As it turns out, a lot of the trendy global warming solutions do not<\/span> make the biggest impact. While it\u2019s beneficial to cut your plastic straw usage, they only account for .0025% of the plastic in our oceans, according to The Atlantic<\/span>. Not to mention, our plastic problem<\/a><\/span> barely makes a dent in rising temperatures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So what does?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s start from the beginning. Global warming is caused by too many \u2018greenhouse gases\u2019 in our atmosphere – aka, gases that trap heat and warm our planet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The #1 sector responsible for greenhouse gas emissions in the US is transportation<\/span>, and cars account for 82% of this, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Electricity production comes at a close second.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Why do transportation and electricity harm our planet so much? To generate power for these sectors, you need to burn fossil fuels<\/span> like oil, gas, or coal. Burning fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide, which makes up 82% of the gases in our atmosphere that trap heat, according to the EPA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In other words, too much transportation and electricity means too many gases in our atmosphere that warm our planet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But there are other causes of global warming, too. While carbon dioxide takes up most of the headlines, there\u2019s another greenhouse gas that\u2019s seriously warming our planet: methane. It\u2019s responsible for about 20% of global warming, according to National Geographic<\/span>, and a big portion of methane comes from cows (more on that later).<\/p>\n\n\n\n So who<\/span> is emitting the most greenhouse gasses? Consider this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/i>A large chunk of our world\u2019s emissions can be traced back to a few main sources: Cars, electricity, coal and oil producers, carbon dioxide, methane, and US citizens. To stop #GlobalWarming, we must target these sources.<\/a><\/i><\/p>\r\n\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t To figure out the most impactful global warming solutions, we looked into the behaviors that have the highest impact on the biggest causes. For example, we asked: What is the most impactful way for individuals to cut down electricity usage? And while things like composting, smart thermostats, and recycling help our planet, they do not address the biggest sources of global warming as much as other solutions do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We also asked: Which of these high-impact solutions are realistic for individuals to implement, right now? While there are some super impactful solutions that aren\u2019t on this list, such as wind turbines, solar farms, and regenerative agriculture, we purposely omitted them because they\u2019re impossible to implement at an individual level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While you\u2019d ideally implement all of the following solutions, the truth is, it\u2019s difficult to live a life optimized for sustainability. Maybe driving a car is the only way you can get to work, or it\u2019s too difficult for you to lower your heating bill in the winter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s okay<\/span>. Not everyone can do everything- the most important thing is that we all do the most we can<\/span> to help save our earth. So here\u2019s a toolbox of the most impactful solutions for global warming (in no particular order) that you<\/span> can do, today – and can pick and choose as you see fit:<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1. Plant trees<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n What to do<\/span>:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Why it\u2019s impactful:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Reforestation is the most <\/span>cost-effective<\/span> way<\/span> to prevent global warming, according to research presented at the American Association for the Advancement of Science conference. Why?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Trees absorb carbon dioxide (reminder: which makes up 82% of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere), so planting more trees can help reduce the amount of carbon in our atmosphere. In fact, we could remove roughly two-thirds<\/strong> of human-made carbon just by letting all forests regrow, according to a study published in the journal of Science<\/span>. Yep, two-thirds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Plus, as Jaron Pazi from Treedom told us,<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTrees do more than absorb carbon. When planted in sustainable agroforestry systems, they result in enhanced biodiversity, water retention, soil health, food security and economic development for local communities.”<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n But not all forests are created equal – some remove carbon from our atmosphere more effectively than others. According to a paper published in Science Advances<\/span>, tropical forests in countries like Brazil, Indonesia, and India will most efficiently pull carbon out of the atmosphere, since they\u2019re home to a huge amount of biodiversity and play a major role in the planet\u2019s air and water cycle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. Create more sustainable transportation habits<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n You knew this one was coming…<\/p>\n\n\n\n What to do:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Do at least one of these things:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Why it\u2019s impactful:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n As aforementioned, cars are one of the biggest contributors to climate change: 82% of emissions from transportation come from cars. And while cutting automotive transportation out of your life would make the most impact, this isn\u2019t possible for most people. So instead, tweak a few habits that will have a bigger collective impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, if you refrain from harsh braking and rapid acceleration, you can cut your fuel consumption by as much as 40%, according to the US Department of Energy. If you also keep your tires inflated and car maintained, you\u2019ll cut your fuel consumption by nearly half <\/span>when driving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3. Lower your heating bill<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n What to do:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n In the winter, take steps to lower your heating bill:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Why it\u2019s impactful:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Electricity is one of the biggest causes of greenhouse gas emissions, and heating systems are the single biggest energy expense in the home. So lowering your heating bills is the most impactful way to reduce your electricity consumption (and isn\u2019t so bad for your wallet, either).<\/p>\n\n\n\n In addition to monitoring your thermostat, improving insulation and airtightness through your walls, roof, and windows is a great way to avoid heat from escaping your home, since the biggest sources of heat loss are your walls (35%), roof (20%), and windows (15%).