Many organizations provide useful resources, facts, and real-time insights.
Following the organizations above are a good start – many offer newsletters and webinars. If you want a more formal approach, start to learn about ecology – the study of how organisms relate to each other and their environments:
Whether you have a patio or acreage, adding native plants helps to provide food, habitat, and connectivity for wildlife. The entire food web is built on plants and the insects that have co-evolved with your local plants. Consider some of these actions for your landscape:
▢ Plant native plants. This means plants that naturally grow in your local immediate area. See the NWF Native Plant Finder for help. Did you know that native plants are not just yard art, but are vibrant ecosystems which can help strengthen biodiversity in your neighborhood?
▢ Opt for keystone plant species when choosing what to include in your landscape.
▢ In general, avoid cultivars. These are plants with names in quotation marks, such as Floribunda Rose ‘Ivey Hall’, and represent plants that have been selectively bred for ornamental value. Cultivars have reduced value to pollinators, including birds, butterflies, bees, and other insects.
▢ Certain plants often deemed as weeds, such as dandelions, are important sources of nectar for pollinators in the early season. Consider leaving some in your landscape to support these beneficial insects.
▢ Avoid plants pre-treated with systemic insecticides. Ask your nursery if they can confirm this. System insecticides will sicken or kill important insects, and leach into water supplies and nearby plants.
▢ It’s OK to start small. If you only have room for one plant, or time to plant one plant, that is OK! Everyone starts somewhere.
▢ Do some research before trimming trees and large shrubs as it may be nesting season for birds. Did you know it is illegal to disturb a bird’s nest in many places?
Many homeowners use excessive amounts of chemicals in their yards due to societal pressure and aggressive marketing by industries. It’s important to note that there is no such thing as a selective pesticide, and any chemical use will ultimately make its way into our water and harm other plants and animals.
Excessive use of pesticides, fertilizers, herbicides, and other lawn chemicals can lead to various health issues such as respiratory problems and cancer in humans and pets.
▢ Reduce pesticide use. As you plant more native plants and start to build a self-supporting habitat, you may be surprised that you don’t need as many pesticides.
▢ If you do have a pest outbreak, spot treat, and only minimally.
▢ Seek organic and non-toxic options to control unwanted landscape issues.
▢ Avoid purchasing plants and seeds pre-treated with systemic pesticides. These “systemics” can leach into water supplies and into nearby plants. Ask your supplier to confirm their products are not pre-treated.
▢ Did you know that native plants have developed their own natural defenses against pests and many diseases? Planting more natives means you won’t need to spend money and time or risk your health on unnecessary chemicals.
Being a little lazy is often the best way to improve your yard’s habitat.
▢ Leave the leaves! Many critical insects rely on fallen leaves, including moths, butterflies, hoverflies, and other beneficial insects. Leaves biodegrade quickly and place nutrients back in your soil. Don’t mulch them (you’re mulching caterpillars!).
▢ Allow dead annuals and twigs to remain on plants until spring (or later). Dead annuals may still have seed pods for birds, and otherwise provide cover. Hollow stems are used by many important native insects, including native bees.
▢ As other sections of this page indicate, reduce or stop applying pesticides and fertilizers.
▢ If you still have a lawn, mow it less frequently. Longer grass is more drought resistant, uses less water, and you’ll save time and energy.
▢ Again, it’s OK to start small, even if it’s only a corner of your yard.
▢ Consider leaving dead or dying trees in place since snags are a very important habitat for many birds, animals, mammals, and insects.
The single best thing you can do is to replace as much of your lawn with native plants as possible. This reduces the need for water, mowing, chemicals, and saves you time. But if you can’t do this, you can still improve your water and fertilizer use.
▢ Reduce your fertilizer use, and/or switch to organic fertilizers. Synthetic fertilizers and the salts associated with it can be detrimental to important soil microorganisms according to renowned soil scientist Dr. Elaine Ingham.
▢ Water deeply but less frequently. Surveys have shown that many, if not most land owners caring for lawns water inefficiently – often too frequently and too shallowly. This can lead to a vicious cycle of a lawn with shallow roots and prone to fungus.
