Even though humanity has recently been in a frenzy due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the issue of climate change is still raging. While American society has been focused on other important issues such as race inequality, class inequality, and health inequality, our planet is still heating up, regardless of whether or not we decide to pay attention to it. Here are a few ways you can play your part in saving the Earth and even save some money at the same time.

Don’t Buy Single-Use Disposable Goods

Overproduction is a major contributor to global warming, and our addiction to cheap plastic is a major culprit behind this. Many plastic goods take up to 1000 years to decompose, meaning our oceans and landfills still carry all non-recycled plastic By using goods that are durable and reusable, you can help eliminate unnecessary waste, pollution, and long-term environmental problems. By buying these types of products, you will also have to make less frequent purchases, and some of them may even last you a lifetime.

Consider Using Clean, Renewable Energy Sources

Another huge contributor towards global warming is our overdependence on fossil fuels such as petroleum, coal, natural gas, and Orimulsion. These fuel sources release an immense amount of carbon into the atmosphere and are a large part of why climate change has become a crisis. While it may seem like we have no choice but to use these fuels for, this could not be farther from the truth. If solar panels were installed on just .06% of the land in the United States, this would be enough to power the entire country. Clearly solar installation is a great solution to this problem. If that seems like a lot of land to utilize just for solar installation, consider this: this figure is less than the amount of land already used for golf courses in the US! While it may be far-fetched to see how you can contribute to this issue yourself, there are several ways for you to do so.

Alternative Energy Sources

A great source of clean, renewable energy is solar energy. Sunlight is abundant, and as mentioned before, can easily power the entire Earth if there was a global push for solar installation. While they do require some initial investment, these can help save you tons of money on your yearly electricity bill. Along with solar energy, wind, water, and nuclear energy are all viable options for clean energy, though it may be more difficult to power your own home using those.

While climate change may seem like an insurmountable problem for an individual, small steps can go a long way. Whether you pursue a solar panel installation for your home, or simply purchase a metal straw, you can make an impact on the world and raise awareness for this pressing issue.