The following are 10 things we can do (or refrain from doing) as individuals to reduce our impact on the planet that collectively will make a huge difference:

1. Turn off lights in any unoccupied room and don’t use outdoor decorative lighting, even if bulbs are LED. Also, eliminate “phantom loads” (appliances that draw power even when they’re not on).
2. Dress more warmly indoors in the winter instead of turning up the heat. Use fans instead of air conditioners in the summer.
3. Air dry laundry whenever possible, even in the winter. Radiators and wood stoves are great dryers.
4. Eat fewer animal products, especially, but not only, beef. Animal agriculture accounts for more than half of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions.
5. Reduce your consumption of plastic as much as possible, and re-use as much of it as you can. Most of it isn’t recyclable and, even if it is, won’t actually be recycled, regardless of whether it’s sorted out and accepted by waste collectors. Eliminating bottled water is a great place to start. Cutting back on take-out is also right up there.
6. Don’t shower every day as a rule and don’t luxuriate in the shower. Not only will you save energy and water, but your skin will be much healthier.
7. Minimize purchases of consumer goods. Stretch out your use of what you do buy as long as you can. Avoid succumbing to planned obsolescence and fashion trends. Buy used when you can. Don’t buy junk.
8. Drive less, to whatever extent possible. Gang up your errands if you can. Carpool. Skip the pleasure drives, even if your car is electric or a hybrid.
9. Travel less, especially by air.
10. Avoid commercial, chemical-filled household cleaning products. Just about everything in your home can be cleaned with baking soda, white vinegar and liquid Castille soap, either alone or in some combination. Homemade formulas can easily be found online.