▢ The deep root systems of established native plants help the soil retain more water thereby reducing the need to water frequently and helps mitigate flooding.
▢ The traditional suburban lawn, on average, has 10x more chemical pesticides per acre than farmland. Consider reducing your lawn size and you are not only helping wildlife, but are creating a healthier space for you, your family, and your community.
▢ Did you know that fertilizers ultimately work their way into watersheds, leading to a disruption of river, lake, and stream ecosystems which can cause toxic algae blooms that deplete waters of oxygen, killing everything in the vicinity?
Homeowners Associations often enforce dated policies that have negative impacts to biodiversity. Attend an HOA meeting and join a committee so you can help steer bylaws and policies to permit habitat-friendly (and climate-friendly) landscapes within your community.
Biodiversity is impacted by decisions at all levels of government – city, county, state/province, and federal. Proactively contact your representatives, from city council to mayor to governor to federal congress representatives, and tell them that habitat preservation and biodiversity are important to you, and that you vote accordingly.
Staying informed can take many forms. It may mean joining a local environmental advocacy email list, or keeping up to date with city council agendas.
Homeowners Associations often enforce dated policies that negatively impact the climate. Become active in your HOA to help steer bylaws and policies to permit climate-friendly (and biodiversity-friendly) actions.
Climate is impacted by decisions at all levels of government – city, county, state/province, and federal. Proactively contact your representatives, from city council to mayor to governor to federal congress representatives, and tell them that climate is important to you, and that you vote accordingly.
Staying informed can take many forms. It may mean joining a local climate advocacy email list, or keeping up to date with city council agendas.
The number of climate and environmentally focussed groups has grown rapidly. Take a moment and check out these two to begin your journey:
There is a wealth of information out there as well as plenty of disinformation about climate change and how individuals can make a difference. Here are some vetted, respected resources to get you started:
Food accounts for 30% of an average family’s carbon footprint. This includes the costs of growing, harvesting, processing, transporting, and storing the food. Reduce your impact with these ideas. As an added benefit, you’ll likely have a more nutritious, flavorful and healthy diet too!
▢ Buy locally produced food.
▢ Make vegetable-based dishes a larger part of your daily food intake.
▢ Enjoy meatless Monday meals. Reducing red meat consumption does make a difference.
▢ Eat sustainable seafood. Seafood Watch can help you decide which fish to choose for your next meal.
▢ Choose organic products, if possible.
▢ Opt for reusable or biodegradable food storage items to store food and avoid single use products like foil or plastic wrap.
▢ Use reusable shopping bags. Keep bags in your car or near your keys, so you don’t forget when going on errands.
Transportation is responsible for 14% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
▢ Plan your errands together to minimize your trips. Save time and money while reducing transportation costs and emissions.
▢ Consider walking or biking rather than driving. It’s a great way to exercise, too!
▢ Carpooling or mass-transit options give you a low stress way to commute.
▢ Take turns sharing errands with family and friends. Save time, save gas, plus you can buy in bulk and share the savings too!
▢ Avoid a long distance errand for something you can purchase nearby. Very often the $$ saved will be offset by gas and wear/tear on your vehicle.
▢ Mile for mile, flying is the most damaging way to travel. While it is wonderful to whisk away on vacation, take a moment to read this BBC article and browse the impacts of air travel before booking your next trip.
Most household carbon emissions are attributed to heating, cooling, and hot water consumption.
▢ Be energy conscious – turn off lights, put computers to sleep, turn the thermostat down or off when leaving for 30 minutes or more.
▢ Replace light bulbs with energy efficient LEDs. Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) use 90% less energy than incandescent bulbs and half as much as compact fluorescents.
▢ Close blinds and curtains on hot or cold days to reduce drafts or solar heating.
▢ Lower your hot water heater setting. Experts recommend a target temperature close to 120°.
▢ Most clothing can be cold-water washed. Cold water washing even one load can reduce up to 70 lbs of carbon emissions! Line dry when possible.
▢ Be vigilant. Remember anytime hot water is running, not only are you consuming water, but you are consuming energy to heat the water.
