I’m developing a series of steps to living the greenest life possible. I believe we can live in harmony with nature by scaling back on our consumerism, switching to sustainable choices instead of disposable, single-use options, and reducing our impact on the environment by being more aware of our lifestyle choices. One thing we can do to fight climate change is plant trees and restore green spaces.
Burning fossil fuels is arguably the biggest cause of climate change. However, deforestation because of agriculture and development is also a big contributor to our warming planet. In the last 10,000 years, the Earth has lost nearly 1/3 of its forests. Trees are necessary for biodiversity and oxygen, and the effects of deforestation has been devastating. Planting more trees can help combat climate change, but it’s not enough to undo the damage already caused by human activity. We must also tackle our dependence on oil to see any real change happen.
The road to recovery in the climate crisis may seem daunting, but there are little things we as individuals can do. For starters, we need to end our love affair mowed lawns and start planting more native plants. This will not only encourage biodiversity and pollinators, but can help reduce soil erosion as well. Another we can do is avoid pesticides and stop killing what has been considered “weeds” such as dandelions. Allowing nature to flourish in it’s purest state instead of constantly trying to maintain and control our environments is just one step in a long road to living a greener life.
Resources:
https://www.nrdc.org/stories/more-sustainable-and-beautiful-alternatives-grass-lawn