What is it to be a climatarian?
If, every time you make a decision, you take into account the impact on climate change, you can call yourself a climatarian.
Climatarian is a new and much-needed street term you will be hearing more about. It is used by those who are trying to raise awareness and combat increasing climate change at a personal level.
Fortunately for all of us, climatarians are already here. And, no, the word is not an insult. You may even be one without knowing it. Below, we explain what it’s all about.
Climatarian, much more than conscious eating
The word climatarian refers to people who campaign to stop global warming by changing their eating habits. For a climatarian, it doesn’t matter so much the type of food you eat (meat, fish, eggs, etc.) but the carbon footprint you are leaving behind as you clean up your plate. The aim is to select food that has generated the least environmental impact during production.
But, as society’s awareness of climate change problem increases, so the term climatarian is beginning to have a much deeper meaning, embracing all manner of behavior.
Climatarians don’t only eat thinking about how many emissions their food may have generated, but also in how they can protect the planet by the way they dress, move around or enjoy themselves. It goes beyond recycling or closing the tap while brushing one’s teeth. Climatarians try to turn all their daily habits toward fighting climate change and reducing their personal carbon footprint on the planet.
Living while thinking of the impact you generate
Let’s be frank. Being the perfect climatarian is not easy. We live in a social and economic context that wants us to consume frenetically and in which we are used to squandering energy without asking ourselves where it comes from or the consequences wasting it. Nevertheless, gradually society is becoming more aware. The youth protests against climate change such as the Fridays For Future movement or the more in-your-face groups such as Extinction Rebellion are a sign that times are changing
HOW TO BE A CLIMATARIAN FROM HEAD TO TOE
Climatarian is more than an adjective, it’s a lifestyle in which each daily gesture is thought out to produce the least impact on the planet. The list of smaller individual details with which we can fight the climate change war is infinite. Here we suggest some of them. NOTE: this is not exhaustive, but plenty to be getting on with.
- ALWAYS HAVE IN MIND THE 3Rs OF THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY.
Reduce: think whether it’s what you really need. Reuse: surely you could lengthen the life of many things you’d otherwise throw away. Recycle: maybe this waste can be turned into a new resource.
- PRACTICE SUSTAINABLE MOBILITY.
As far as possible, choose the least polluting transport mode. The healthiest options are cycling or walking, everywhere. If not, public transport. If you prefer traveling independently, multimodal transport such as an electric scooter or moped sharing.
And for journeys of less than 3 hours, always go on the train rather than by plane. An example to raise awareness of the importance of sustainable mobility: Amsterdam-Brussels by plane generates between 26 and 56 kg of CO2, while doing the same journey by train produces emissions of just 1.7 to 2 kg.
- TRANSFORM THE SHOPPING TROLLEY INTO A VEHICLE FOR LOWERING YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT.
Select the most local, seasonal, least processed and least packaged products possible.
- USE THE LEAST PLASTIC POSSIBLE.
Take stock of the plastic around you and think how much you could do without. This guide will help you to reduce the use of plastic.
- CHECK THE LABEL INSTEAD OF THE PRICE.
Look for certification marks on the labels of products that guarantee their low impact on the planet compared to non-certified items in the same category. An example is the EU Ecolabel. This is applied to products such as electronics, DIY tools and materials, detergent, and clothes.
- MAKE YOUR HOME MORE SUSTAINABLE.
LED lights, dual-flush toilets, properly insulated windows… think about how you can improve the efficiency of the energy and water use in your home. You will certainly notice the effect on both the planet and your bank account! Still not clear? Here is a simple guide on how to make your home sustainable.
Source: Fundeu
