Every little bit counts when it comes to the environment. Find out about small steps you can take to help protect animals and make our world a better place.
Fast fashion mass-produces leather, slaughtering billions of animals every year. Many animals get stolen from their natural habitats, hurt, and skinned alive. The low cost of fashion comes with a high price for our environment.
Imagine living in a cage all your life, only to get slaughtered. In the US alone, over 159 million animals have this fate. We often overlook how animals are living things, too; it's time we treat them like one.
Every little bit counts when it comes to the environment. Find out about small steps you can take to help protect animals and make our world a better place.
1. Invest in Reusable Shopping Bags
Animals often get tangled and drown in plastic bags. Animals confuse these bags for food and consume them. This poisons and kills animals.
Don't contribute to this deathly cycle, and invest in a reusable bag. Plastics are a threat to both animals and humans. Microplastics are even found in human wombs, causing health issues to unborn children.
Small lifestyle changes like using reusable bags help lessen the amount of waste. Plastic pollutes the oceans with microplastics, harming marine habitats.
2. Support Local
Supporting local businesses lessens your carbon footprint. By reducing the mileage traveled of goods you consume, you help the environment. This means you cut down on your fuel consumption and air pollution contribution.
Supporting local businesses isn't only good for the environment but also for your community. Help family-owned small businesses thrive by buying from them. You can even encourage your friends on social media to do the same.
3. Change Your Lifestyle
Small lifestyle changes life commuting and being a mindful consumer make a great impact. These small changes, when practiced daily, add up and help the environment.
Small changes such as commuting daily lessen the use of non-renewable energy. Non-renewable energy not only produces carbon emissions but is also not sustainable. Enjoy your daily commute by encouraging your friends to carpool.
Another way you can make an impact is by lessening your use of palm oil. Did you know that palm oil causes forests where tigers live to get cut down? Most of these forests are being cut down to make way for plant palm plantations.
You may also want to consider not eating beef to reduce carbon emissions. In fact, eating beef is one of the most environmentally friendly things you can do. Beef industries produce 60 kilograms of greenhouse gas emissions per kilogram of meat.
4. Stop Buying Bottled Water
Stop buying bottled water and buy a reusable tumbler instead. Reusable water tumblers aren't only good for the environment but help save you money in the long run. Why pay $1 for a water bottle when you can refill your tumbler at home for free?
It takes up to 1,000 years for bottled water to decompose. In the US alone, landfills fill with more than two million tons of water bottles.
5. Stop Buying Fast Fashion
You can find a million articles on why you shouldn't buy fast fashion. Fast fashion's detrimental effect on the environment has no bounds and only grows. Fast fashion should never be an option.
The fast fashion industry offers great deals of more than 20-35 percent off. The fast fashion industry creates 20 percent of wastewater, 35 percent of all microplastics, and much more. Don't increase this statistic by buying from them.
The true cost of fast fashion isn't in your wallet but in the environment. A couple of dollars saved won't save the animals or bring back lives. Always think of the bigger impact purchasing from fast fashion has.
6. Buy Secondhand
There is no shame in buying secondhand. Consider buying secondhand clothes, cars, or shoes.
Not only do you save money, but you also save the environment. Buying secondhand reduces the amount of trash that ends up in landfills.
7. Support Ethical Brands
Being an ethical consumer is the best way you can make our world a better place.
Never buy products made from threatened or endangered species. Instead of using real animals, find other alternatives. One way you can do this is by switching to faux leather.
There are many brands that aren't only ethical but also donate their profits for animals. 4WildLife donates to charities that help endangered species.
Lead by example by only purchasing ethical products. With technology, you can encourage your friends and strangers to do the same. Showcase ethical products such as these shades and conserve the environment in style.
8. Check The Label
Protect animals by ensuring all purchased makeup or medicine are not animal-tested. These products often have a "Not Tested on Animals" rabbit symbol. Checking the label is your first step in becoming a mindful consumer.
9. Recycle
Recycling helps reduce waste by over 62 percent.
Upcycle old and tattered clothes by sewing them and making a new statement piece. Make sure to mix and match different materials so you never run out of things to wear. Prolong the life of clothes as much as you can.
Instead of throwing away old furniture, why not reupholster them or donate them to someone in need? There are many ways you can do your part in recycling.
Educate kids by teaching them to donate old clothes instead of throwing them away. Teach them the value of sharing by giving their old toys to someone in need. No one is ever too young to learn to recycle!
10. Adopt Don't Shop
Adopting is a sure way of supporting animals in need. Pet stores often don't have the type of living quarters for animals to flourish. Adopting an animal and giving it a home help protect it and give it a (bigger) place to thrive than a small container.
Other sellers such as breeders often do not care about the health of their animals. Overbreeding has led to many once glorious breeds becoming prone to having genetic disorders. Sadly, these types of breeders only care about profit.
Instead of encouraging sellers to breed more animals, why not give love to an existing one? Many maltreated animals end up in the pound and put down. Save a life today when you choose to adopt.
11. Spay and Neuter
Pet overpopulation is a major problem. Most people don't have time to care for one pet, let alone a whole litter.
When left alone, most stray cats are not only a nuisance but harm local wildlife. Outdoor cats kill approximately 2.4 billion birds every year. With an uncontrolled population, they can make bird species endangered or even extinct.
12. Never Give Animals as a Gift
Giving someone a pet for a gift may seem like a good idea at first, but it can do more harm than you think. Cats and dogs given as gifts are more likely to end up in a shelter.
Educate loved ones or friends about the impact gifting an animal has. One should consider many factors before owning or giving a pet. These factors include things such as finances, time, and maturity.
13. Embrace Minimalism
Lessen your carbon footprint by lessening your consumption. Minimalism is a movement that empowers you as a consumer. Buy fewer products, and give more to the environment.
Everyone online encourages us to buy things we don't need. From shopping hauls to sale promotions. Ask yourself if you need something before purchasing.
The materials that go into creating things are detrimental to our environment. Forests are often cut down to make manufacturing places or landfills for things we no longer use.
14. Support Your Local Animal Shelter
Visit your local animal shelter today and ask what they need. From volunteering to donating, there are endless ways you can be a helping hand. Anything as simple as helping promote donation drives can help your local animals.
Many animal shelters also have programs that let you foster animals. Some animals dropped off in shelters have injuries, requiring 24/7 care.
15. Protect Wildlife and Their Habitat
The greatest threat many species face is the destruction of their natural habitat. The best way to protect species is through protecting their natural habitat. One way you can help animals is by educating yourself on your local wildlife, and ways you can help protect them.
Stop using herbicides and pesticides in your yard. These harmful chemicals can be deadly for your local wildlife. Use natural repellents such as vinegar instead.
Ensure that your home and parks are friendly to your local wildlife. Leave water and food nearby areas where wildlife live. Supporting wildlife protection in your community encourages your friends to do the same.
Make a statement by wearing shirts that include endangered species. Make your voice heard when you see animal abuse or any illegal activity. Protest when wildlife inhabited forests are in danger and find ways to help animal cause.
Donate to causes that protect wildlife and wildlife habitat. Make sure that they are legitimate and read on their cause. Helping fund these causes can save the lives of animals.
Things You Can Do Today to Help Protect Animals
There are many ways you can help protect the animals. From small lifestyle changes to protesting, you have the power to change the world. Make sure to share this article with your loved ones so they can join your cause.
Now that you know how you can protect animals, start taking action today. Be a part of 4Wildlife's growing Hero community which helps endangered animals. Contact us today and be a Hero for animals and the environment!