What is the deal with carbon footprint and climate change?
Carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions that are generated by our actions.These greenhouse gasses trap the heat in the atmosphere, causing rise of global temperature. Loss of biodiversity, climate change and rise of natural disasters are the major domino effects we’re facing from the consequences of global warming.
The average carbon footprint for a Malaysian is 8.4 tons a year (double the world average, that’s bad!) As a whole,the best chance for the entire planet to avoid a 2 degree celsius rise in global temperature is to drop our average to under 2 tons by 2050. That’s a whopping 6.4 tons to reduce per person! While the numbers can be overwhelming, we can achieve this by making smart choices in our day-to-day life starting..today! Here are a few areas we all can make the switch to save our planet.
1.Transportation: Drive less.
It’s a rare case where we see a household in Malaysia with only one vehicle on the front porch. Try carpooling where possible or take public transport to reduce not only our CO2 emission but our notorious traffic jams. Did you know My50-Travel-Pass offers unlimited rides for 30 days? Klang Valley and Penang residents, you so lucky!
2.Clothes: Buy less.
Buy quality clothes that last, not just because it is on trend. Stay away from fast fashion. Make sure it is what you want to wear years later in order to avoid more waste going into the landfills. Better yet, purchase second hand from local bundle, vintage of thrift stores.
3.Food: Eat less meat and go local
The writer is a big advocate for purchasing fresh & local things.Whether to buy from local wet markets to close the gap of supply chain, eating fewer meat & increasing our vege intake is another approach to a healthier body and environment.
4.Waste: Think before you throw!
Whether it is clothes, food, packaging or electronics, we need to manage our waste better! If we can’t reduce, reuse or resell, direct them to an upcycling or recycling business. Another way to divert food waste from landfills is to do composting in our home or neighbourhood. Check out the initiatives by SEEDS-Malaysia.
5.Get Involved: Support nature stewardship
There are many businesses and causes that work as a collective to reduce climate impact. Take for instance Flatpak that is pledging to plant a tree for every furniture sold. The writer is excited for this because last year, our government initiated the 100-Million-Tree-Planting-Campaign, where others get to be involved as stakeholders and learn the benefits of supporting nature-based solutions to reduce our carbon footprint pronto. We can do this,people!
Socials on Climate Education:
Climate Science
Malaysian Youth Delegation (MYD):
Youths United for Earth
Photos:
All You Need is Less (link)
Less is More. It’s Eco-Logical (link)
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About the author :
Balqis Tajalli is a Langkawi-based artist, specialising in a historical photo process called, cyanotype. She can often be found foraging in the nearby paddy fields, documenting wild floras as part of her long term Nature-Blueprint Project. Her semi-active instagram handle is @studiosunprint (45 words)