STEP LIGHTLY © 22 ways to reduce your ecological footprint MORGAN HANNAH Life & Style Editor ere's the thing, I'm not going to spend my time trying to educate and H project my views and opinions regarding environmental awareness to an audience that is likely not even going to recycle this paper (sure would be nice to be wrong on this one, guys). There are already countless articles out there either assuring people that we're all fine despite our current lifestyles, communities, and the effects they have on the planet, or scaring people by stating that we're all doomed and the world will end, so why bother trying. We don't need another voice reiterating what has already been said many, many times. I'm going to assume that Other Press readers are smart and already know that because of current human lifestyles across the globe, our planet is heating up fast, our Great Barrier Reef is already around 50 percent wiped out, forest fires and droughts are more frequent, and our ice sheets are melting at an alarming. I'm going to assume that readers are already aware of the thousands of plant and animal species threatened with extinction thanks to human causes—including the giraffe, my personal favourite! —and the estimated 14 billion pounds of trash floating around in our oceans. I'm going to assume readers are aware of the fact that, according to the Global Footprint Network, we'd need almost five Earths’ worth of resources and land to sustain the average Canadian's lifestyle if everyone lived unchecked and unchanged. | may even go so far as to assume that readers are already educated on evidence that we have approximately 12 years to reduce our global carbon footprint before catastrophic warming far beyond what we've experienced thus far hits. | guess what I'm saying is, I'm going to assume that you already care and are looking for ways—specific, affordable, and easy ways—to do your part to help out. But first, in case anyone needs a reminder, an ecological footprint is a measurement of the human demand on nature, the quantity of natural resources required to support our economy and consumption patterns. A carbon footprint is the amount of carbon dioxide and other compounds emitted from the consumption of fossil fuels by a community or individual; currently, the carbon footprint accounts for 60 percent of the global ecological footprint. Without further delay, let's dive into 22 ways to reduce your ecological footprint: 1. SAY NO TO BOTTLED WATER Living in British Columbia, choosing bottled water over tap water is really a matter of preference or convenience, not a matter of health. According to the CBC, bottled water comes from various sources such as springs, manmade wells, and municipal water supplies. What's that? Bottled water can often be tap r? Guess that $2.50 bottle of water is not much different from the free stuff that comes out of your kitchen. Instead, reusable stainless-steel water bottle. a 2. BRING REUSABLE BAGS WHEN SHOPPING =~ For buying anything, including groceries, bring reusable bags with you—canvas, cotton, hemp, whatever they're made of, make sure they'll last. Some countries have implemented single- use plastic bag bans, but for those stragglers that have yet to jump onto the environmental bandwagon, remember this: "If you don't buy ’em, they'll stop making ’em. eS thle een ANDAIR CONDITIONER Thermostats and air conditioning units both use non-renewable energy to adjust the temperature of your home. To combat this, you can lower your thermostat by just two degrees in the winter and raise it back up in the summer. This can cause a significant decrease in energy use and lower your power bill while fighting global warming. Win-win. 7. COMPOST green bin. 4. DITCH PAPER TOWELS AND USE HEMP INSTEAD It takes 17 trees and more than 20,000 gallons of water to produce one ton of paper towel. According to the site Hemp Basics, one acre of hemp will produce as much fibre as two to three acres of cotton or two to four acres of trees. Hemp paper products are renewable, biodegradable, and inexpensive due to using fewer materials, energy, and chemicals in production. 5. EAT LESS MEAT Your diet can change the world. Raising livestock, unfortunately, contributes to global warming, deforestation, widespread pollution, and water scarcity. Vegan or plant-based diets, however, use fewer resources and help the body reduce inflammation. If you're not a fan of having no meat at all, try two weeks on, two weeks off. 6. RECYCLE RESPONSIBLY Wash and dry bottles and cans, flatten cardboard, and reduce plastic and Styrofoam waste. Keep everything separate and recycle conscientiously. For every piece of paper recycled, that's one less tree cut down. eu esemeeuas Valuable nutrients to the soil, helping Mi Ualtclamiecmelereuiag and fertility, which in turn will help improve elmer niuiamcremy eld better crops. All you need is a bucket or a paper bag to Wiatcanimecmelimmeympty the bucket or bag into your curbside eollect food scraps and organic waste, then