10 habit changes you can make for a greener future

Climate change is one of the biggest issues affecting the world today. The effects of climate change can be seen everywhere:

• Increasing smog levels around the world are making it harder to breathe.

• On average, wildfire season in the United States is now 78 days longer than it used to be since the 1970s.
• El Niño—a weather pattern of unusually warm winds around Christmastime—has evolved into “ Super El Niño,” which is a stronger weather pattern that releases more heat into the atmosphere.
• More frequent and destructive sandstorms due to shifting temperatures and precipitation patterns, prolonged drought, and the destruction of trees, shrubs and ground cover to keep the soil in place.

We can all do our part to reduce the effects of climate change. While big companies and governments need to act, our daily actions and choices also make a huge difference. By making small changes at home and in our communities, we can help protect the planet for the future.

Here are 10 effective ways to reduce climate change effects.

1. Switch to renewable energy

Most of our electricity comes from burning fossil fuels like coal and gas. One way to help reduce your carbon footprint is by installing solar panels on your roof or choosing a “green energy” plan from your power provider. You can also switch your gas furnace for an electric heat pump, which can both heat and cool your home using less energy, and can be retrofitted to your existing heating and cooling systems.

• It’s advisable to get an EnerGuide evaluation from a certified energy advisor to help you understand how your home uses energy and the changes you need to make to improve energy efficiency. A certified energy home assessment is an important first step if you wish to qualify for government rebates that are available.

2. Use eco-friendly transportation

Gas-powered cars and trucks are a major cause of pollution. Switching to an electric or hybrid vehicle is a great way to lower your emissions. Recharging an electric vehicle can be lighter on the pocket because the cost of electricity is more stable than gasoline, which is often tied to worldwide volatility. You can learn more about the costs of owning an electric vehicle to help you decide if it’s right for you.

Public transportation is another energy-efficient (and budget-friendly) way to travel. That’s because a single bus can carry 50 or more passengers while a car can only carry up to five. Trains can move even more people around each day, often bringing hundreds to work before rush hour ends. More people on buses and trains means fewer cars caught in traffic and less greenhouse gases being emitted into the atmosphere.

Walking and biking are eco-friendly ways to travel that have physical and mental health benefits as well. Cities like Toronto encourage people to bike more often by installing bike lanes, multi-use trails and bike parking facilities.

3. Upgrade home energy efficiency

Many homes waste energy through thin walls or drafty windows. You can save energy by adding insulation, sealing gaps around doors and using LED light bulbs. These small changes keep your home comfortable while using less power. Here are other simple fixes to help reduce energy waste in your home:

• Look for the Energy Star symbol the next time you’re shopping for a new appliance, like a washing machine or refrigerator. This symbol assures buyers that the product is certified to be energy efficient and less harmful to the environment.
• Add, change or upgrade the insulation in your walls, attic or basement to reduce heat loss in winter and keep your house cool in summer.
• Switch to high-performance windows and doors to prevent drafts, reduce condensation and outside noise, and block UV rays.
• Change your thermostat to a smart or digital thermostat.

4. Make informed decisions about the food you eat

Did you know that the agriculture industry is the biggest driver of climate change? In fact, around 70 per cent of our global freshwater goes toward growing the food we eat, leading us to an era of global water bankruptcy.

But the environmental damage goes even further than that. Some of our favourite meals and snacks are responsible for the permanent loss of trees known as deforestation. The biggest culprit is beef. Around 41 per cent of tropical rainforests are lost due to beef production. That’s roughly 2.1 million hectares of forest lost every year.

Switching to a plant-based diet sounds like a simple solution but it might surprise you to learn that most of the world’s soy is grown for animal feed and only seven per cent is eaten by humans.

So how do we continue to eat the foods we love without doing more damage to the environment? Rather than drastically changing our diets, we can start by understanding where our food comes from and how it’s grown. Eating locally grown food using less pesticide and fertilizer can help reduce carbon emissions and protect the soil from nutrient loss.

