Simple Ways To Help Fight Pollution And Clean Up

There are many ways to help clean up pollution, from supporting local garden initiatives to disposing of hazardous household items correctly. Here are some other ways to help clean up pollution.

Go car-free

There are many ways that you can help to clean up pollution. One of the most effective things you can do is to go car-free. Cars are a major source of air pollution, and by choosing not to drive, you can significantly reduce your carbon footprint.

There are many alternatives to driving that are more environmentally friendly. Walking or cycling are great options if you need to travel a short distance. These modes of transport produce zero emissions and can also help to improve your health and fitness. If you need to travel a longer distance, consider taking public transport. Buses, trains and subways are much more efficient than cars in terms of fuel consumption and emissions.

Another option is to carpool with friends or colleagues. This reduces the number of cars on the road and can also help to build community and social connections. If you absolutely must drive, try to choose an electric or hybrid vehicle. These cars produce fewer emissions than traditional petrol or diesel cars.

Finally, you can also support policies and initiatives that promote car-free living. This might include advocating for improved public transport, cycle lanes or pedestrian-only zones. By getting involved in these efforts, you can help to create a cleaner and more sustainable future for everyone.

Support local garden initiatives

You can help clean up pollution by supporting local garden initiatives. Plants help clean the air around them by consuming CO2, so you can improve the long-term air quality in your local neighbourhood by supporting local garden initiatives or starting your own. You can find inspiration and advice on which trees may be good for your neighbourhood from The Tree Council.

You can also help by properly disposing of hazardous household items. Oils, anti-freeze, paint, solvents, cleaners, preservatives, and prescription drugs should not be poured down a household or storm drain. Check with your county waste management service to find out what hazardous materials they accept.

Another way to help is to reduce or eliminate the use of fertilisers and chemical herbicides and pesticides. Lawn fertilisers and chemicals are a big source of nitrogen and phosphorus pollution and toxic runoff.

Finally, you can help by becoming familiar with your local erosion and sediment control ordinances and reporting sites that are out of compliance. Elevated chloride (salt) concentration, from applying salt to streets, can be toxic to freshwater organisms.

Switch to cleaner devices

Switching to cleaner devices is a great way to help clean up pollution. Here are some ways you can do this:

Firstly, you can switch to electric or hand-powered lawn equipment. Gas-powered small engines, like those on lawnmowers and leaf or snow blowers, often lack pollution control devices. In fact, an hour of running a lawnmower can produce nearly the same amount of pollution as a 100-mile car trip! So, using hand-powered or electric lawn care equipment is a much cleaner alternative.

Another way to switch to cleaner devices is to choose efficient appliances and heating systems. Get an energy audit and follow the advice. Turn off electrical items you are not using to reduce your energy usage.

You can also switch to eco-friendly cleaning products, which are made from ingredients that are safe for the environment and human health. They are biodegradable, non-toxic, and often made from renewable resources. Eco-friendly cleaning products also prioritise sustainable packaging, such as recyclable containers or bulk systems, to reduce waste.

Additionally, you can switch vehicles from gasoline to compressed natural gas, propane, or ethanol to reduce vehicular air pollutant emissions.

Finally, you can use specific types of filtration devices and air cleaners to remove certain pollutants from the air, such as ultrafine particles, some bacteria and viruses, carbon monoxide, radon, odours, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and some allergens.

Direct local businesses towards sustainability programs

There are many ways to help clean up pollution, and one of the most effective is to direct local businesses towards sustainability programs. Local businesses are increasingly switching to renewable and environmentally-friendly solutions, and you can help by supporting these businesses and advocating for a climate-friendly community.

According to an SME Climate Hub survey, 60% of surveyed businesses have plans in place to cut their carbon impact. This is a positive step, but more needs to be done to ensure that local businesses are operating sustainably. You can help by encouraging local businesses to adopt sustainable practices and supporting them in their efforts to reduce their environmental impact.

One way to do this is to familiarise yourself with your local erosion and sediment control ordinances and report any non-compliance. This is particularly important for freshwater systems, as elevated chloride (salt) concentration from street salt can be toxic to freshwater organisms. By ensuring that local businesses are following the proper ordinances, you can help reduce pollution in your local waterways.

You can also support local garden initiatives or start your own. Plants help to clean the air by consuming CO2, and this can improve the long-term air quality in your neighbourhood. Additionally, keep an eye on local developments and policy changes related to air pollution, and support national, state, and local efforts to clean up sources of pollution.

Finally, you can lead by example by enrolling in sustainable energy plans and reducing your own carbon footprint. By taking these steps, you can help direct local businesses towards sustainability programs and make a positive impact on the environment.

Avoid dairy farming

There are many ways to help clean up pollution. For example, you can properly dispose of hazardous household items such as oils, anti-freeze, paint, solvents, cleaners, preservatives, and prescription drugs. You can also reduce or eliminate the use of fertilisers and chemical herbicides and pesticides.

You can also support national, state and local efforts to clean up sources of pollution. For example, you can join the Healthy Air Campaign, where you can send messages to decision-makers and share your story.

Another way to help clean up pollution is to avoid dairy farming. Dairy farming is responsible for a large number of ammonia emissions, which cause pollution in the air and water. According to scientists, avoiding meat and dairy products is the single biggest way to reduce your environmental impact on the planet. This is because meat and dairy provide just 18% of calories and 37% of protein, but use 83% of farmland and produce 60% of agriculture's greenhouse gas emissions. In fact, without meat and dairy consumption, global farmland use could be reduced by more than 75%.

However, there are also ways to reduce the environmental impact of dairy farming. For example, farms can reduce their water and energy consumption by properly maintaining equipment and infrastructure or implementing minor changes to their work routines. They can also investigate opportunities to recycle plastics, drums and other consumables.

Frequently asked questions