CHOOOSE to reduce your carbon footprint: 5 simple steps

1.The ‘yes-you-can-attitude’:

The climate crisis can sometimes feel a bit overwhelming to take in, and for many of us even harder to address in our everyday lives. Besides, how can not driving a car once a week or implementing a meat-free day have anything to say in the big picture? The short answer is that we are the big picture. That’s right, the big picture is us, and the fact is that if everyone starts doing a little, that little suddenly becomes a lot. The beauty in all of this is that some of the simplest, yet most powerful measures we can make to help in the fight against climate change is no mission impossible at all. The secret is to make small changes feel like a natural part of your life instead of something you are forcing into it. Test and implement the little things until you feel like you’re mastering them like a champ. A more sustainable lifestyle is all about taking baby steps, and tapping into new areas once you’ve got the hang of the basics. And hey, you don’t have to go ALL in on perfectionism. Test a clothing swap before you take on a full shop-stop, test a new vegetarian dish before you announce yourself as vegan, or try replacing your high-on-carbon-latte with a MatchaBar. Second, keep your motivation up by following all the climate positive news happening around the world. We all need to get a positive boost to feel that our efforts are working! What you will come to realize is that the measures you are taking to help planet Earth are also steps that will affect your personal life and health in a positive way. Replacing a car ride with a bicycle ride gives you free exercise, lower expenses, and fresh air. Plant-based food boosts your health and reduces global emissions at the same time. And don’t underestimate the power of recruiting a partner in crime. When you start getting a hang of it, climate-conscious choices can be fun and as contagious as Kim K’s fashion outfits.

2. Address the small and invisible footprints:

Most things around us leave an unavoidable carbon footprint. Unnecessary use of electricity is one of them. One of the most impactful measures you can do within your four walls to help accelerate the green shift is to switch to a green electricity provider. Some providers even give you a gift card when switching to renewable energy sources! Win-win. Other electricity habits include streaming and cell phone usage. Do you hate spending hours on phone calls? Well, here’s some positive news for you! You can officially call yourself a carbon reducer. Did you know that a minute’s mobile to mobile chatter comes in at 57 g CO2? That’s about the same as the footprint of an apple, most of a banana, and a gulp of beer. If you want to reduce the footprint of your communication habits, texting is a much lower carbon option with a footprint of 0,014 g CO2e. And while we're at it, one hour of watching your favorite show on Netflix leads to emissions of 3,2 kg of carbon dioxide per account. This is the same as driving almost 8 miles or growing 30 apples. This means (once quarantines are over) that social streaming is an environmental win, and a great excuse to invite your friends over to binge Tiger King instead of watching it on your own and talk about it over the phone afterward (just make sure they come overriding a bike or taking the bus!).

3. Vote with your wallet by becoming a climate-conscious shopper:

Spending more time at home affects our shopping routines. As we put more and more items into our virtual baskets, we can make sure that we choose the most environmentally-friendly products, with the most climate-friendly supply chain. Luckily, more and more companies are “greening up” with increased focus building a climate-conscious supply chain and by compensating for the unavoidable carbon footprint of their products. It matters because production and shipping of products have large, but invisible, environmental impacts. Opting for better products from local players and companies that address climate change, is an impactful way of choosing a more sustainable lifestyle. Supporting the local producers and climate cool players out there is more important than ever.

4. What we eat and drink matters! Low carbon is the new low carb. Avoiding meat and dairy products is one of the biggest ways to reduce your environmental impact, according to recent scientific studies. And we sometimes feel it’s difficult to replace our favorite food with climate-conscious products when there’s no good alternative. But now there actually is! Explore the new existing options in your local grocery store, the wide range of ‘cheese’, ‘hamburgers’, and ‘milk’ will astonish you if you haven’t already tried. Some of our favorites plant-based brands include Impossible Burger, Oatly, and of course - MatchaBar! The animals and our planet will thank you.

5.CHOOOSE to reduce:

Even though we reduce, reuse, refuse, recycle, and repair, we as humans will still leave an unavoidable footprint just by existing. Make your footprint count, by reducing more CO2 than you leave behind by supporting vetted high-impact climate solutions. Sign up for a climate action subscription via CHOOOSE to help support the best projects worldwide verified by the United Nations, Gold Standard and Verra. Most people and companies who compensate for their footprint get a better understanding of their environmental impact and usually reduce more CO2 than their competitors. Another bonus is that the more they reduce, the less they need to compensate. So eventually, the aim is to get rid of your CHOOOSE subscription once you master the skill of reducing. In the meantime, go climate positive today right here!