I attended a lecture on campus called Climate Action at the Local Level, presented by Brady Fergusson, Jill Bellenger, and Ellen Henry. This lecture instilled in me a sense of hope regarding the climate crisis and reminded me that our individual actions make more of a difference than we think.
Before delving into solutions, I wanted to talk about some frustrations I experience (and you might too!) as someone who strives to be mindful of the effects of my actions on the planet. All too often, when I bring up some of the ways I try to incorporate sustainability into my lifestyle (ie: shopping second hand, eating a vegetarian diet, etc), I am met with familiar responses along the lines of: “It doesn’t matter,” or, “One person can’t make a difference.” Yet with the countless articles and reports circulating the media filled with “doomsday predictions,” it’s understandable that many people do lose hope when our degradation of the planet is so immense. More importantly, I think people forget that their individual actions do in fact have an effect on this world; our seemingly small actions have the power to spark collective, social change.
Furthermore, for people living in places like New York State, there is the narrative that climate change doesn’t affect us. While the effects of climate change are more acutely felt in areas with warmer climates and higher rates of poverty (ex: the island of Kiribati, where some of Brady Fergusson’s family lives), little attention has been given to the effects of climate change felt here. In fact, prior to this presentation, I wasn’t aware of all of the small, yet negative ways climate change impacts New York State.
Ellen Henry, one of the speakers at this presentation, stressed the importance of local climate action. Individual actions like installing solar panels on your roof may not seem like much, yet these actions have the potential to create a ripple effect of sustainability. When others lead by example, it encourages and motivates others to adopt sustainable practices themselves. The culmination of this all can have a positive effect on national environmental policy.
When it comes to mitigating climate change, some of the easiest and most impactful solutions for individuals can be accomplished right in your front yard. Jill Bellenger spoke about her experience in the landscape industry and in turn, sustainability. She mentioned that 40 million acres of lawn in the US is filled with well manicured, pesticide sprayed, invasive grass species. Not surprisingly, these practices and norms are destroying our environment. Throughout the lecture, I gathered a couple action steps you can take in your own front yard to not only become part of the sustainable solution, but to also motivate others to join you.
- Plant native pollinators and plants to increase and restore biodiversity
- Stop using pesticides
- Rake your yard instead of leaf blowing (as leaf blowers contribute to noise pollution and release toxic emissions)
- Plant native clovers or moss instead of a traditional grass lawn (its less expensive, less water usage, and easier to maintain)
— Meghan Giessler ’26 is a Global Sustainability major. Learn more: https://www2.naz.edu/academics/global-sustainability/