Yes, the terms "climate change" and "global warming"  are well used but maybe not well understood. They do mean exactly what they read - the climate is changing and its getting hotter, due to human activities. The Paris Climate Agreement was created to keep global temperatures from rising more than 2 degrees. Beyond this point, things get a bit crazy weather wise and also with food. Can you imagine a world without coffee? 

In all seriousness, although the government plays a huge role in taking steps to control greenhouse gas emissions which is the leading cause of global warming, we, as individuals can also do our part. The chart below shows the impact of climate change based on personal choices.

The greatest impacts are having smaller families. living car free, avoiding air travel and eating a plant based diet. 

While the top choices may be drastic for most people, its important to acknowledge them as solutions.

Another solution is living a reduced waste life with minimal plastic usage and food waste. Plastic leaching into the water supply is not helping anyone either, especially when there's a ton of plastic garbage for every person in the world.

While the most impactful solutions can be overwhelming, its important to take steps towards being a more environmentally conscious individual. Start off with small changes that are easier to implement and work your way up:

Change your light bulbs to energy efficient ones.Wash your clothes in cold water.Educate yourself on how your municipality disposes waste, what gets recycled and composted. Then, use your recycling and composting bins properly to avoid contamination.Avoid plastic bags at the grocery store.Use a reusable mug for your daily coffee.Give up meat once a week.

What other smaller steps can we take to reduce our carbon footprint?

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