Rising Tide: What You Can Do
Actions by individuals matter too—whether it’s reducing our own carbon footprints, organizing with others in our communities, or advocating for new policies on a larger scale.
Pledge to do your part to fight rising tides! Select an action below to bring home or take a photo of yourself in from of the image of rising tides in New York on the other side of this table to post your pledge on social media.
I pledge to...
…buy fewer clothes!
New Yorkers send 200 million pounds of textile waste to the landfill every year. Buying less means less energy spent on production and waste-processing. Buying secondhand helps too! An estimated 95 percent of this clothing has market value and could be recycled or resold.
…drink from the tap!
Producing and transporting bottled water uses energy. For each glass of tap water that you drink, you save 83 grams of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere. And you’ll cut down on single-use plastics that hurt the environment!
…eat more plants!
Food production is responsible for more emissions than transportation worldwide. Cutting down on meat and dairy can cut your diet’s contribution to global warming by as much as 50 percent.
…wash my clothes in cold water!
Ninety percent of the energy used in a washing machine is for heating water. Air-drying saves even more energy.
…take shorter showers!
Shortening your daily shower by just one minute keeps more than 150 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere each year.
…walk or pedal!
Traveling on human power cuts down on greenhouse gases from transportation, which account for 30 percent of New York’s emissions.
… choose energy-efficient appliances!
Energy Star certified appliances can save you up to half of your electric bill, and financial support may be available through New York State or your utility company. Visit nyserda.ny.gov to learn more.
…waste less food!
Food production is one of the largest contributors to global warming worldwide, but in the U.S. about 40 percent of all food goes into the trash instead of into people. In the landfill, food releases the potent greenhouse gas methane, and the energy that was used to produce it goes to waste.
Planning ahead around shopping, meal preparation, and use of leftovers can contribute to saving millions of tons of greenhouse gases annually, as much as 11 percent of all emissions. And composting keeps food scraps out of the landfill!
Learn more about composting in NYC at grownyc.org/compost
…protect my home!
Visit floodhelpny.org to learn more about flood insurance and see if you qualify for a no-cost home resiliency audit. An audit can give you advice on strategies ranging from protecting heating equipment from floods to elevating entire structures.
…skip the rush shipping!
When delivery companies wait until trucks are full to ship packages, they can optimize their routes, put fewer trucks on the road, and use less gas.
…demand stronger targets for lowering emissions!
Write or call your representatives to support measures that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, such as carbon taxes, regulating businesses, tax incentives for green energy, or expanding local regulations.
…work for climate justice!
Join or support an organization working for a just, sustainable future, such as green jobs training or support for resiliency projects in economically vulnerable neighborhoods.
… get involved in New York’s resiliency!
Join or support an organization working toward local preparedness.
…work for green transportation!
Join or support an organization advocating for safe urban cycling.
…work for a sustainable food system!
Join or support an organization working on food justice or sustainable agriculture.
…talk about the climate!
Just having a conversation with someone you know will help break the “climate silence” and help to shift our culture toward climate action. You can also join or support an organization working on environmental education and awareness.
…stay informed!
Follow @GreeNYC on social media to stay up to date on what’s going on in your community.
