Ah, spring. Flowers stir from their frozen slumber, buds dot trees like a Monet painting, and the very air seems alive with hope. Everywhere, Mother Earth is showing signs of new life, perhaps nowhere as dramatically as in the pink profusion of the Washington D.C. area’s iconic cherry blossom trees.
As spring awakens our precious planet, we are reminded not only of its precarious position in a time of urgent climate change, but also our duty to preserve and protect it.
Practicing environmental sustainability is something each of us can do, not just on Earth Day, April 22nd, but every day of the year…and not a moment too soon.
What is Sustainability?
Environmental sustainability is the use of natural resources (water, energy, raw materials) in ways that meet our current needs but don’t compromise the ability of future generations to meet theirs.
MIT Climate puts it this way: Is what I’m doing going to prevent people from enjoying a high quality of life in the future?
Myth-information
The Earth is warmer now than it has been in 800,000 years. Since records began in 1880, the ten warmest years on Earth have occurred in the past 10 years, with 2024 being the hottest summer ever.
According to the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, we have only until 2030 – five short years – to prevent the worst impacts of climate change. After that, it is likely to be irreversible.
Despite these dire realities and more, myths about climate change abound and are even propagated by the very leaders who could bring about the most substantial change.
Here are a few common falsehoods about climate change:
Myth #1 – The climate has always changed. It is true that the climate has changed over the course of the Earth’s 4.5-billion-year history. However, natural cycles of heating and cooling used to take hundreds of thousands of years. Now, these cycles are happening in mere decades. This rapid, irregular warming is undoubtedly the result of human activity rather than natural phenomena.- Myth #2 – It still gets cold, so global warming isn’t real. Weather and climate are not the same thing; weather represents such short-term changes as temperature, precipitation and clouds. Climate, on the other hand, refers to long-term changes in the Earth’s atmosphere over extended periods of time. Because short-term changes continue to occur, we still experience cold snaps, yet the Earth is still warming all the time.
- Myth #3 – Renewable energy is too expensive. Wrong! Solar and wind power are far cheaper, and cleaner, ways of generating electricity than fossil fuels – by some estimates, up to nine times less expensive.
Why Should We Care?
Just a few short years ago, climate change was a vague concept we loosely understood to have something to do with the ozone layer. Today, we have firsthand evidence of the threat to our planet in the form of rampant wildfires, epic storms, rising sea levels and melting glaciers. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg, so to speak.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the consequences of climate change that affect us all.
- Extreme weather events are wreaking havoc. The frequency and intensity of hurricanes, floods, heatwaves and wildfires are increasing to alarming degrees, causing damage to homes, livelihoods and infrastructure. People are being displaced, causing a refugee crisis estimated to reach 200 million by 2050. Extreme weather can lead to injury, death and the spread of disease due to contaminated water.
- More than 1 million species face extinction. This is 10,000 times the normal rate of five species per year. Dozens of species become extinct every single day, causing a loss of biodiversity that reduces water quality, food security and a lack of natural pest control when frogs and spiders go extinct.
- Our oceans are dying. 71% of our planet is water. Millions of tons of plastic waste in our oceans are killing marine life, half of the earth’s coral reefs have died in the past 30 years and two-thirds of the Great Barrier Reef is damaged by coral bleaching due to high sea temperatures. Contaminated seafood, toxins and disruptions in coastal economies affect food security and livelihoods.
- Agricultural productivity is at risk. Temperature changes, rainfall patterns and increased droughts or floods are affecting crop yields, threatening global food supply.
What Can We Do?
Amidst such daunting circumstances, it may seem there is little we as individuals can do to mitigate the overwhelming effects of climate change. But taken together, the actions of many can become collectively impactful – if we start now. Time has never been more of the essence.
Here are some practical ways each of us can contribute to environmental sustainability:
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. You’ve heard it before, but the three R’s are the mainstay of sustainable living.
- Reduce by purchasing only what you need, choosing products with biodegradable and minimal packaging and avoiding single-use plastics.
- Reuse. Instead of tossing something away, consider how it could be repurposed. Clothing, household items and other goods are all fair game for donation. Buy Nothing and other social media sites are great for finding new homes for your items.
- Recycle to reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills. If your community does not have a recycling service or if it comes with a fee, find local drop-off centers for paper, plastic, glass and metal, or pay the fee to recycle at home – it’s worth it! Be sure to dispose of hazardous waste (solvents, pesticides, etc.) and electronics (TVs, computers) at hazardous waste facilities.
- Reduce by purchasing only what you need, choosing products with biodegradable and minimal packaging and avoiding single-use plastics.
- Use Sustainable Transportation. Getting from here to there is one of the biggest contributors to damaging carbon emissions. Whenever possible, instead of gas-powered vehicles, opt for:
- Walking, biking or carpooling
- Public transportation
- Electric vehicles or cars with optimal fuel efficiency
- Choose vacation destinations that do not involve air travel
- Walking, biking or carpooling
- Composting organic materials keeps them from landfills and reduces methane emissions. Nutrient-rich composted material also fortifies planting soil for your garden. Whether you have a large bin outside your home or a small receptacle inside, composting is easy and good for the Earth!
- Conserve Water and Energy
- Turn off lights and appliances when not in use.
- Use energy-efficient lighting (LED bulbs instead of incandescent lighting) or solar panels.
- Use water-saving devices. Low-flow faucets, showerheads and toilets conserve water; fix leaky pipes and faucets.
- Support Eco-Friendly Brands and Products
- Opt for sustainable materials such as organic cotton and recycled materials.
- Buy locally grown produce.
- Choose brands with ethical labor practices and responsible production processes.
- Opt for sustainable materials such as organic cotton and recycled materials.
- Plant a tree. Trees absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen, improving air quality and combating deforestation. Be sure to support your community’s green spaces too.
- Consume less meat. Many of us love a good steak, but the meat industry contributes greatly to the degradation of the environment. Livestock produce methane, a potent greenhouse gas, and require enormous amounts of water, land and feed. Adopting a plant-based diet is not only good for the environment, it’s good for your health too!
- Get involved. “Use your vote, use your voice, use your choices,” said Al Gore. Vote for leaders who recognize the dangers of climate change and prioritize sustainable practices. Get involved in sustainability movements in your community and educate yourself and others about the threat of climate change and what we can do about it.
Sustainability at Collington
At Collington, sustainability is one of our core values. As an entire community, residents and team members alike, we are deeply committed to making our fragile Earth a better place now and in the years to come.
With an ongoing mission to “avoid the worst effects of climate change for ourselves, our children and future generations,” our resident-led Climate Action Committee has promised to understand and reduce our carbon footprint by engaging in multiple sustainable practices and initiatives on campus and in the broader community.
These include a focus on recycling, energy conservation (electricity vs. natural gas), reusable resources, water conservation, paper reduction, meatless dining options, composting, eco-friendly vegetation and much more.
Notably, our campus has three electric vehicle charging stations for environmentally conscious drivers, and the entire Collington campus is an accredited arboretum with over 100 different species and varieties of essential trees.
Here, Earth Day is not one 24-hour period, it’s an entire way of life.