5. Reduce, reuse, recycle

Making new products takes a lot of energy. You can help by buying less, choosing items that last a long time and recycling what you can. Also known as the 3Rs, these practices help conserve our natural resources, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and minimize landfill waste. The key aspects of the 3Rs are:

• Reduce: The most effective method—cutting down on waste before it happens by buying less and choosing less packaging.
• Reuse: Repurposing older items and repairing or buying durable products to avoid buying new ones.
• Recycle: Transforming waste materials, such as plastic, glass and metal into new products.

Incorporating these steps into your daily routine helps ensure a sustainable future and protects natural habitats for wildlife.

6. Avoid fast fashion

The clothing industry creates a lot of waste and uses huge amounts of water. You can help by avoiding “fast fashion” brands that make cheap clothes meant to be thrown away quickly. These brands tend to cut many corners around safety and human rights, risking the lives of their workers who are working for pennies a day. Instead, try thrifting, swapping clothes with friends or buying from brands that use sustainable materials.

Donating old clothes to a charity might feel like a great way to clean out your closet while doing good for the planet, but a 2024 study suggests many donations still end up as trash, just somewhere else.

In most cases, charities can’t handle the amount of clothing they receive, so large volumes are shipped overseas to be resold, or discarded in the landfill of another country.

Learn more about what you can do to keep your used clothes out of the landfill.

7. Reduce food waste

When food rots in a landfill, it creates methane, a gas that is even stronger than carbon dioxide. With Canadian grocery prices rising more than 30 per cent since 2021, food is something no one can afford to waste. Here’s what you can do to waste less food:

• Reduce: Plan your meals before you shop so you know what you can realistically consume before the food spoils and ends up in the garbage.
• Recover: Rising unemployment, income insecurity and cost of living in Canada have created an unprecedented demand for food and food services that local food banks are struggling to meet. You can help by donating to food programs that help people in your community.
• Recycle: Participate in your community’s organic waste collection program or start a backyard composter to turn your kitchen scraps into “ black gold ” for your garden.

• Check out our six tips for reducing food waste —especially helpful in the midst of a surging global food crisis.

8. Use less water

It takes a lot of energy to clean and pump water into your house. You can reduce your household’s water usage by fixing leaks, installing low-flow fixtures and changing daily habits like taking shorter showers and running full loads of laundry or dishes. Other water saving tips include:

• Turning off the tap while shaving or brushing teeth
• Planting native, drought-tolerant plants in your garden and using mulch to retain soil moisture
• Watering your outdoor plants early in the morning or late in the evening to reduce evaporation
• Using a broom to clean driveways instead of a hose
• Collecting rainwater for gardening using rain barrels

• Ready to get your hands dirty? Learn how smart water usage, planting trees and choosing native plants can help you become an eco-friendly gardener.

9. Support eco-friendly products

Try to buy food grown by local farmers and products made in a sustainable way. This reduces the distance items have to travel to get to your local market, which lowers shipping pollution. Here are more tips to shop sustainably:

• Choose items that can be used multiple times, such as stainless-steel straws, canvas shopping bags, glass containers and refillable cleaning bottles.
• Shop in thrift stores, consignment shops and online marketplaces to extend the life of existing products.
• Select materials made with natural, renewable or recycled materials such as bamboo, hemp, organic cotton or glass rather than plastic.
• Buy from local artisans or farmers to reduce transport emissions and boost your local economy.

By making a few small changes to your shopping habits, you can ensure that your purchases have a lower environmental impact and support sustainable practices.

10. Advocate for systemic change

Real change happens when we work together to influence the people in power. You can start by writing to your local representatives to tell them why climate change matters. Since leaders are elected to serve their communities, they need to know that protecting our environment is a priority for the people they represent.

You can also support groups like World Vision that push for better laws through our work in advocacy and social justice. We amplify the voices of the marginalized and empower them to challenge the unjust systems that trap them in the cycle of poverty. Sign up for our advocacy newsletter to learn how you can get involved.

Other ways to help

At World Vision Canada, we believe that all children deserve to experience the fullness of life. Protecting the environment is one way to ensure that they have essentials like clean water, nutritious food, education and healthcare so they can build a better future.

You can support children and families by giving gifts to help communities plant climate-resistant crops, gain access to clean water or nourish families during a humanitarian crisis. Visit the All Gifts page to find these gifts and more.