How can you act on the Climate Crisis?

By Joshua Villalobos
HAPI Scholar | Member, HAPI Bacolod

The climate crisis is the talk of the town nowadays. There are a lot of conferences, events, and even government policies and programs addressing the climate crisis in terms of mitigation and adaptation.

But despite the complex government processes required to act on climate (which are super important, by the way), it is equally essential to do climate action on our individual and personal level. Here are some steps to act on climate:

1. 1. Ride a bike or use public transport.
      
      One of the biggest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions is the transport sector. Using private cars will contribute to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that worsen the climate crisis. If you can and if you are only traveling a short distance, consider riding a bike or using public transport to minimize your carbon emissions. 
   2. Eat more vegetables.
      
      You might be surprised to learn that our diet is a significant part of acting on climate. Eating more vegetables and lessening the consumption of meat and dairy products would mean that meat and dairy demand would also lessen. Since the livestock industry is one of the biggest emitters of carbon and methane, reducing the demand for this industry means also contributing to the global movement of lessening emissions.
       
   3. Support sustainable products
      
      I think this one needs no explanation as we all know that supporting sustainable products means pushing our economy toward increased sustainability. Remember: our money is our vote as to what products remain in the market. 
   4. Reduce your waste
      
      Landfills produce a lot of emissions, from carbon to methane. So lessening your waste and disposing of your trash correctly (segregation, composting, etc.) will help!  
   5. Plant trees
      
      Trees and forests serve as carbon sinks. They sequester carbon from the atmosphere and store it underground. So planting more trees means enlarging our carbon sinks that can sequester carbon, thus helping mitigate climate change. HAPI Green often does tree-planting events that go toward this advocacy. 
   6. Use renewable energy or lessen energy use
      
      I cannot emphasize this enough: the burning of fossil fuels to produce energy is one the main culprits of GHG in the atmosphere. Using renewable energy prevents GHGs from being emitted into the atmosphere; however, if you do not have access to renewable energy and your electricity comes from coal, oil, or gas plants, you could consider lowering consumption results in order to lower emissions of harmful gases in our planet’s atmosphere.  
   7. Learn more about the climate crisis
      
      This article does not provide all the information, so it is important to read and learn more. 
   8. Spark discussions
      
      It is critical to continuously engage others and talk to them about the climate crisis. Not to spread fear, but rather in the hopes that listeners would feel inspired to take action. After all, we are all in this together. 
   9. Urge governments and corporations to take accountability and action
      
      The most significant role in this fight to avoid planetary collapse is that of the governments’. They can change systems and transition towards a cleaner and greener economy. On a similar note, dozens of mega-corporations have largely caused the climate crisis, so it is imperative to call for accountability and demand action from governments and corporations. 
   10. Join (or even start) organizations/communities
       
       The best way to act on climate is to have a supportive community that has the same thoughts and ideals as you. If you have an accessible community to be a part of, join them, even online. But if there’s none, you can start talking to a few people and start a hopeful community that will be with you in acting on the climate crisis.
       
       Joining online communities like HAPI can provide you with a space to tackle the climate crisis.