<\/p>\n\n\n\n 4. Divest from coal, and encourage others to do the same<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n What to do:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Why it\u2019s impactful:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Coal-burning power plants are by far the biggest<\/span> emitters of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council. Aka, coal is a big deal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 20% of industrial coal emissions are funded by public investors. So when people or companies stop<\/span> investing, it\u2019s more difficult for coal producers to finance more coal production.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, \u201cthe more insurance companies that join the divestment effort, the more difficult it will become for companies to derive significant revenue from burning coal,\u201d Bloomberg Journalist Bryony Collins wrote. That\u2019s why Lemonade became the first US insurance company to not invest in coal<\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Case in point: When the world\u2019s biggest coal company (Peabody) announced bankruptcy, it said the divestment movement had made it difficult to raise capital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 5. Eat less beef<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n What to do:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Create a rule for yourself that limits your beef consumption, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Why it\u2019s impactful:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Emissions from animal agriculture account for around 15% of all human emissions, and beef is responsible for 41% of that, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If cattle were their own nation, they would be the world\u2019s third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases. Let that sink in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Why?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Beef production requires 28x more land, 6x more fertilizer, and 11x more water than these other proteins than the calorie-equivalent of pork or chicken, according to a paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences<\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And if you factor in deforestation to make way for livestock, along with methane emissions from cows and fertilizer use, beef production creates as much greenhouse gas emissions as all the world\u2019s cars, trucks, and airplanes combined, according to The Guardian<\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 6. Educate girls<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n What to do:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Give to a charity that makes school more affordable and accessible for girls in low- and lower-middle-income countries, such as the Malala Fund.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Why it\u2019s impactful:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In the most comprehensive report on effective climate solutions, Project Drawdown named educating girls as the #6 most impactful solution (for reference, composting is #60, and rooftop solar is #10).<\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s because women with more years of education have fewer children, and therefore a lower carbon footprint. Not only that, but \u201cwomen have a disproportionate share of decision making around water, cooking, food waste, fuel choices, and how homes are heated, built, and used,\u201d said scientist Jonathan Foley. \u201cIt\u2019s one of the most powerful climate solutions of all.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cEducating girls is one of the most cost-effective, high-impact ways for every nation to fight rising temperatures,\u201d Shabana Basij-Rasikh shared on TED. \u201cIt\u2019s not a topic most Westerners think about, since girls\u2019 education is a given. \u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n 7. Advocate for a healthy planet<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n What to do:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Support climate legislation by doing one or more of these things:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Why it\u2019s impactful:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Reminder: 100 companies produce 71% of emissions worldwide. What will compel big companies to act sustainably consistently, on a large scale? Lawmakers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They can:<\/p>\n\n\n\n They can also help individuals<\/span> act more sustainably. Copenhagen\u2019s government is working to make it the world\u2019s first carbon-neutral city by 2025, by installing bike lanes across the city, restricting polluting cars, and building new wind turbines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And how can we enact political change? It all starts with you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 8. Convince your friends to behave sustainably<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n What to do:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Choose an impactful, sustainable behavior from this list, and try to convince your friends to do it too. Using the example of ridesharing, you can say things like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1. \u201cI talked to Jordan, Leah, Hannah, and Danny, and they\u2019re all ridesharing. Are you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. \u201cWhen\u2019s the next time you\u2019re going to rideshare, and what app are you going to use?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3. \u201cYou\u2019re a ride sharer, aren\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n 4. \u201cI\u2019ll text you next week to see how the ride sharing has been going!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Why it\u2019s impactful: <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n While you\u2019re <\/span>on your way to becoming a climate warrior, your friends and family members might not. Because of a little thing called the drop-in-the-bucket effect (read: \u201cmy actions won\u2019t actually make a difference\u201d), 80% of Americans don\u2019t consistently make an effort to live a sustainable life, according to Pew.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And since Americans have the largest footprint worldwide, convincing your friends and family to reduce their emissions can transcend our own impact, and inspire others to help save our planet as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Giving your friends these nudges is scientifically proven to help sway them to act sustainably. For example, one of the biggest findings in behavioral science<\/a> is that humans are motivated to do what other people around them are doing. If you tell your friend that your other friends are using sustainable light bulbs, they\u2019ll be more compelled to do so, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Adopting a sustainable life isn\u2019t easy, especially since it\u2019s difficult to feel that your actions are truly making a difference. And each time you take a step to prevent global warming, you\u2019re usually giving up something, whether it\u2019s time, money, or convenience. That\u2019s why you should make sure the sacrifice you\u2019re making actually<\/span> has a significant impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\tGlobal warming, explained<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"Causes](\"https:\/\/lemonade.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/greenhouse-gas-emissions-sector-global-warming.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe best global warming solutions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"Global](\"https:\/\/lemonade.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/greenhouse-gas-emissions-transportation-global-warming.png\")
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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nBecome a climate warrior<\/h3>\n\n\n\n