|
|
Planet Now
Blog on Effective Environmental Communication
|
|
We have no chance of saving our earth. We should not proclaim that There is hope for a sunnier future. When people try so many different ways to slow climate change, I see We cannot overcome the problem. It is a lie that Our efforts to slow climate change matter. Read those lines forward and backward. Climate change is serious, but we have so many partial solutions—and many of them are in our own communities! The future of our environment depends on the steps we take now to help it. How is your community taking steps to slow climate change? This week, you have the opportunity to go on a scavenger hunt! Many different characteristics can help cities be sustainable, meaning they are reducing their negative environmental impacts to preserve a healthy environment for the future. Knowing how communities are sustainable is important for at least two reasons. First, it can show people what their communities are doing right, which can create hope and show that slowing climate change is possible. Second, it can show areas for improvement so people know solutions to advocate for when discussing climate change with other residents. The following list includes characteristics of sustainable cities. You could physically travel to find these characteristics or look them up online. A form of transportation other than a car Some examples of relatively sustainable transportation (compared to individual cars) are public transportation and greenways or paths for walking and biking. I am fortunate to have a fairly reliable bus system where I live in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. It allows me to mostly avoid using a car. Clean energy sources Some communities have visible solar panels or windmills. These renewable energy sources contribute less to climate change compared to coal and gas. Perhaps residents have solar panels on their homes. Solar arrays could blanket fields in some areas. Electric vehicle charging stations Electric vehicles can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save money over time compared to gas vehicles. However, they may not be useful if residents cannot find conveniently located charging stations. Energy efficiency measures Reducing energy usage lowers greenhouse gas emissions. For example, communities could have LED lights and buildings that have been retrofitted to use less energy for heating and cooling. Urban farming Urban farming refers to growing food in highly populated areas. Examples are community gardens and vertical farming, when crops are grown in layers stacked on top of one another. Urban farming can make affordable food more accessible. It can also cut carbon emissions from transporting food. Urban forests Urban forests are made of trees and shrubs in highly populated areas. These trees can reduce heat, which can save energy, as well as trap carbon dioxide that would contribute to climate change if in the atmosphere. Waste management centers Where do trash, recycling, and even composted materials go after leaving homes? Find the facilities as part of the scavenger hunt. Trash and food waste can emit greenhouse gases, so it is important to have government agencies help with disposing waste responsibly. Reflection Hopefully, some of these features of sustainable communities were not too challenging to find. Which ones are common in your community? In what ways does your community need to improve to become more sustainable? Advocating for and creating change in our own communities, where we can see the impacts of our efforts, can give us hope for slowing climate change.
0 Comments
|
Welcome to my blog! It is a combination of posts from my strategic writing (spring 2022) and personal branding (spring 2023) courses at UNC. I hope you will enjoy reading the posts and learning about the environment and communication.
|