Everything you buy has a carbon footprint. Unless you are buying locally produced goods, purchased items were manufactured and shipped, likely multiple times.
Vote with your wallet! Using your power as a consumer will make companies/corporations/suppliers take notice that their product(s) are not what the consumer wants and they will make changes.
▢ Eliminate as many “single use” products as you can. This can be overwhelming – so start with one or two. Single use products require more packaging, more shipping space, and are also more expensive.
▢ Buy used items rather than new. You may be surprised by the quality items available at thrift stores or at neighborhood for-sale and give-away groups!
▢ Make a purchasing policy for yourself to help reframe wants vs needs. For example, before purchasing something, ask yourself “if this item was lost/stolen/broken, would I buy it again”? Self-impose a wait period for purchases over a certain dollar amount.
Home Owners Associations often enforce dated policies that have negative impacts on the climate. By joining or participating in your HOA, you can help steer bylaws and policies to permit climate-friendly (and biodiversity-friendly) actions.
Climate is impacted by decisions at all levels of government – city, county, state/province, and federal. Proactively contact your representatives, from city council to mayor to governor to federal congress representatives, and tell them that climate is important to you, and that you vote accordingly.
Staying informed can take many forms. It may mean joining a local climate advocacy email list, or keeping up to date with city council agendas.
Food accounts for 30% of an average family’s carbon footprint. This includes the costs of growing, harvesting, processing, transporting, and storing the food. Reduce your impact with these ideas:
Added benefit: you’ll likely have a more nutritious, flavorful and healthy diet!
Most household carbon emissions are attributed to heating, cooling, and hot water consumption.
Everything you buy has a carbon footprint. Unless you are buying locally produced goods, purchased items were manufactured and shipped, likely multiple times.
Homeowners Associations often enforce dated policies that have negative impacts on the climate. Become active in your HOA to help steer bylaws and policies that permit and encourage climate-friendly (and biodiversity-friendly) actions.
● Individual voices can and do make a difference and you can too.
Climate is impacted by decisions at all levels of government – city, county, state/province, and federal. Proactively contact your representatives, from city council to mayor to governor to federal congress representatives, and tell them that climate is important to you, and that you vote accordingly.
Staying informed can take many forms. It may mean joining a local climate advocacy email list, or keeping up to date with city council agendas.
Remember, challenging policies and decisions can result in change, even little ones that will add up.
Browse some of these authoritative sites for more detailed information, products, rebates, and inspiration to reduce your energy and water consumption.
Becoming more mindful of energy use is an easy way to make a difference and lower your carbon footprint. When you save water and energy, you save money. You also reduce the demand for fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas. Burning less fossil fuels results in lower emissions of carbon dioxide, a primary contributor to global warming.
▢ Put your thermostat at 78 in summer, and 68 in winter.
▢ Use high-efficiency appliances. You may even qualify for a rebate if you replace an older, less efficient machine.
▢ Rely on natural lighting as much as possible.
▢ Install solar panels.
▢ Check out this carbon footprint calculator and see how good your habits are and how you might improve.
Reducing your water use saves this precious resource and also saves the energy that would have been used to transport and treat the water. Investing in efficient conservation measures has proven to be a cost effective way to help safeguard the reliability of natural resources.
▢ Save water while washing dishes and don’t leave the faucet on. Rather, soap up and scrub dishes with the water off, then rinse all items quickly to reduce water consumption.
▢ Take shorter showers.
▢ Don’t let water run while brushing teeth, shaving, etc.
▢ install water saving plumbing devices. Some government run water and power companies offer such fixtures for free. LADWP is one example, check your local agency to see what they offer.
In addition to building better habits at home that reduce waste and pollution, you can make an ever bigger difference by volunteering. Studies show that volunteering provides an immense personal benefit too.
Tackling issues of waste and pollution requires action and informed decisions at all levels of government – city, county, state/province, and federal. Proactively contact your representatives, from city council to mayor to governor to federal congress representatives. Let them know that keeping your neighborhood, city, county and planet clean is important to you, and that you vote accordingly.
