since airplanes cause greater air pollution as they release carbon dioxide along with nitrogen oxides, which is an atmospheric pollutant. These gases lead to the formation of the greenhouse gas called ozone. Ozone has a greater concentration level in higher altitudes than being on the ground. The carbon in the fuel which jets burn gets released into the atmosphere forming carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere also causes ocean acidification, the decrease in the pH of the oceans. Ocean acidification causes a shift in the water's pH balance from seawater to acidic water. While it may seem that one plane ride won’t cause much damage, over time the carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides do contribute to climate change.

Laundry and choice of clothing:
Producing raw materials such as clothing has a big impact on our environment. Factors such as spinning material into fibers, dyeing, and weaving require massive amounts of water and chemicals. Some materials such as cotton require pesticides like Aldicarb for growing as cotton. “The World Resources Institute estimates that the so-called “fast fashion” industry annually releases about 1.2 billion tons of carbon dioxide, a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming” (Clothes and Climate Change, 2020). Not only is making clothes hurtful to the environment but getting rid of clothes also hurts the environment. According to PlanetAid.Org “Clothing is the second-largest pollution source in the world”. Some clothing is donated and recycled, meanwhile, the rest of the waste heads to landfills where they release “greenhouse gases and leach toxins and dyes into the surrounding soil and water” (PlanetAid.org, 2018).

Low energy products and consumption:

Energy star is a program in the U.S. that promotes energy efficiency. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. The Department of Energy runs the program, and They produce energy-efficient products, which help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. According to data found by energysage.com Energy star appliance lasts for 10 to 20 year and uses anywhere from 10 to 50 percent less energy each year than a non-energy efficient equivalent.

Choice of stove:
A solar cooker is a device which uses the energy of direct sunlight to heat and cook food materials. They need no fuel to operate (solstice.us) Solar cookers are bowls that reflect sunlight toward a pan and convert sunlight to heat energy inside the cooker to operate and require no fuel or electricity.

Presenting plant-based diets as strict vegetarianism
A plant-based diet focuses on consuming foods primarily from plants. Some examples of food consumed in a plant-based diet are fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, oils, whole grains, legumes, and beans. People may consider it as being vegan or vegetarian but it is very different. Vegan diets eliminate all animal products, meanwhile, plant-based diets do not completely eliminate animal products, but they encourage the focus on eating mostly plants. One downside of having a plant-based diet is that Plant-based diets carry some risk of inadequate protein and mineral intake. But, according to the Physicians Committee, you can choose the right plant-based food to overcome the risk “Plant-based foods are full of fiber, rich in vitamins and minerals, free of cholesterol, and low in calories and saturated fat” (Physicians Committee).