Big Book, Big Impact: Reducing Pollution, Saving Our Planet

There are many ways to reduce pollution and protect the environment for a clean and sustainable future. One of the most significant sources of common air pollutants is motor vehicle emissions, so opting for public transport, carpooling, walking, or biking can make a big difference. Energy efficiency is another key factor, such as turning off lights and appliances when not in use, using energy-efficient appliances, and conserving energy in general. Recycling and reusing products, as well as reducing the use of plastic bags, are also important habits to reduce pollution. Additionally, we can make environmentally conscious choices when it comes to cleaning products, paints, and lawn care.

Reduce plastic waste

Plastic pollution is a pressing issue, with plastic waste causing serious harm to marine life and the planet. To reduce plastic waste, here are some detailed, direct, and instructive tips:

Avoid Single-Use Plastics: Single-use plastics, such as plastic bags, straws, disposable cutlery, and water bottles, are used once and then discarded. Instead, opt for reusable alternatives like tote bags, reusable water bottles, and metal straws and cutlery.

Reduce Consumption of Packaged Products: Avoid buying products with excessive plastic packaging. Purchase food items in bulk and store them in reusable containers. Choose products with eco-friendly, non-plastic packaging, such as glass jars.

Recycle and Reuse: Before throwing away plastic items, check if they can be recycled. Many supermarkets and stores have recycling bins for plastic bags and wraps. For other plastic items, check your local recycling program. Additionally, try to reuse plastic items whenever possible, such as refillable water bottles or containers for storing food.

Buy Chewing Gum Responsibly: Most chewing gums contain plastic. Reduce your consumption of these gums and opt for natural and organic alternatives that are biodegradable.

Choose Natural Fibers for Clothing: Synthetic fibers in clothing, such as nylon and polyester, contribute to microplastic pollution. Opt for clothing made from natural fibers like cotton and wool.

Support Policies and Manufacturers: Advocate for policies that discourage plastic use, such as taxes or bans on plastic bags. Additionally, choose to buy from manufacturers that use less plastic packaging, and let companies know that you prefer eco-friendly packaging.

Educate and Influence Others: Educate your family, friends, and colleagues about the importance of reducing plastic consumption. Lead by example, and your positive influence will have a more significant impact on the planet.

Avoid Microplastics in Cosmetics: Microplastics are tiny plastic particles found in some cosmetics and beauty products. These particles can slip through water treatment plants and harm marine life. Choose cosmetics and personal care products that are plastic-free, such as natural exfoliants like oatmeal or salt.

Audit Your Plastic Use: Take an inventory of the plastic items in your home and try to cut back. Look for reusable alternatives, like bamboo cutlery, reusable water bottles, and cloth bags for shopping.

Choose Glass or Steel Containers: Instead of using plastic containers for storing food, opt for glass or stainless steel containers. These alternatives are healthier and more environmentally friendly, as plastic containers can release harmful substances.

Be a Conscientious Recycler: Recycling correctly can significantly reduce plastic waste. Only recycle items that are accepted by your local recycling program. Do not put plastic bags or wraps in your recycling bin, as they can tangle in the equipment. Return them to grocery stores or box stores for proper recycling.

Remember, reducing plastic waste starts with small changes in our daily habits and a collective effort to protect our planet.

Improve air quality

Improving air quality involves making changes to our daily habits and advocating for larger-scale changes in our communities. Here are some ways we can improve the air quality in our homes and neighbourhoods:

Reduce Vehicle Emissions

Vehicle exhaust is a significant contributor to air pollution. We can reduce emissions by driving less and opting for more sustainable modes of transportation whenever possible. Carpooling, biking, taking public transportation, or even telecommuting can help reduce the number of vehicles on the road and, consequently, the amount of exhaust released into the atmosphere.

Maintain Our Vehicles

Keeping our cars in good condition is another way to reduce emissions. It is essential to promptly fix any exhaust or oxygen sensor issues and regularly check our tire pressure. Under-inflated tires can lower gas mileage, especially at lower speeds, leading to increased fuel consumption and, subsequently, more emissions.

Avoid Idling

Idling engines create hotspots of pollution, so it is best to turn off our engines whenever possible. This is especially important for buses and large trucks, as their exhaust is particularly unhealthy. Schools and daycares can implement no-idling policies to reduce the impact of vehicle emissions on children's health.

Switch to Electric or Hand-Powered Lawn Equipment

Small gas-powered engines, like those on lawnmowers and leaf or snow blowers, often lack pollution control devices. As a result, they can produce a significant amount of pollution. Using hand-powered or electric lawn care equipment can drastically reduce the amount of pollution generated during yard work.

Reduce Energy Consumption

Lowering our energy usage can also improve air quality. Choosing energy-efficient appliances and heating systems, getting an energy audit and following the recommended steps, and turning off electrical appliances when not in use can collectively make a substantial difference.

Advocate for Clean Air

We can also become champions for clean air by encouraging local businesses, city offices, and school districts to implement programs that reduce air pollution and promote sustainability. Supporting initiatives like GreenStep Cities, which aims to educate residents and create incentives for environmentally beneficial behaviours, can help create a more sustainable future for our communities.

By adopting more sustainable practices in our daily lives and advocating for change on a larger scale, we can significantly improve the air quality in our communities.

Reduce short-lived climate pollutants

Short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) include methane, black carbon, and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which are also known as "super pollutants". They have a more potent and immediate impact on global warming than carbon dioxide (CO2) but remain in the atmosphere for a shorter time.

Improve Food Production and Agriculture Methods

• Improve feed quality to boost the efficiency and productivity of ruminant livestock.
• Develop and introduce feed additives for livestock, such as using seaweeds to reduce methane emissions from enteric fermentation in cattle.
• Plant lower methane rice grains.
• Place a greater emphasis on plant-based and sea-based proteins.
• Promote farm-scale anaerobic digestion to control methane emissions from livestock.
• Eliminate open burning in agriculture through regulation and farmer education.

