There are so many ways we can reduce our personal impact on carbon emissions & related pollution - in our daily lives, homes & businesses. Thanks to the 2023/24 rebates/tax incentives in the Inflation Reduction Act, as well as county and state incentives, there’s never been a better time to take action and make changes.

Here are some impactful things we can all do, along with helpful resources:

• Reduce your waste. Refuse to accept single use plastics from cafes, restaurants, shops; use reusable water bottles or buy water in aluminum bottles; reuse hard to recycle containers like yogurt etc. for food storage. Check out our list of 12 simple, easy swaps for things we can do that add up and make a difference.

• Prevent microplastics from entering waterways & soil. Every time we do laundry, hundreds of thousands of tiny pieces of plastic (the microfibers that make up synthetic fabrics) are released into the water polluting our oceans and soil. And 35%(!!) of the microplastics in our oceans are attributed to the microfibers in our clothing! At this point, the best way to get rid of this toxic waste is to limit the amount of synthetic clothing we purchase. And, for the synthetics we do have, we can capture the microfibers from our washing machines with an innovative, easy to install filter like this one from PlanetCare, which collects ~90 % of microfibers released in your wash. To learn more about PlanetCare and microfibers, watch founder Mojca Zupan in this 10 minute presentation to the Plastic Health Summit!

• Divest from fossil fuels. Money talks - shifting investments away from companies that fund fossil fuel companies can have a big impact. There are many excellent investment companies & banks with “Sustainable & ESG impact” investing philosophies (e.g.; Carbon Collective & Baker Avenue). Moving our business away from the nation’s top polluting banks: Wells, Citi, Bank of America & Chase (as well as the credit cards they underwrite), is another way to have impact.

• Electrify everything we can. Invest in electric cooktops (technology has greatly improved in this area), dryers, water heaters and heat pump HVAC systems. Consider purchasing an electric vehicle or bike. To learn more about the benefits of electrification, go to Rewiring America , a national, non-profit focused on electrifying homes, businesses, and communities. For Californians, an excellent resource is Switch is On to learn more & find rebate programs.

• Install solar panels for affordable, clean, renewable electricity. And check to see if your city offers Community Choice Energy (CCE) options for clean, renewable energy instead of forcing you to use the power generated by your local, traditional utility.

• Save water. Install water saving shower heads and low flow toilets/faucets. Do NOT replace lawns with plastic, artificial turf; it’s made of fossil fuels and is terrible for us & our environment. Instead, replace thirsty grass & plants with native trees & shrubs to attract pollinators, bees and birds. Waste water waiting for the shower to get hot? Buy a hot water recirculating pump.

• Learn more & be an advocate for change. Go to our advocacy section for more information on how to advocate as well as suggestions on groups & organizations to learn from & support.

• Examine buying habits & the brands we support. Do we really need to make that purchase? If yes, then take a little time to learn about the companies & brands we buy from. Are they using non-toxic ingredients? Doing their part to support conservation efforts? What proof/certifications (FSC, B Corp etc) do they have? Are they being responsible with their product design and packaging?

  We can do our best to support local shops, go to bulk stores and try to buy less; and of course, bring our own reusable bags!