Ten Billion Dollars Will Help

“Climate change is the biggest threat to our planet”, wrote Jeff Bezos recently in an Instagram post.

The world’s richest man has pledged US$10 billion to fight climate change, and Bezos is among many of the world’s wealthiest environmental philanthropists.

Other philanthropic environmental billionaires include; Bill Gates, Michael Bloomberg and Tom Steyer.

Gates, of Microsoft fame, established “Breakthrough Energy Ventures” in 2015 with a coalition of private investors. Their stated goal “is to make sure everyone on Earth can enjoy a good standard of living—including access to healthy food, basic electricity, comfortable homes, and convenient transportation—without contributing further to climate change.”

Bloomberg and Steyer, candidates in the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries, are environmental activists and donors and share a strong desire to have Trump with his environmentally destructive policies and actions, removed from the White House.

Congratulations to each of the above and all the other wealthy individuals who are making significant contributions to helping make this world a place in which our children and grand-children can live healthfully in years to come. These giving philanthropists set a great example to other wealthy individuals, who at this stage have not given, and remind me of a quote from Andrew Carnegie, “the man who dies rich dies disgraced”.

The example set by those well-known people taking positive action is to be commended. But, as I have said in the sub-heading of this article, “more is needed”.

More is Needed

By saying “more”, I am not just referring to money, although additional money can always be handy.

As with the vast majority of the world’s population, I do not have millions that I am able to give to groups working to save the environment, or to any other cause.

But, I can . . .; you can . . .; we all can contribute in other ways.

Let’s look at a few of these.

1. Develop a love of nature and the environment

People may start to make changes in some of their habits to care for the environment after reading about, or seeing documentaries, on the fragility of the environment and the need to care for it. But, it is unlikely that these changes in habits will continue unless these same people start to develop a real love of nature and the environment.

Anyone who has been a smoker and tried to stop, and stay stopped, will confirm that smoking is a habit that is very difficult to change. The majority of smokers know that the habit is harmful, or potentially harmful to their health. But, many will continue smoking regardless.

The environment can be looked at in a similar manner. Almost everyone is aware that the environment has been damaged and continues to get damaged by practices with which most of us are engaged. The use of fossil fuels, plastics, and the over use of insecticides and herbicides are among these.

We are living in the twenty-first century and we can not be expected to go back to living the way they did in pre-industrial society prior to 1750. Once we have things that in the past may have been considered luxuries, it can be very difficult for us to give them up. But, we can make some changes.

For us to continue with those changes that will make the environment and the world a better place, we first need to develop a love of nature and the environment.

Numerous studies have confirmed that being in natural settings is good for our health. And, we do not have to travel a long distance to be involved. Nature is all around us, we just need to walk outside; that little bird sitting on the branch singing to us, the busy native bee collecting pollen from the flower, even the beauty of the bark on that tree. Of course, we can also travel to be involved; hiking in the bush, scuba-diving over a coral reef, exploring a rain-forest, are all activities that will likely enhance our love of nature.

So, turn off that computer, get outside and enjoy nature, whilst we still have it!

2. Water

Water is essential for life. People, in fact all animals and plants will not live for long without it. It is indeed an extremely valuable resource.

Our oceans are our greatest expanses of water, and unfortunately they are being polluted by our plastics and other rubbish. You can assist by ensuring that anything you dispose of does not get into our waterways and eventually find its way into an ocean.

Most water that we use for personal use is from town water supplies. These have usually been treated and are safe to use and drink. If you do have any concerns regarding town water quality, inexpensive filters are available for purchase. There is no need to purchase bottled water for drinking. If you need to take water with you, fill up your own reusable bottle from the tap.

Learn to conserve the water you use, and practice ways of doing so. Here are some:

• Fix any dripping taps or other water leaks

• Do not leave the water running when cleaning your teeth. Have the water running just to wash the toothbrush and to rinse your mouth.

• Have a full load of washing in your machine when using it.

• Minimise the length of time you are in the shower.

• Do not put tissues, cigarette butts or other rubbish in your toilet. The only things to go in should be the three P’s (pee, poo and paper). Mellow yellow is OK. Only flush your toilet after a poo, not a pee. Usually the half flush will be all that is needed.

3. Food

In western society it has been estimated that up to forty percent of food produced in wasted. What are some of the habits, concerning food, we can personally implement to not only avoid wastage, but also be kinder to the planet?

• Do not purchase more than you require. If you do buy in bulk to save money, consider giving some of your purchase away to family, friends or neighbours.

• Reduce your intake of meat. I have friends who are vegetarians, and some who are vegans. I commend them for that. Personally I am not prepared to give up meat, but I have substantially cut down on my intake of it. Results have been a personal improvement in my health, more available finances, and of course a lowering of my carbon footprint.