Reduce Food Waste

• Improve food industry waste management by adopting better anaerobic digestion methods for solid and liquid waste.
• Separate and divert organic waste to Black Soldier Fly facilities or compost facilities.
• Improve wastewater treatment with gas recovery and overflow control.

Reduce Emissions from Oil, Gas, and Waste Management

• Plug leaks from pipelines and oil and gas extraction.
• Capture emissions from landfills.
• Improve flaring efficiency in oil and gas production.
• Recover and use gas and fugitive emissions during oil and natural gas production.
• Reduce the use of fertilizer in farming.
• Improve municipal waste collection services and ban open burning of municipal waste.

Improve Heating, Cooking, and Transport Methods

• Adopt more efficient heating and cooking methods, such as replacing traditional cooking with clean-burning modern fuels, cookstove technology, solar power, biogas, or electricity.
• Switch to cleaner fuels and electric transport.
• Improve insulation materials and building designs to avoid the use of air-conditioners.
• Ratify and comply with the control measures of the Kigali Amendment.

Policy and Planning

• Create and enforce laws that make SLCP emissions measurement and reductions mandatory.
• Provide greater specificity in nationally determined commitments (NDCs) on the actions, policies, and measures to be implemented to achieve the collective reduction targets.
• Set sector-specific phase-down measures with target dates for significant abatement or complete phase-out of SLCPs at the source.

Improve water quality

Improving water quality is essential to ensuring access to clean drinking water, which is a basic human need. Here are some detailed and direct actions that can be taken to improve water quality, particularly in your home and community:

In Your Home

• Run cold water taps for two minutes before using water for drinking and cooking. When water sits in your pipes for long periods, its quality can decline.
• Avoid using hot tap water for drinking and cooking. Hot water can dissolve contaminants and may contain metals, sediment, and bacteria from the water heater.
• Routinely replace filter cartridges as per the manufacturer's instructions. This prevents the build-up of bacteria and metals.
• Replace old plumbing, especially if it contains galvanized pipes, with copper pipes. Also, install "lead-free" plumbing fixtures to minimize lead exposure.
• Regularly clean faucet aerators and replace them if necessary. Sediment and metals can collect in the aerator screen.
• Annually drain your water heater to prevent the build-up of sediment, bacteria, and metals, which can impact water quality and pressure.

In Your Community

• Participate in public events, hearings, and meetings to provide feedback and recommendations on water quality standards and improvements.
• Volunteer for monitoring programs, such as those organized by the National Water Quality Monitoring Council, to help track the condition of local water sources like rivers, streams, and lakes.
• Promote good hygiene habits through education. Proper handwashing with soap and water can significantly reduce diarrhea cases.
• Implement rainwater harvesting systems to collect and store rainwater for drinking or recharging underground aquifers.
• Provide access to home water treatment methods, such as filters, solar disinfection, or flocculants, to ensure drinking water safety.
• Promote low-cost solutions like chlorine tablets or solar disinfection using plastic bottles to improve water quality, especially in disadvantaged communities.
• Improve sanitation facilities by providing toilets and latrines that flush into a sewer or safe enclosure.

Reduce use of single-use plastics

Reducing the use of single-use plastics is a critical step in creating a healthier and more sustainable planet. Here are some ways we can reduce our reliance on these harmful products:

Opt for Reusable Alternatives

Single-use plastic products, such as plastic bags, bottles, cups, and containers, may be convenient, but they cause significant environmental and health damage. Prioritizing reusable options is crucial for mitigating these negative impacts. Reusable bags, cups, and containers can be used when grocery shopping or getting takeaway food. Cotton and non-woven polypropylene shopping bags, as well as reusable bottles, cups, and tableware made from materials like plastic or stainless steel, are becoming increasingly common. For personal hygiene products, consider silicone menstrual cups and cloth nappies.

Turn 'Single-Use' into 'Multi-Use'

When single-use plastic products cannot be avoided, try to reuse or repurpose them instead of immediately disposing of them. For example, durable single-use plastic bags, bottles, cups, and food packaging can often be reused or given a new purpose. Even single-use alternatives made of other materials, like paper bags, should be reused to lower their environmental impact.

Design Products with Circularity and End-of-Life Consideration

The burden of reducing the impact of single-use plastics should not fall solely on consumers. Policymakers and retailers must guide the design of products to be both lightweight and durable, maximizing their reusability. Production should also be sustainable, utilizing renewable energy and recycled materials. Additionally, consider sourcing locally and avoiding air-freighted goods to reduce the environmental impact of products throughout their life cycle. Finally, ensure that products can be efficiently recycled or discarded in an eco-friendly manner at the end of their useful life.

Geographical and Social Context Matters

Different areas will require tailored approaches to phasing out single-use products. As more regions propose bans on single-use plastics, policymakers must consider factors such as production requirements, expected use, reusability, local waste management infrastructure, and education when identifying suitable alternatives. Shifting to reusable options and strengthening recycling and waste management systems are crucial steps. In the interim, areas with littering issues should avoid using lighter products, even though they are less resource-intensive to produce, as they are more likely to become litter.

Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle

Individuals can play a significant role in reducing plastic consumption and waste. Audit the plastics in your home and look for sustainable alternatives. For example, swap plastic condiment bottles for refillable glass containers or opt for bar soap and shampoo bars instead of bath products in plastic bottles. Bring your own containers when shopping in bulk and choose bulk food options over packaged goods. When plastic products cannot be avoided, try to reuse them, and always recycle them properly.

Frequently asked questions