7 Individual Actions to Reduce CO2 Emissions and Our Carbon Footprint
In this article, Caro Feely positions herself with her eyes wide open in the face of climate change, and brings 7 ideas for actions to take to fight against this scourge as an individual.
What actions can we take at our level?
At the end of 2019, my evening reading – not recommendable if you want to sleep well – was “Everything Can Change” by Naomi Klein, “The6th Extinction : How Man Destroys Life” by Elizabeth Kolbert and “The Uninhabitable Earth” by David Wallace-Wells. These books really helped me to become aware of the environmental emergency we are in right now. I understood that it was no longer just about the melting of the ice, but that our survival is at risk if we did not change.
Some key points from reading David Wallace:
- In the last 30 years, we have emitted more than half of all CO2 emissions emitted by fossil fuels (our cars, our heating, the kilometers of our food, etc.). This means that since 1989 (my last year of university), we have done as much damage as since the beginning of industrialization. He insists on the fact that a certain “framework” was created by the UN in 1992, on the environmental issue. The world knew, but did nothing. We have only accelerated the pace of destruction.
- We are moving towards a temperature change of 4°C estimated for 2100 (it seems far away, but look at how quickly 2020 arrived). This rise in temperature would make many places on earth uninhabitable, especially because of rising waters, extreme heat, etc. Climate change comes with undesirable side effects: deaths related to extreme heat, hunger, drowning, unbreathable air, out-of-control cold fires (you only have to look at what is happening in Australia to get an idea of the horror suffered by the inhabitants as well as the wild fauna and flora) but also problems of access to drinking water, desertification…
The climate crisis and the environmental crisis (which is linked to the climate crisis but goes even further by including, for example, the use of chemicals in our agricultural system) are not crises to be taken lightly. We must act now if we are to have any chance of surviving as individuals but also as a species.
If I hadn’t discovered Yoga, I’d probably be ranting anxiously. Not only do I have to control my fear, but he has to wear it like an armor in order to act, as an individual. Each individual action leads to group actions.
COP25 – The UN Climate Change Conference
The idea of doing an article on this subject had been working on me for a while and was realized at the end of 2019. As I was returning from a training course in Biarritz to become a yoga teacher, I turned on the radio. At the same time, the COP25 meeting was taking place in Madrid. When a journalist on the ground demonstrated that this meeting was catastrophic due to the constant disagreement of major players such as the United States, Brazil and Australia, I felt a tension right down to my toes. Maybe it was due to my recent evening reading.
The radio host went on to say that we can’t do anything as individuals, that our governments need to take action. The journalist continued as if she had not heard what the host was saying. My body tensed up even more when I listened to this false message that this radio station was transmitting to their audience, a message of despair, of inability to change things on an individual level. The host was sorely mistaken, because if our governments do not take the necessary measures, it is up to us to try to create the change necessary for the survival of our only home, planet Earth.
At that time, I really needed a yoga breathing technique that I had learned that week, which helps to stay calm. This is a technique also taught to Navy Seals. This is the four-beat technique: inhale for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 4 seconds, exhale for 4 seconds and then wait 4 seconds before repeating the same exercise. This method allows us to stay calm and more in control of our mind.
Individuals are responsible – we must act
We cannot rely on our governments to deal with this situation. In the end, without us, they are nothing. It is our actions that define their decisions. Our consumption, energy and entertainment habits influence their strategy. If we stop buying certain things, those things will no longer be produced. If we don’t vote for them, they won’t be elected.
Just look at the impact that a 16-year-old girl, Greta Thunberg, can have. When we act, we influence those around us to act too.
But what can we do?
I looked at a list of articles that focus on individual actions to take, and then I used that list to review my own carbon footprint. I observed our transportation, our food, our house, our clothes, and also our finances. It turns out that a healthier carbon footprint would allow me to have healthier finances.
Actions concerning energy and electricity suppliers
As I write this article, I’m wearing 2 more layers of clothing, a good scarf and a hat. I lowered the thermostat by 2 degrees, to stay only at 14°C. This decision came to me after reading an article on the treehugger website (I get their weekly newsletter). It reminded me that you can always do better. It is more efficient to raise your body temperature rather than heating an entire room. No need to break the bank for that, I still had a few fleeces lying around in the back of my closet, from the time when we didn’t have too much heating yet or when we couldn’t financially use more heating. The only thing I bought was a coat I found in a thrift store for 10 euros, which became my favorite coat.
Another action was to change the standard source of electricity to a 100% green source. This decision obviously means that the price goes up a little too, but it’s worth it because it gives me a clearer conscience. It is important to support green energies rather than energies such as coal or nuclear. Information on changing electricity suppliers can be found in this guide. If you live outside of France, you can easily find information on the internet.
The article on treehugger also made me aware of small changes I can make to our energy consumption, such as making sure that electronic equipment is all turned off at night and not in standby mode. Put the phone in airplane mode, or save energy when I’m not using it in order to save the consumption generated by charging. Our energy consumption also affects everything we watch in streaming, and the size of the files we send by email.
