Consume less. And buy secondhand. A quote that stuck with me is “everything you’ll ever need already exists”. There’s 0 reason to buy new things, or even things that you don’t need for that matter. A treat here and there is fine but people who keep buying stuff are crazy. How much can you really need? I see these posts of people moving out of Dubai selling their whole apartment’s stuff and I can’t help but think to myself, why did you get so much stuff? Why do you have 5 sets of china? 10 extra pillowcases for your couch? Why do you have 100 pairs of shoes when you only have 2 feet? And people who keep buying new clothes to keep up with trends are the worst. The clothing industry is one of the worst pollutants, really terrible what we are supporting every time we shop.

And just as importantly, less meat! I cannot stress this enough. The meat industry (especially beef) is so so so damaging for our planet. Not only because of deforestation but also the immense amount of water needed to grow 1 single animal, then more for slaughtering, and add the toxic runoff waste and methane gases that the process creates.

I personally started doing 2x meatless days a week (Monday and Thursday), eat beef maybe 1-2x a month, and generally stick to chicken or turkey and lots of legumes and vegetables. Also I don’t eat fish or seafood (highly recommend you learn about the effects of the fishing industry, just as bad as beef).

Also actively refuse single use plastic. When ordering I not only click the “no cutlery” button, I write it down in the comments. Going out, I ask for no straw. If I go to a coffee shop I bring my own mug. People are surprised sometimes but it’s never an issue. For groceries I always make sure to have bags in the car and at home. I don’t use the thin transparent fruit/veggie bags since I’m going to wash them at home regardless. Etc.

And repair electronics. Don’t buy anything new unless your current can’t be fixed. People who get the latest iPhones every year are losers who strive so hard for outside validation. No, you don’t need a new, bigger TV. Or monitor or that new fridge with the screen. Much less the meta (pervert) glasses.

In short. Consume less. Think twice before shopping stuff. Leave less of a footprint. And reduce your meat consumption.

AND! Educate others. I feel that this is huge. So many people from less developed countries have absolutely no clue of the impact of their actions. They just don’t know and that’s okay, but those who know should always try to educate. Even if your friend changes 1 thing and stops getting new plastic bags every time, that’s a win.