5 Ways to Be a Low Carbon Family that Don’t Cost Anything More

In the age of the climate crisis, parents now have another major issue to worry about: the planet their children will inherit.

As if parents didn’t have enough on their plates.

For most parents who are cognisant of the impact of climate change, they want to do something helpful about it. They want to lower their family’s impact. They want to raise responsible, caring kids.

But in the end, parents don’t want to pay anything more in doing so. Families are already stretched enough, from mortgage payments to daycare bills to activity costs. Parents are hesitant, and rightly so, to add more costs to their lifestyle.

The good news is that there are significant ways to help the planet without adding any more cost to your current budget.

And the juicy side benefit? A simplified, more fulfilling lifestyle. Win – win.

Here are five ways to be a low carbon family at no extra cost.

1. Use your voice

In the book “The Parent’s Guide to Climate Revolution”, author Mary DeMocker argues that the number one way to help the climate crisis is to urge systemic change. If you have 5 minutes, don’t worry about washing out a container for the recycling, but instead call your political representative and advocate for low carbon policies. Systemic change will bring about far greater impact than an individual’s single efforts.

2. Increase plant-based foods in your diet

Switching to a plant-based diet has a lower carbon footprint and can save you significant money – at least $750 per year according to various studies. Eating more fruits, veggies and plant protein is also healthier. But you don’t need to go to the extreme. Simply adding one vegetarian meal a week into your diet helps. Meatless Mondays is a popular trend.

3. Divest from fossil fuels in your investments

One powerful way to show you no longer support the addiction to fossil fuels is to ensure dirty energy doesn’t have a place in your investment portfolio. Sell off your oil and gas stocks and bonds. It takes two minutes to notify your financial adviser or place the trade in your online trading account. Then, if you can, look at what your ETFs or mutual funds hold. Opt for clean energy and future-focused companies. There is even a S&P Fossil Fuel Free Index now. Imagine the power if a huge movement of investors vote with their money that low carbon is the way of our future.

4. Lower your transportation impact

There are many ways to lower your transportation impact and save money. Advocate to work from home one day a week. Take one less flight (or more) per year, whether for business or pleasure. Bike more. Take the train. Buy a used car or a hybrid. And yes, if you can afford to buy an electric car, please do so. Ideally buy a used electric car to avoid the impact of manufacturing new vehicles.

5. Have less kids

This is a tough one for me to write – considering our societal norms and as a parent myself. One of the best ways to reduce your family’s carbon footprint is to have less kids. Less humans on the planet means less impact — and less impact on your finances. If you are on the fence of whether to have three, consider sticking with two for the planet. Consider adopting. Or if it resonates, go on a “birth strike” and have no kids at all, as a growing movement espouses. Regardless, get informed and make a conscious choice.

Do you need to go to the extreme with any of these low carbon ideas for your family? Sure, if you want to, but it’s more important to just do something.