High up in the Swiss Alps on the Aletsch glacier, 600 volunteers gathered to expose themselves and the threats of global warming. In a new campaign funded by Greenpeace, reknowned photographer Spencer Tunick snapped shot after shot of the rapidly shrinking glacier with freezing volunteers arranged on top. While stripping down in 10-15 degree weather might not sound so fun, the pictures are meant to exemplify the fragility of the environment and the human race.
So why this glacier? According to the Swiss government, temperatures in the region are heating up faster than the world average and that Switzerland has recently been bombarded with an increase in damaging flash floods and landslides due to stronger storms, rainfall, and heatwaves. Research shows that the main glaciers in the alps have been melting at an alarming rate since the 1990’s! Measures needed to help combat the climate crisis are estimated to cost $833 million dollars in Swiss francs annually.
Here are some of my favorite ways to reduce my impact on global warming…
- Walk, ride bikes, carpool or take mass transit whenever possible.
A great way to implement this tip is to walk to the grocery store if you are only picking up a few things. If you think about it, how many times do we all get in the car to go pick up the pasta sauce or whatever we forgot to grab at the grocery store. By walking or riding your bike your getting a quick workout in, saving the environment and building muscle when carrying the bags home! It’s a win-win for everybody. If the bags are light I sometimes even do biscep curls while walking!
- Buy reusable totes to carry all your purchases.
Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods carry their own line of reusable and recyclable grocery bags, but of course any bag will work. These stores and others even offer discounts on your total bill if you bring your own bags. To learn more about the impact of plastic and paper bags on our environment click here. San Francisco has taken the next step by banning the use of plastic bags in supermarkets city wide.
- Learn to recycle and compost.
It suprises me how many people I meet that still don’t recycle. Once I knew what could and couldn’t be recycled I realized that a good 3/4th’s of what I was throwing away could be recycled! Composting is equally important, but most people (including me) don’t know how to set it up. Here is all the information you need to set up an amazing compost. Even in the city.
- Change all lightbulbs to more energy efficient bulbs.
Check out this site to see just how much of a difference you can make in saving energy and money on your next electricity bill.
- Carry your own fashionable and reusable water bottle.
I love love love the reusable bottles made by Sigg!! They come in awesome colors and patterns and are made from thick aluminum.
- Conserve water and electricity.
This might seem like a no-brainer, but a lot of times we don’t realize how much we could cut back on our water and electricity use. For example, turn off the water while brushing your teeth, and turn off lights that are not necessary for your use at the moment. Just making simple changes like these can make a huge change in your bills and help reduce your impact on the environment.
Part of leading the most EPIC lifestyle is making sure you live in a healthy environment. Cheers to making the world a better place for us all!
