A utility company in our area is running an ad on TV with a slogan “a million small things” to help build awareness that all of the small things people do to save energy add up to big energy savings.  This concept can be expanded to include a multitude of other kinds of actions to reduce our impact on the environment.   Each of us has a different set of circumstances and abilities, so we cannot all implement the same sustainability tips, but each of us can at least do something small.  It may be as simple as remembering to turn off the lights when you leave a room.  As 2023 begins, watch for the small things you can do. 

When it’s cold and icy outside, it’s very easy to start your automobile, turn on the defroster/heater, and go inside for another cup of coffee to let your car’s engine do all the work.  However, from a sustainability standpoint, it is better to stay with the car and scrape the frost off the windows so you don’t have to let the car idle as long.  Modern cars do not need a long warm-up time to protect the engine unless it’s really cold (check your owner’s manual) so if you can reduce the amount of time the car idles before you start driving, you can reduce the fuel you use.  Safety tip: leaving your car running while you go inside may leave your car vulnerable to theft.  Second safety tip: make sure you do a good job of scraping frost and ice off your windows, so you have clear vision through all of your windows.

This article about Greta Thunberg has a nice summary of many of the big topics associated with sustainability and climate change.  It also includes a few links for more information.  Understanding sustainability concepts and information is key to implementing change. 

https://www.cntraveler.com/story/greta-thunberg-on-how-we-can-all-be-climate-positive-travelers