Cows are one of the leading producers of methane production in the U.S.A., so by reducing meat consumption, Americans can lessen the amount of greenhouse gases produced.
James Walls
Campus News Editor
It’s not easy to go green in today’s society with so many products being harmful to the environment. With so many manufacturers looking to make an easy buck by appealing to a crowd that does not care about excessive amounts of waste or any environmental concerns, the Earth-minded consumer has it hard to make the right choices. However, for those wanting to go green, here are a few tips to becoming a better consumer.
Natural fabrics and fibres
Fabrics like polyester and nylon are popular, but are actually synthetically man-made instead of naturally grown. Thus, for those wanting to be more eco-friendly, clothes made out of cotton, wool, and silk, as well as a few other fibres, are a more environmentally friendly choice. While it may be hard to cut out all synthetic materials from your shopping, cutting back on how much you buy is always a good start.
Meatless Mondays
According to epa.gov, methane is the second most prevalent greenhouse gas emitted in the U.S.A. from human activity, and the primary source of these emissions is from agricultural livestock. Therefore, if Americans were to practice what many call “Meatless Mondays,” which is a day of the week, usually Monday due to the name, where people go without any meat consumption, then the amount of required livestock would be lessened, as would methane production.
Now, does this mean that Americans, as well as the rest of the world, should become vegans? The answer is absolutely not, it just means that we should look for other occasional food choices to help lessen the amount of methane production.
Energy Star appliances
According to energystar.gov, “Energy Star is a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) voluntary program that helps businesses and individuals save money and protect our climate through superior energy efficiency.” The program was established in 1992, and since has helped foster the adoption of energy efficient products and practices with its work. Therefore, for those looking to cut back on energy costs and consumption, buying products with the Energy Star label would be a good choice.
Now, there are many other ways for the Earth-minded consumer to go green, one just simply has to look for them. Buying reusable shopping bags is another great idea, as is shopping locally whenever you can. Being a consumer does not mean we have to stop caring about the environment, for there are ways we can lessen our footprint on this world.
So consider these tips the next time you go shopping, and feel free to tweet us your green consumer tips @CS_NewsNet using the hashtag #greenthoughts. After all, it is not too late to think green.
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