Our Role in the Climate Call-to-Action

The NYT published a series this week about climate change and ways to limit our carbon impact.  I highly recommend taking a look.  In light of this week’s IPCC’s report on the current state of affairs, we should all be asking ourselves, “What is my role here?  What can I do to limit my carbon footprint?”

But first, what is a carbon footprint?  

A carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gases that are produced in one’s daily life, in what and how we consume and go about our days. If you’re curious about your own carbon footprint, you can use a calculator like this one to figure it out.

Transportation is the top source of carbon emissions in the U.S.  This boils down to how and how often we travel - by plane, train, and automobile.  But it also includes transportation of our goods: for example, those purchases we make online that miraculously appear on our doorstep the next day. The ease of those purchases makes it very easy to forget how much is involved in the production and distribution of our goods, and the impact it all has on the environment.

So what can we do?

Businesses: 

When 100 corporations produce 71% of the world’s carbon emissions, it’s obvious that business really needs to step up in the effort. For e-commerce businesses, packaging and shipping should be huge considerations. 

Here are some things Madrona Gifts is doing to play our part.

·      We offer domestic shipping only

·      We ship 100% carbon-neutral

·      We offer free delivery within Bellingham city limits

·      We use locally sourced boxes printed with non-toxic, water-based ink

·      We don’t double box

·      We use zero-waste packaging: boxes, crinkle paper, corrugated bubble, labels, tape, and cards

Consumers:

The best thing we can do as consumers is just buy less stuff.  The second best thing we can do is make sure the stuff we do buy has minimal environmental impact.  That means avoiding plastics and seeking out reusable and compostable products. How we shop is just as important as what we shop for.  Buying Local not only helps to limit carbon emissions from transport, it also ensures that your dollars directly support your own awesome community rather than some faceless global conglomerate. 

Here are some ways that Madrona Gifts helps our customers be conscious consumers:

·      We source local goods – produced within 60 miles of Bellingham

·      We prioritize plant-based, upcycled, and sustainable goods – goods you can feel good about

·      We pay attention to product packaging, prioritizing glass and aluminum over plastic

Individual Action:

We all need to make personal sacrifices to implement the kind of changes necessary for the future of our planet.  That is the fact of the situation.  Change is hard and scary, but I believe it’s entirely doable especially with baby steps.

Here are a couple suggested baby steps to start reducing your carbon footprint:

·      Don’t buy anything online that can be sourced from your local grocery or hardware store, even if it costs just a little more. (I like to think of that extra cost as my indirect contribution to the environment.)

·      If you need to buy something online, choose carbon-neutral shipping or an offset option, such as with Cloverly.com.  Many online stores offer this option these days, so seek it out and even request it from your favorite online shops if they don’t currently offer it. Your demands as a consumer can make a difference.

Finally, it you’re feeling down about the current state of affairs, this article about calming our eco-anxieties might be of help.

Wishing you a cool, calm, carbon-neutral weekend.

Kirsten