As strange as the term sounds, eco-anxiety is very much a real thing, and with the rising sea levels paired up with species dying out, it’s pretty difficult to stay positive and composed.
However, there’s always something you can do as an individual to help influence this, and even if the effects of your actions are minuscule, you’ll know that you did your part in saving the planet.
The real issue lies in the fact that so many don’t know what their options past recycling even are, and those that do fear that what they’re doing won’t be enough.
It not being enough shouldn’t be an issue, especially because there are 7.8 billion of us on this planet, and even if only half worked together to save this planet, we’d make significant progress in no time.
So don’t worry about whether your actions will do anything, and instead try to get others to follow your example and give back to this planet that gave so much to them.
Plant-based foods
Going vegan if you’re trying to be eco-friendly seems like a no-brainer, and that’s because it is one, mainly due to how impactful the meat production industry is on the environment.
On top of this, a lot of the meat we consume isn’t produced sustainably or ethically, and by eating animal products, you could be prolonging the suffering of an entire species.
Thankfully, things don’t have to be this way, and science has advanced to the point where we have plant-based burgers that taste just like the real thing and even milk alternatives that have all the properties of regular milk.
By making this change, you’re using your hard-earned money to make a difference in the world and not support an industry that’s destroying it, one tiny bit at a time.
Lower plastic usage
The World Economic Forum determined that by 2050, we’ll have more plastic in our oceans than fish, and as demoralizing as that sounds, it doesn’t have to be a reality we’ll live in if we act now.
Plastic marine debris is considered to be one of the greatest issues we’re currently facing, at least in the environmentally-friendly department, and it’ll continue to grow.
Every year over 8 million tons of plastic end up in our oceans, polluting the waters and endangering marine life for generations to come, and commercial fishing isn’t exactly helping the situation.
Despite all of this, there’s still hope, and you can do your part with something as simple as carrying a reusable bag or swapping plastic straws for their metal counterparts.
On top of this, you can also choose not to use plastic containers for storage, as it prevents you from supporting the industry, and instead, you could store your supplies in used glass jars.
Give electric cars a chance
It’s no secret that standard methods of transportation are some of the biggest pollutants we’ve created as a species, due to their emissions as well as those created by the fuel industry which is closely linked.
To help fight this, the electric vehicle industry has grown exponentially in the past couple of years, and some states in the US have already announced a ban on fossil fuel vehicles by the year 2035.
On top of this, the market has become saturated with electric vehicles to the point where it’s hard to actually choose one due to the variety of options, which was practically impossible only a few years back.
Major companies like Volvo and Mercedes have already jumped on the bandwagon, announcing that by 2030 they’ll only be producing electric vehicles.
All of this drove Tesla’s stock through the roof, making them the most valuable EV company on the market, and for a good reason too.
If you’re not big on cars though, you can always stick to the tried-and-tested eco-friendly transport mechanism of biking.
Naturally, this doesn’t work throughout the year, and you’ll have to find an alternative during the winter, but even then, public transport is a good replacement, as you’re not creating additional pollution.
Focus on eco-friendly brands
Even if you’re doing all of the above, they’re meaningless actions if you support companies that have a negative impact on the environment.
Conscious sourcing of ingredients is key, and companies that carelessly dry up a resource only to support a growing demand on the market are detrimental to nature and the balance of this planet.
To help you find the right company, you can look for badges on their products which will indicate whether the brand is eco-friendly or not, and it’s measured by a number of criteria, including the brand’s carbon emissions.
If a third party hasn’t certified the brand, you should always look for an alternative to it, and only if you can’t find one anywhere should you opt to support a destructive business model.