Small Acts to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

Advertising professionals seem to be doing a good job of selling to us but is Gen Z overconsumption doing more harm than good and how can we as advertising professionals do our job to prevent more harm from being done than good? Below, I share how you can act on small steps toward climate action

What You Can Do:

In grade school, we all most likely learned about the polar ice caps melting and the impact fossil fuel combustion has on our atmosphere. However, as we go about our daily activities like starting our cars, it’s unlikely we consider the question: “How is this going to impact climate change?”

After reading this blog, I don’t expect you to completely transform your life. I'm simply hoping this nudges you toward subtle shifts in your day-to-day choices. By incorporating the small changes suggested below, we can begin to reduce our carbon footprint.

• Reduce your water footprint: Your water footprint consists of the total volume of water consumed by an entity within a given time. Reducing your water footprint is a win-win situation for being environmentally conscious and reducing your utility bill. Small ways to reduce your water usage around the home include ensuring your laundry loads are full before running.

More loads = more water and energy being used. Save yourself time and money by filling up those loads before running!

• Shop concentrated products: Concentrated household products contain the same active ingredients compared to ‘ready-to-use’ products. Concentrated cleaning products contain less water and substantially less packaging compared to their typical counterparts. A regular detergent might use up to 80% water per load while concentrated laundry products may use only 40%. By supporting concentrated products, you can reduce your water intake, save money, and save the planet.

• Leave no trace: I’m a firm believer in outdoor exploration and adventure. However, it’s important to ensure you leave it the way you found it. Small tasks such as picking up your trash or trash you find on the ground will help prevent the decomposition of microplastics. Small actions that take less than five seconds can preserve nature for generations to come.

Every Action Makes a Difference

Taking just a few moments to examine your daily energy consumption may reveal how mindless actions contribute to our carbon footprint. As young professionals, we must provide a sustainable environment for future generations. Recognizing that each decision we make contributes to our carbon footprint is the first step toward success. Through awareness, education, and minor adjustments, we can start to develop a path toward a more sustainable future.