According to recent study, governments and educational institutions are not
educating people about the best strategies to decrease their carbon
footprints.
The study from Lund University, which was published today in the journal
Environmental Research Letters, discovered that the gradual improvements
supported by governments may be a wasted chance to cut greenhouse gas
emissions below the levels required to avert 2°C of global warming.
The four lifestyle choices that significantly reduce a person's carbon
footprint include eating a plant-based diet, staying away from airplanes,
not owning a car, and having fewer children.
To determine the potential for a variety of individual lifestyle choices to
minimize greenhouse gas emissions, the research analyzed 39 peer-reviewed
studies, carbon calculators, and government reports. The activities that
individuals might take to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions are
identified by this thorough investigation.
Seth Wynes, the lead author, said: "There are a lot of variables that
determine how choices we make as individuals affect the environment, but
comparing all these research together gives us confidence that we've found
acts that have a significant impact. Those of us who wish to take action on
climate change must understand how to have the biggest potential effect with
our activities. The goal of this research is to empower individuals to make
better decisions.
We discovered that adopting a plant-based diet, limiting air travel, living
without a car, and having smaller families can all significantly reduce a
person's carbon footprint. For instance, avoiding driving a car year saves
around 2.4 tonnes of CO2 equivalent, whereas eating a plant-based diet
annually saves 0.8 tonnes.
Therefore, these steps "have much greater potential to reduce emissions
than commonly promoted strategies like comprehensive recycling (which is 4
times less effective than a plant-based diet) or changing household
lightbulbs (8 times less effective)," the study said.
The researchers also discovered that these measures are not highlighted in
Canadian textbooks or official materials from the USA, Canada, Australia, or
the EU, instead choosing to place more emphasis on tiny improvements with
considerably less potential to lower emissions.
Kimberly Nicholas, a co-author of the study, said: "We understand that
these are very personal decisions. However, we cannot overlook the true
impact our way of life has on the environment. I've personally found that
several of these modifications have been really beneficial. It's crucial for
young individuals creating lasting habits to be mindful of the decisions
that will have the largest effects. We believe that sharing this knowledge
would encourage conversation and give people more power," she said.