Advocating for better policies surrounding waste and pollution can take many forms. It may mean joining a local climate advocacy email list, or keeping up to date with city council agendas.
Learn more about food waste globally as well as how to make a difference at home. There are many resources and it can be overwhelming, so here are some places to help you get inspired.
Stop Food Waste organization highlights issues on food waste, scarcity, and gives many suggestions on how to tackle them.
Keeping up to date on these and all climate issues can be daunting. Here are some suggestions which provide a wealth of information.
On average, Americans produce approximately 4.4 pounds of trash per person per day. These eco-friendly suggestions are easy and will have a lasting impact.
▢ Be sure to recycle properly. Batteries, paints, lightbulbs, and electronics, have certain recycling needs. Don’t put them in the trash! Home Depot offers lightbulb and rechargeable battery recycling drop-off within the store. Keep an eye out for community electronic recycling (e-cycling) or hazardous waste events near you and take your items there. California residents can easily find the proper recycling venue closest to home.
▢ Choose items with the least amount of packaging possible.
▢ Donate all unwanted items (clothing, books, electronics, household items). Libraries will take your books, many charities will pick up your other donated items, such as Vietnam Veterans of America, and it’s easy to schedule a pick-up online. This article outlines many more options for clothing donation, as well as more of the benefits.
▢ Buy used when possible. Many places have local recyclers or trading groups, so you are likely to find one in your area. When purchasing secondhand items you’ll likely be supporting local charities as well as saving items from ending up in a landfill.
▢ Save trees, save money, and use less landfill space by consuming fewer wood-based products. For example, use cloth napkins at home, opt for e-bills and on-line newspapers/magazines, only use your printer when necessary, and print on both sides of a sheet of paper.
▢ Does your home have asbestos? Asbestos can cause cancer, and if not recycled or disposed of, those nearby can be exposed to dangerous asbestos fibers. Learn more about asbestos recycling a at Mesothelioma Hope’s website.
Are you aware that reducing food waste is one of the leading solutions to climate change? Moreover, household food waste accounts for 37% of total food loss and waste in the United States. It is within your power to make a difference!
▢ Don’t toss food out. Use and/or repurpose your leftovers. Doing so saves money, saves landfill space, saves trips to the store, and saves you time in the kitchen. The options are endless, so get started and get creative in the kitchen.
▢ Avoid purchasing single use items such as a 6-pack of small yogurt when you can get a tub instead.
▢ Compost your food scraps or be sure to get them in the “green” food recycling garbage bin.
▢ Try not to buy more than you are likely to eat before it spoils. Purchasing wisely can greatly reduce food waste in landfills which emits methane, a big source of greenhouse emissions.
▢ Reconsider the mantra that fresher food is always better. Frozen food actually results in 47% less food waste than fresh. More importantly, fresh food past its peak has lost more quality and nutrients than its frozen counterpart.
▢ Use your refrigerator space wisely to prolong the shelf life of your produce. Those storage bins are not extra space, but are specifically designed to keep certain produce either in high or low humidity depending on their needs.
Individual actions do add up! Read on and adopt some new habits right now. It can be easier than you think and you’ll feel good about helping make a difference.
▢ Don’t idle your car longer than absolutely necessary, and never in an enclosed (or partially enclosed) location.
▢ Invest in an electric or hybrid vehicle if possible.
▢ Make a habit of using a reusable water bottle. Did you know that it takes 3 liters of water to produce one liter of bottled water? How many single use plastic water bottles do you think are used in the United States every hour?
▢ Get your to-go coffee in a reusable mug too!
▢ Skip the straw and single-use plastic foodware. Keep a set of silverware at work along with a plate, bowl and cup that you can wash and reuse. Skip the plastic straw altogether or buy reusable metal ones instead.
▢ The sewer system and storm drain systems are different. In most locations, items rinsed on your driveway or into/near the gutter go directly into the storm drain system which flows into the ocean or other bodies of water without any filtering. Trash dropped on a sidewalk, street, and even planted areas will ultimately end up in the storm drain system and will flow into the ocean, lakes, and streams.