Saving our World through Conscious Change

It should come as a surprise to no one that the Amazon rainforest is shrinking through widespread deforestation, both legal and illegal, releasing large amounts of carbon into the atmosphere. A 2021 study suggested that the largest rainforest in the world is now a net contributor to global warming by releasing more CO2 than it stores and emitting other greenhouse gases. Some experts have even posited that it’s dangerously close to the tipping point of transitioning from a rainforest to a savanna. Indigenous groups in Peru and Ecuador have presented a plan to save the rainforest with Indigenous-led land management that would protect 80% of the Amazon in those countries and block 2 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions.

Many ocean creatures are dangerously near extinction, and orcas are close to joining that growing list. However, recent developments offer a glimmer of hope. The population of orcas off the south coast of British Columbia, Canada, has a new calf among its ranks. It’s the first birth for the J-pod of the Southern Resident population since September 2020. The group’s population was just 74 whales in July 2021, down from a modern peak of 98 in 1995. We can only hope the birth of the new calf might inspire other orcas to start a baby boom.

Nemo is losing his home. Coral reefs are slowly dying due to ocean warming, aggressive fishing and other environmental stressors. The Australian government has spent billions to protect the Great Barrier Reef, but no matter how much money is spent, the biggest problem, global heating, remains. Meanwhile, India is taking steps to find “alternative livelihood” programs for local fisherman in the Gulf of Mannar after finding that artisanal fishing practices had dire effects on fish populations, sea grasses and coral reefs.

A huge contributor to climate change is large corporations churning out vast amounts of cheap goods. That’s prompted some companies to walk away from the low-cost, high-environmental-impact model. But with so many businesses out there trying to make a difference, where do you start? How about where you sleep. Mattress companies such as Avocado Green and Awara are making an impact in the sleep game by using sustainable organic materials and ethical labor practices. You might sleep easier on a green mattress with one less environmental concern keeping you up at night.

Watch your step! No, literally — those shoes might be made by companies contributing to climate change. But there’s hope for your sneakers as more companies are moving toward sustainable manufacturing practices. With companies like Cariuma, who make vegan shoes, to TOMS, who make shoes from sustainable sources, you can walk comfortably knowing your footwear is making strides for the environment.

Short of completely restructuring to a fully sustainable model, companies can still opt into programs to help the environment, like remote working. It may not be the clear-cut environmental win many hoped it would be, but the WFH shift during the pandemic has seen a reduction in cars on the road. On a global scale, more companies are joining 1% for the Planet, a program created by Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard and Blue Ribbon Files founder Craig Mathews that lets companies make an impact by donating 1% of their profits to worldwide conservation efforts.

Catching Up on The Carlos Watson Show

This Nigerian activist has found a clever way to put money in local womens’ pockets while getting Big Oil to atone for its environmental sins. Agbani has created huge female-staffed nurseries growing mangrove plants that she then plans to sell to Royal Dutch Shell, the company that destroyed them in the first place. After oil spills killed off huge swaths of mangrove forests in the Niger Delta, the company agreed to replace the plants, and Agbani will be ready with an impressive crop of mangroves.

Being an environmental activist in some places is a dangerous business: International rights watchdog Global Witness reported that 227 environmental defenders were killed in 2020, the highest number ever recorded. In Cambodia, activists regularly face arrest or worse. Leng was once detained for trying to deter rampant illegal logging in a wildlife sanctuary with a unique method: Hanging saffron Buddhist robes on the trees with banners reading, “Help preserve our ancestral heritage forest.”

If your climate anxiety leaves you in need of a stiff drink, at least make it a guilt-free one. This Singaporean mixologist practices sustainable bartending, championing zero waste. Pineapple skins, discarded banana peels and coconut shells are all used in his innovative cocktails, and Mudaliar also forages for some of the herbs and spices. His bar, Native, even uses locally made ceramics and repurposed lotus leaf coasters to serve its unique, delicious concoctions.

Who is your favorite environmentalist? Share your thoughts with us at [email protected].