Save the Planet in Your Spare Time
By Joyce Mercado
Birding brings us great joy. We love observing and identifying our feathered friends. Unfortunately, climate change is a big threat to birds. Audubon’s research shows that two-thirds (389 out of 604) of North American bird species are at risk of extinction from climate change. The good news is that if we act now, we can help improve the chances for 76% of species at risk. So what difference can individuals with busy lifestyles make? It turns out to be a big one!
Leaders influencing others in their communities to protect the climate is an essential element in fighting climate change. Anyone can be a leader, including you, even if you have a pretty packed schedule. My new book Save the Planet in Your Spare Time – A Climate Protection Handbook for the Busy Person chronicles my journey to becoming a climate protection leader in Alameda so others can learn from my experience. Below are a few highlights from the book.
I started by reducing my greenhouse gas emissions by hauling my bicycle out of the garage and using it instead of my gas-guzzling vehicle to run errands. I changed all of my light bulbs to compact fluorescents then LEDs. A home energy efficiency audit provided several good suggestions for reducing my gas and electricity usage, further reducing emissions. I got better gas mileage when I did drive, by getting my car serviced on schedule, clearing stuff out of my trunk, carpooling for kid activities, and properly inflating my tires. I embraced the four R’s of reduce, reuse, recycle, and rot (compost). I purchased a reusable coffee mug, reusable water bottle, cloth napkins instead of paper napkins, and dishcloths instead of paper towels. I stopped most junk mail by calling the catalog companies to remove my address from their distribution list. I switched to a primarily plant-based diet. I also avoided food waste by making soups, omelets, and stir-fries out of wilting vegetables and shopping with a list of recipes planned for the week. When doing laundry I switched to using cold water instead of hot or warm water. I installed solar panels, replaced our gas dryer with an electric dryer, and recently purchased an electric vehicle.
All the time I was making these changes though, I was thinking “but I’m just one person”. How can I influence others to make changes in their lifestyles as well besides just leading by example? I started writing letters to the editor of my local newspaper about each of the changes I was making to reduce emissions, as I made the changes. I would include tips and benefits for each change. It only takes about an hour to write a letter to the editor and it’s a great way to reach thousands of people! People read the letters to the editor. I give examples and tips for writing letters to the editor in my book. After writing so many letters to the editor I was offered my own climate protection monthly column. Another thing I did in parallel with reducing my carbon footprint was create and publish a climate protection checklist and resource list of 70 things individuals can do to protect the climate. From discussions with friends and neighbors, I learned people generally wanted to do more to protect the climate, but didn’t know what to do and then needed help to act. This checklist filled that gap. It’s available on the Community Action for a Sustainable Alameda’s resources website. I’ve distributed thousands of copies of this checklist to Alamedans. Not only can you use this checklist for your use, you can tailor the resources, and distribute them to your community.
I also took on projects in town. Save the Planet in Your Spare Time – A Climate Protection Handbook for the Busy Person describes how I got composting and recycling implemented at my son’s Little League baseball fields with two phone calls, one email, and a few hours of work making sorting signs for the bins. The book also describes how I got Alameda Municipal Power to donate compact fluorescent light bulbs to give away along with my checklist to clients at the Alameda Food Bank. You too can lead projects like this in your community!
In addition to reducing our individual and organizational emissions, it’s important to get policy changes instituted through our civic leaders. With election season approaching, now is the time to research and support climate-friendly candidates and propositions. Golden Gate Bird Alliance strongly supports Proposition 4 in California, as do I. Proposition 4 will authorize $10 billion in state general obligation bonds for a wide range of projects to reduce climate risks and impacts, by preventing wildfires, providing clean and safe drinking water, protecting the air, and safeguarding land.
Climate Action Now (CAN) is a useful tool to encourage our representatives at the state and federal levels to make climate-friendly policies. It can be downloaded to your phone. Based upon your zip code CAN creates letters to send to your representatives on climate policies. I use this app every morning to send 10-15 letters in five minutes. I hope this blog gives you some fresh ideas on how to take the lead in protecting the climate in your community. You can get a copy of Save the Planet in Your Spare Time – A Climate Protection Handbook for the Busy Person, from your favorite bookstore or online at Bookshop.org or Amazon. Together we can make a difference!
Joyce Mercado is a longtime Golden Gate Bird Alliance member and Climate Committee volunteer.