Climate change: 5 things you can do to avoid global warming

It’s now or never.

An investigation by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) shows that the planet could cross the crucial threshold of 1.5 degrees Celsius – above pre-industrial levels – in just 12 years, which in its criteria, would entail to a “global catastrophe.”

Abnormal weather conditions such as extreme droughts, forest fires, floods, or food shortages for hundreds of millions of people could be just the first symptoms.

To avoid this situation, according to specialists, the world needs “rapid, far-reaching and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society”.

But then what can you do to help?

“There are many actions that only involve a little common sense,” explains Aromar Revi, coordinator and lead author of the report, to the BBC.

“Citizens and consumers are among the most important actors to avoid it,” he considers.

These are some of the everyday changes you can make right now to help avoid a “catastrophe” as a result of global warming.

1. Use public transport

Walking or biking or using public transportation instead of the car will reduce carbon emissions.

And also, will keep you in shape.

“We can choose the way we move in cities, and if you don’t have access to public transportation, make sure you elect politicians who offer options for that,” says Debra Roberts, Co-Chair of the IPCC.

If absolutely necessary, use an electric vehicle and choose the train instead of the plane for your trips.

Take it a step further by canceling your business trips and using video conferencing instead.

2. Save energy

Put wet clothes in the sun instead of using tumble dryers and try to save electricity as much as possible.

Use higher temperatures to cool the rooms or lower to heat them.

Insulate the roof of your house to prevent heat loss during winters.

Turn off and unplug your appliances when not in use.

And the next time you go shopping for a computer, be sure to check that it is energy efficient.

You can also adopt a renewable energy source for some of your home needs, such as solar water heaters.

3. Try to eat less meat

The production of red meat carries a significantly higher number of greenhouse gas emissions than that of chicken, fruits, vegetables and cereals.

At the Paris climate summit, 119 nations pledged to reduce agricultural emissions in this regard, yet there was no indication of how to do so.

You, on the other hand, can contribute to it.

Eat less meat and try to consume more vegetables and fruits.

If this seems like too much, consider having at least one meat-free day each week.

How the years of the 21st century compare to the average of the 20th century

It is also worth reducing the consumption of dairy products as they carry greenhouse emissions as a result of production and transportation.

Opt to buy more locally sourced seasonal foods (and throw away less trash!).

4. Reduce and reuse … even water

We have been told about the benefits of recycling over and over again throughout our lives.

But the truth is that the transport and processing of materials for recycling also involves the emission of carbon dioxide.

So if you reduce the waste you throw away and try to reuse the materials you already used, you can make a change.

The same goes for water.

“An alternative is the collection of rainwater,” says Aromar Revi.

5. Inform and educate others

Together we can do it: meeting with our neighbors to share alternatives and educate each other on how to establish sustainable community life is also an important step.

Create “shared networks” that can help pool resources, such as lawnmowers or garden tools, for a greener standard of living.

“All these changes, when practiced every day by billions of people, will allow sustainable development with almost no impact on their well-being,” Revi considers.