The internet consumes nearly 10% dth of the world’s electricity
These small changes can offset the price increase by switching to green energy. Yes, my family is tired of hearing me say that I have to turn off the lights, or turn off the electronic devices, but by doing these things, it becomes a habit
The power of investment
I made a little “mental note” to make sure that every time we invest in something, that we do it in an eco-responsible way. That is to say, by carefully choosing the people and companies with whom you work.
If you have direct investments, try to learn about their ethics and divest if necessary. Also think about pensions, banks and insurance.
In the long run, all of these organizations will be kind of “punished” in the future, as more and more people choose to give their money to companies that value good environmental practices, and if they don’t change today, they will feel it in the future.
During all my reading on the environmental subject, 2 things always resurfaced: the question of transport and that of food consumption.
Actions to take for transport
Action No. 1 is to avoid the car-walk, take the bike or public transport as soon as you can. Since my daughters were 7 years old, I have encouraged them to walk or bike to their school bus stop. I calculated all the savings we made thanks to this gesture and I gave them the corresponding amount. It was a win-win situation for all of us and shows that environmental actions are not necessarily binding.
When we changed cars, we invested in a hybrid car to reduce our fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, which is the car we use when we pick up visitors who take the train to Gardonne (the closest station to our home). We also provide our visitors with bicycles. For more information, refer to our article on “10 good ecological reasons to stay at Château Feely”. In the countryside, we don’t necessarily have public transport available, nor a charging point for electric cars, so a 100% electric car didn’t seem like a viable solution to us. We try to group all the things to do in our nearest town, Bergerac, in order to avoid too frequent trips back and forth. When I have to attend an event, I try to carpool, not only is it better for the environment, but it also allows me to create links with new people.
Another very important point is to avoid air travel as much as possible. If you absolutely must fly, there are options to offset the carbon footprint left behind on this flight. Some airlines, such as KLM, offer this “green” option when you order the ticket. Otherwise, there are also flight search sites like Fly Green that offer this kind of program.
The music group Coldplay has suspended their tour while waiting to find a way to make their concerts “greener”. It’s great. I already liked their music but now I admire them even more, they are a real inspiration.
Vogue Italy has recently replaced the traditional photo shoots with works of art in order to avoid the many plane trips required to take these photos.
To encourage big brands to change, we need to let them know that we expected them to do so. We can also make a difference by participating in climate marches, supporting organizations like Greenpeace and sharing as much as we can.
Food consumption
The choices we make on a daily basis are fundamental to avoid an excess of CO2 in the future. By consuming less meat and dairy products, and choosing local organic products, we reduce the carbon footprint of food.
Your food budget does not need to increase, it can even decrease: by choosing vegetable protein sources such as beans, lentils, chickpeas.
We are fortunate to live on a farm where we can grow most of our food. We still eat some meat, but we only buy it from local and organic producers who have their animals on pasture throughout the year, and who therefore contribute to regenerative agriculture.
Growing your own fruits and vegetables (easy to say for me, it’s Sean who does everything!) is the perfect solution – no CO2 emissions to have it on the plate. It is even possible to do this when you live in the city, if you have a small balcony. There are many sites and articles about urban farms – a growing concept.
When I lived in the city, I loved taking care of my little garden, just like yoga, it brought me serenity while being active, and on top of that, I got good vegetables from it.
By buying organic, you are supporting farms that retain CO2, rather than releasing it. Regenerative agriculture is the model that should be built on in the future. Supporting local farmers in local markets is also a way to create a link with the community. If you are staying in one of our accommodations, don’t miss the opportunity to visit the Bergerac market, which we love as it is made up of a large number of organic producers from the region.
Conclusion
We are not without power. Each of us can make small changes and raise awareness among the people around us. It is easy nowadays to raise awareness about this environmental issue, thanks to social networks and the digital age of books. By changing our habits, we inspire others to do the same.
In my personal experience, I have found that yoga has allowed me to better manage my stress of climate change, but it also helps a group living in society, to find a certain spiritual happiness, a kind of “self-righteousness”, which will help us fight the “always more” of the ultra-capitalist system that still reigns today.
By triggering the “snowball” effect by changing our individual habits, we motivate others too. We are all in the same boat. Have you been observing your routine recently to see where you can make small changes? Do you have any suggestions that can help others in their efforts to combat climate change? Click below to add a comment.
For quick readers: here’s a short summary of the 7 tips
- Wear warm clothes rather than turn up the thermostat
- Opt for a green electricity supplier and try to be careful not to waste electricity (electronic devices on standby, lights on, etc.) in order to compensate for the slight increase in the price of green electricity.
- Walk, bike or use public transport. Opt for a hybrid or electric car if you change it.
- Avoid flying (and if you really have to take it, compensate by buying tickets that participate in eco-friendly programs)
- Eat less meat and dairy
- Eat organic products
- If you have investments, demand that they help with an eco-responsible approach
Learn more about organic farming and come and visit Château Feely in Saussignac (Dordogne) in the South West of France. Try our short, half-day or full-day tours and take the opportunity to taste our wines!
For lovers of the English language, trace Caro’s story through her Grape Expectations trilogy; Saving Our Skins and Glass Half Full. You can join our mailing list and receive our newsletters about events at Château Feely, recipe ideas, food and wine pairing ideas.
