Cutting our carbon footprint, one conversation at a time
Our traditional Pacific Northwest seasons are changing.
January — the month that seemed like it would never end — brought a deluge of rainfall. This was only a little after the abnormally rain-free month of November. The days of gray have many wistfully looking ahead to summer — only to remember the wildfire smoke in past summers.
The Australian fires are undoubtedly the most recent example of climate change in the news. Before that, the Amazon wildfires were a hot topic (no pun intended). Both are major threats to wildlife and habitat, as well as the health and well-being of humans.
Certain landscapes have also been shaped by regular wildfires, and fire itself is certainly not a new concept for many communities across the globe.
Montana is a great example. When I was living there In 2016, one of the state’s worst wildfire seasons to date, smoke clouded the skies for almost three months. Checking the particulate matter levels in the air became part of my morning coffee routine. And still, smoke seeped into my apartment on the worst days.
Yet after living in Missoula for several years, I came to understand that routine controlled burning helps to reduce fuel load in highly flammable landscapes (think underbrush and dry, dead leaves).
Most will agree that these seasonal weather events have become more intense. Here’s another example: the “Snowpocalypse” of 2019, this time last year. We all have our stories of where we were and what Gig Harbor hills we didn’t dare drive down. While some are hesitant to use the words “climate change,” we can at least agree that our seasons are changing.
Taking charge
In the gray gloom that’s continued into February, I am looking ahead to spring with the mindset of taking personal responsibility for my environment-impacting actions. I do my best every day to rethink and reduce where I can. My favorite ways are the simplest ones: reusable food storage bags, canvas shopping bags, and my dented reusable water bottle that goes everywhere with me.
Certain companies have already begun to take notice as well.
Many restaurants have embraced the Beyond Burger, advertised as plant-based “meat” that has a combination of proteins, fats, minerals, carbohydrates, and flavors that are entirely plant-based and mimic the aspects of meat. From Subway to Carl’s Jr., KFC and McDonalds, there are plenty of meat-free options now available.
How does this help? Using less meat can help lower a household’s carbon footprint. According to the Center for Sustainable Systems, the production of food accounts for 68 percent of emissions (transportation only accounts for 5 percent ). Meat products have a larger carbon footprint due to the inefficiency of production — from the massive acreage required to grow fodder for cattle, for example, along with the methane released from manure.
Air travel, too, continues to become more efficient. Planes now fly more passengers and burn less fuel. And while air travel is a pollutant, in that airplanes emit particulates, research has indicated that toxicity depends on the fuel type and operating conditions of the plane’s turbines. In general, the level of harmful emissions from air transportation continues to be low.
Talk is good
Yet, there’s still tougher conversations to have when it comes to personal responsibility: how much meat are we consuming? How many of our outdoor spaces are we developing? How do we have a general conversation about our personal carbon footprints?
To an extent, our carbon footprints may be inevitable. Maybe we commute long distances into work where ridesharing isn’t an option. Perhaps we enjoy travel, or have family and friends who live at the end of a long cross-country flight. Maybe a meat-free diet isn’t an option, nor a preference. On a basic level, we use electricity every day.
Conversation can go a long way, however. Talking about climate change keep us thinking about our daily and future footprint, both locally and miles away. Taking personal responsibility doesn’t have to mean big lifestyle changes or trying to convince someone to agree on a certain topic. It can simply mean being aware and open to keeping the conversation about this incredibly important topic going.
Carly Vester is a staff member of Harbor Wildwatch.
This story was originally published February 18, 2020 at 11:19 AM.