• Consider growing at least some of your own herbs and vegetables. Even if you live in an apartment, you should be able to grow some in pots on your balcony. Produce you grow yourself will be fresh and also free from chemicals, if you choose to use organic methods.

• If you do not grow your own, or all of your own, consider purchasing locally grown food from a nearby farm or other outlet. Organically grown food is of course better for you and for the environment.

• Do not put your waste or left over food in the garbage. There it will probably go to landfill where gases harmful to the environment will be produced. The best solution for your waste is to feed it to a worm farm. Worm farming with compost worms will produce rich organic garden soil that your vegetable and flower plants will love. And, you do not need to live on a large property to have one. Small scale worm farming can even be done in apartments. Alternatively, a Black Soldier Fly farm will process meat scraps as well as all of your vegetable waste. The larvae from these flies can process waste food even faster and more efficiently than compost worms. Recent studies have shown that the larvae of these flies may be an inexpensive and high protein future food source. A third alternative for your food scraps is to build or purchase a compost bin.

4. Travel

Unless we are living as hermits, we all need to get out and about. Let’s look at some of the ways we do this.

For years many vehicles ran using leaded petrol. Lead from the fuel burnt in those vehicles is still floating around in the environment. Lead was also an ingredient in paint when I was young. As knowledge is obtained, steps are usually taken to correct dangerous situations, and lead in both paint and fuel is now banned.

But the world governments, and we, the people of the world, sometimes react much slower than is desirable.

Burning diesel, petrol, and in fact burning any fuel causes pollution. As I mentioned earlier, we are in the twenty-first century. We have the knowledge and technology to get to places that we were not able to a couple of centuries ago, or even one century ago. We can not be expected to totally deprive ourselves of this knowledge, but there are changes we can make in our habits that will lessen the harmful impact on the environment. What are they?

• Walk or ride a bike if you are able. It will also be better for your personal health.

• Using public transport is usually preferable to driving your car.

• If you do need to use your car is it possible for you to car pool? If you have several tasks or visits to complete, try to coordinate them during the one session.

• Avoid unnecessary or too frequent plane travel.

• If purchasing a new vehicle consider an all electric vehicle, or a hybrid, if you can afford it.

5. Power

Our electricity has traditionally been supplied through power generation stations in which coal was used to produce that power.

Coal is a non-renewable resource which has taken over three hundred million years to form. It is the result of buried trees, ferns and other living plants that existed at the time. Obviously once it has been dug up and burned it will not be replaced.

If we chose to do so, there is still sufficient supply to keep us going for many years to come. But should we do that?

The emphatic answer is NO!

Burning coal is creating serious damage to the environment. We need to transition quickly to other sources of energy to create electricity.

Coal is still currently the major source of electricity world wide, but things are changing.

Nuclear power has been used with some success, but also with potential hazards. We will all remember the Fukushima nuclear power station disaster in Japan in 2011. The older among us will also remember the Chernobyl, Ukraine disaster in 1986. And, I was around when there was another nuclear power station disaster in Russia in 1957.

Although it is an inexpensive source of power once the plants have been constructed, nuclear energy is not an environmentally friendly alternative.

Solar, wind, wave and other sources are currently being trialled, and with improved battery storage the future looks bright for sustainable electric power.

Here are some ways in which you and I can limit the use of electricity.

• If you have not already done so, consider installing solar panels to supplement your power supply, or better still, supply power to the grid as well.

• Replace conventional light bulbs with compact fluorescent or LED lights.

• Unplug electric appliances currently not in use.

• Use a clothes line to dry your washing instead of electric clothes dryers.

• Limit the use of your air conditioners.

6. Reduce Reuse Recycle

Here are some suggestions to assist in the reduction of things you need to purchase, and how to recycle or reuse the things that you currently own.

• Consider if you really need or want a product before making a purchase.

• Reduce the use of plastic products as much as you can.

• Avoid single use plastic bags.

• Take your own reusable bags to the supermarket.

• The carry bags you purchase should be made from sustainable products.

• Reuse what ever you can. If you purchase a plastic container of ice-cream for example, wash the container when you are finished and reuse.

• Recycle whatever you are able. Ensure that you use the correct bin.

• Donate unwanted clothes or other items you no longer want or need to someone who can use them. Do not just dump them.

Still More is Needed

I commenced writing this article by talking about donations of money to environmental causes. Well, more of that is needed also.

If you have any extra money that you are able to give, find a worthwhile environmental charity to which you can donate. It will be appreciated and will help all of us. You may even find as a bonus that your donation will be tax deductible.

Your time can be donated instead of, or as well as, money. There are many worthwhile environmental organisations that would welcome your participation in their activities.