Five Ways You Can Help Prevent Climate Change
Key Takeaways
Although the major role in preventing climate change is to be played by governments and organizations, individual choices are extremely important.
We must reduce our consumption, embrace ethical alternatives, recycle our possessions, and say no to animal products.
We must expand the conversation to our friends and family as well as people in positions of authority that environmental protection is a duty in Islam.
The climate crisis is leading our world toward a very grim future. Unless we limit greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and keep the global temperature increase to below 1.5 C, we will continue to face disastrous consequences.
Already we’re seeing the adverse effects of climate change in the form of increasing natural disasters, loss of habitats and ecosystems caused by agricultural expansion, a rise in global food insecurity, and increasing health risks, as well as increased global poverty especially in developing nations (which is the category many Muslim countries fall into).
In the face of these overwhelming odds, we can’t help but stop and wonder: What, if anything, can individuals do to remedy the situation?
While the major part in solving the climate change crisis has to be played by governments, multilateral institutions, and organizations, there is still a lot we can do as individuals. By making small but positive incremental changes in our lifestyles, we can make a tremendous difference over time, as well as inspire those around us to join the cause.
Here are five ways in which you can help prevent climate change
You can play your part in building a more sustainable world and combatting climate change by doing the following five things:
Reduce Your Consumption
The rampant consumerism that marks the present global lifestyle is not only destroying the planet, it is also completely against the teachings of Islam. The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said:
There are many small ways we can revert back to the Prophetic model of simple living and help prevent climate change.
The first of which is to cut down on our plastic usage. Not only is plastic a great source of pollution, but it also contributes to climate change.
Another habit we can adopt is reducing our usage of resources such as water and energy. Opting for shorter showers as opposed to baths helps to save water and prevent unnecessary wastage. Turning off unused lighting at homes, and unplugging devices which aren’t in use can help save energy.
An underappreciated sustainable strategy is to opt for smaller houses. According to research from the University of Toronto, smaller houses with no basements have a reduced environmental impact.
2. Adopt a Vegan Lifestyle
The majority of vegans, Muslims and non-Muslims alike, adopt such a lifestyle owing to the inhumane treatment of animals by the animal agricultural industry. However, adopting this lifestyle is also one of the best decisions we can make for the environment.
Our animal products-dominated food system accounts for over a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions. Meat and dairy products contribute the overwhelming majority of these emissions:
Source: Our World in Data
By cutting out meat and dairy from our diets and moving towards a plant-based diet based on local, seasonal plants (where possible), as well as saying no to other animal products, such as leather items, we can significantly reduce our environmental impact and help prevent climate change.
3. Switch to Ethical Alternatives
Our present transportation system contributes significantly to climate change, as it is primarily based on the burning of fossil fuels, and accounts for approximately one-quarter of the global greenhouse gas emissions.
Source: Our World in Data
We have the power to change this by opting for more ethical and environmentally friendly alternatives. For example, we should walk or cycle wherever possible, or if we absolutely must travel via a vehicle, we can opt for public transport or carpooling.
Other ethical alternatives include opting for digital alternatives to paper usage, which can significantly reduce the cutting down of trees, and using LED or CFL lighting in our homes.
All of these ethical alternatives ultimately reduce the amount of waste we generate through our day-to-day activities, as well as help us avoid excessiveness, which is precisely what Allah (SWT) demands of us:
4. Repair, Reuse, Recycle, and Compost
Did you know? Habits such as reusing, recycling, and repairing items (such as clothing) as opposed to buying new ones is not just a contemporary eco-friendly habit, it is part of the Prophet’s (SAW) Sunnah:
Therefore, when and wherever possible, we should try to reuse and recycle our items as best as we can. Here are some tips on effective recycling.
Other similar habits include purchasing pre-owned goods such as clothing, opting for reusable shopping bags, flasks, straws, and bottles, or even getting creative with waste such as using old shoes or jars as flower pots.
Composting is also an amazing zero-waste habit in which we use organic waste from our homes such as vegetable peelings, grass clippings, and the like, and turn it into compost which we can then use in our gardens (here’s all you need to know about composting).
5. Spread the Word!
Finally, the best way to ensure more and more people join the fight to prevent climate change is to talk with them. Talk to your friends, family, and colleagues. Hold discussions in mosques. And if possible, write to people in positions of authority, such as political representatives and company directors. Inform people that environmental protection and combating climate change are not just pressing needs of our times, they’re also duties placed on us by Allah (SWT).
If you’re ready to spread the word but don’t know where or how to start, head on over to Green Islam’s Advocacy Tool-kit to learn how you can help make a difference.
