(FILES) A charging connector is pictured charging a vehicle at Gridserve E-charging station for all-electric cars, near Braintree, eastern England on August 8, 2023. The UK car industry sold a record number of all-electric vehicles in 2024 but still fell short of the government's mandated targets, an industry trade body said Saturday, January 4. (Photo by Justin TALLIS / AFP)
NEW YORK: Last year was a rough one for climate change. It was almost without a doubt the hottest year on record.
There were countless devastating climate disasters, from epic floods in Spain to hurricanes in the south-eastern United States to raging wildfires in the Brazilian rainforest. And major international environmental negotiations were plagued by bitter fighting and some stalemates.
This year offers a clean slate. While one person alone cannot fix global warming, lots of people taking action can make a difference.
There are also many things you can do to build resilience to the impacts of climate change.
So why not consider kicking off the new year with a resolution to do more?
Bloomberg Green has a whole list of options for ways to start living in a more climate-friendly way for people with all budgets and levels of commitment.
Play a game
Rating: Easy
Want to learn more about climate change and have fun doing it? Try playing a new version of the classic board game Catan released last year.
In Catan: New Energies, players build towns, cities and roads; trade commodities like steel and fabric; and erect power plants.
The central decision facing them is whether to move forward with fossil fuels and urban growth or to invest in renewables – a slower and more expensive process that extends the game and offers new routes to victory.
New Energies lays bare the complexity of solving climate change, and forces players to think about solutions, which could have real-life applications, said Kelli Schmitz, former director of brand development for Catan Studio.
“We wanted it to be positive and forward-thinking,” she said, “leaving this room for hope.”
Swap out beef
Rating: Easy
Trading beef, even on occasion, for pork, chicken, or, better yet, legumes and veggies is a meaningful way to combat climate change.
A 2022 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that choosing any other protein than beef for a single meal can reduce a person’s carbon footprint for that day by almost half.
The more people embrace alternatives, the bigger the dent in food-related emissions.
“You don’t have to become a vegan to have a big impact on your carbon footprint,” says Diego Rose, a professor and director of the nutrition programme at Tulane University and co-author of the 2022 study.
“You just have to swap out beef,” Rose said.
Cut plastics use and exposure
Rating: Easy
Consuming less plastic has both benefits for the planet and the people who live on it. Microplastics and their tinier variant, nanoplastics, are being found everywhere and raising concerns for human health.
They’ve been discovered in the food we eat, the liquids we drink and throughout our bodies.
The biggest way to limit exposure is to simply cut down on how much plastic you use, said Sheela Sathyanarayana, a University of Washington professor who studies the health effects of chemicals in plastics.
For example, switch from bottled to tap water or use wood cutting boards instead of plastic ones. Another tip from New York endocrinologist Gillian Goddard: “Absolutely don’t microwave food in plastic.” Instead, tempered glass such as Pyrex is a good alternative.
Rent an EV
Rating: Moderate
Curious about electric vehicles (EVs)?
The next time you go on a trip, consider renting one. Doing so lets you pick from a variety of models and experience the daily reality of driving an electric car that you won’t get from a perfunctory test drive at an auto dealer.
Warning: It may be a bit of a learning experience. If you book a Tesla and have never driven one before, for example, you’ll want to review how to unlock the doors, start the car and adjust the mirrors before arriving at the rental agency.
Lease one
Rating: Challenging
For those already smitten with electric cars but not in a position to buy one outright, leasing could be a good option.
In the United States, now’s an especially good time to take advantage of particularly cheap leases, though the clock is ticking.
That’s because the incoming Trump administration is keen to eliminate the US$7,500 federal tax credits for EVs, which would end popular leases that currently allow American consumers to sidestep restrictions on which EV models qualify for incentives.
“If you’re on the fence, right now is probably going to be one of your better opportunities to buy or lease an EV at a good price, at least for a few years,” said Chris Harto, a senior policy analyst at Consumer Reports.
Learn how to safely sweat
Rating: Moderate to challenging
Working out is one of the most common New Year’s resolutions, but extreme heat in the summer can make outdoor exercise more dangerous than healthy.
It’s a problem that even the world’s most elite athletes are struggling with as climate change turns up the global thermostat.
For those training for summer sporting events, this has meant developing a comprehensive heat playbook – from low-tech measures such as proper hydration to sophisticated sensors that help maintain peak performance without sacrificing safety.
For example, Swiss startup CORE makes a roughly US$300 sensor for tracking heat strain. Athletes can wear it on the same chest strap they already use for heart rate monitors.
For the majority of us who aren’t preparing for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, there are some simple best practices for keeping fit when the temperatures rise.
Make sure to limit outdoor time on the hottest parts of the day, dress for the heat and stay hydrated. Most importantly, know the signs of heat illness.
Invest in a Hepa filter
Rating: Moderate
Regardless of whether you live close or far to wildfire county, smoke from fires is posing a growing threat. Over the past decade in the western United States, wildfire smoke has erased air-quality gains from regulations like the Clean Air Act, according to research published in Nature.
When it’s smoky out, every time you open a door or window presents an opportunity for some to get inside, according to Amara Holder, a mechanical engineer with the US Environmental Protection Agency’s office of research and development.
“Heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems can also actively bring in smoke,” she said. The best way to curb smoke indoors is with a Hepa filter, a device that reduces particulate matter from the air. — Bloomberg
