CAN WE DO ANYTHING ABOUT A HOTTER PLANET?

As the planet continues to heat up, the impacts are becoming impossible to ignore. Record-breaking temperatures, more frequent and intense heatwaves, wildfires, droughts, and rising sea levels. Many people wonder if anything can be done to halt or reverse the process, and the answer is a resounding yes. While climate change is a complex, there’s a lot we can do to build a more sustainable future.

Here are several strategies to outfit your home for a relentless summer.

Global warming is caused by greenhouse gases trapped in the atmosphere: a direct result of burning fossil fuels. Transitioning from coal, oil, and gas to renewable energy is the smartest, quickest way to address climate change.

Governments & Corporations sould invest heavily in wind, solar, geothermal, and hydropower, which produce energy without emitting carbon dioxide.

Individuals can reduce their carbon footprint by shifting to clean energy options like electric and hybrid cars, taking public transportation, driving less, biking or walking, and supporting investments in clean energy. Making improvements to your home like installing better insulation, smart thermostats, and energy-efficient appliances also reduces your carbon footprint.

Forests are our friends in the fight as trees and fauna absorb more carbon dioxide than they release, helping to slow global warming. Meanwhile deforestation, especially in tropical regions, is crippling to the climate.

Governments & Corporations should protect old-growth forests, preserve dwindling wetlands, and reforest large areas to reverse some of the damage done. We cannot continue to wantonly cut down, burn, or pollute areas of the world like the Amazon in Brazil or the wetlands of Louisiana and Florida which are our best natural defense against global warming.

Individuals can donate to organizations that plant trees and community preservation initiatives. Push your representatives to support policies that rainforests, wetlands, and coral reefs, which play critical roles in regulating the Earth’s climate.

The way we produce food – meat and dairy especially – is responsible for as much as 1/3 of all greenhouse gas emissions. Land is plowed for crops. Cows, when fed cheap, hard-to-digest food emit methane through their burps and poop. Run-off from synthetic fertilizers pollutes our waters and kills plants.

Governments & Corporations must transition to sustainable agricultural practices like regenerative farming, which sequester carbon in the soil, reduce methane emissions, and improve biodiversity.

Individuals can reduce their carbon footprint by adopting a plant-based diet. Reducing food waste is also critical; a substantial portion of the food we produce globally ends up in landfills – destroying the planet without even feeding people.

In addition to switching to renewable energy, increasing energy efficiency in homes, businesses, and transportation would dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Governments & Corporations should use green technologies, such as electric vehicles, energy-efficient buildings, and smart grids that optimize electricity distribution.

Individuals should invest in energy-efficient appliances, switch to LED lighting, and consider electric or hybrid vehicles. Public demand for new technologies is what drives market change – encouraging further innovation and accessibility – so be part of the change.

We are in a crisis, and big problems demand big solutions. Large-scale change requires strong policies and international cooperation.

Governments & Corporations must implement policies that put a price on carbon emissions, such as carbon taxes or cap-and-trade systems, to incentivize reductions. Countries need to work together to meet the goals set by the Paris Agreement – to limit global warming to well below 2°C. To give a little context, from 2023 to 2024, we’ve gone from 1.4°C to 1.6°C so we don’t have a minute to waste.

Individuals can speed up climate action by voting for leaders who prioritize the environment, participating in climate marches, and pushing for policy change. Contacting your representative and the brands you’re loyal to can influence decision-making. And there’s dozens of groups you can join from NRDC to Greenpeace, the Sierra Club, and Earthjustice that will guide you in taking action.

Even as we work to slow global warming, it’s important to adapt to a hotter world. It’s already here.

Governments & Corporations can foster resilience by designing infrastructure for extreme weather, improving water management, and ensuring vulnerable people have access to cooling centers, safe rooms, and emergency relief during heatwaves and storms.

Individuals can foster local sustainability through community gardens, clean energy cooperatives, and mutual aid networks to help people during disasters. Education is also key so talk to your family and friends. By raising awareness, we empower more people to take action.

Finally, the fight against climate change falls unfairly on Gen Z and Alpha. That’s why young people are already driving movements for stronger climate action. Supporting climate education in schools and encouraging youth activism helps ensure that tomorrow’s leaders have the resources they need to be taken seriously.

Each of us has a role to play, and together, we can face the impacts of a hotter planet and protect the Earth for future generations. The time for action is now.