Level 1: Behavior Changes and Addressing Sustainability in Your Business
For technology, education, finance and government-like sectors:
- Switch off your computers and electronics when you’re not using them or enable auto-sleep options to save energy.
- Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions can be reduced significantly, typically by over half a ton per year, by turning off a computer when not in use. (2)
- Print on both sides, use digital files or implement paper-free days to decrease paper usage and waste. (1)
- Repair and update old equipment before buying new equipment. Once it’s necessary to get rid of your old equipment, research donation or eco-friendly disposal options.
For transport, tourism and agriculture-like sectors:
Decrease pollution and curb the emission of greenhouse gasses by conserving fuel.
- Try not to idle your vehicle more than 30 seconds. Idling wastes fuel and increases engine wear, so small changes in idling time can lead to noticeable benefits, including fuel savings and a reduction in pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, noise and engine wear.
- Adopt clean energy in tourist facilities — for example, use solar energy-saving stoves for cooking, lighting and warming bathwater. Post reminders around the facility for staff and customers to turn off lights when not in use.
- Practice sustainable farming by replacing nonrenewable resources, like petroleum-based products, with rapidly renewable products and practices, such as bamboo and straw materials or solar energy.
- Promote agroforestry and reliance on nonwood forest resources such as honey, fruits and essential oils to control the loss of land and forest cover.
- Respect indigenous cultures and species that play an important role in overall carbon sequestration.
Level 2: Building Resilience and Staff Empowerment
- Create a team of dedicated staff who will lead sustainability initiatives. Give incentives and recognition for staff contributions. (1)
- Address climate change knowledge gaps within your team. Learn from organizations that have developed manuals, e-learning platforms and strategies to combat climate change. (2)
- Learn how to start or adopt climate-friendly business practices in the YALI Network online course.
- Check out these resources from One Planet Network on sustainable construction and infrastructure, tourism, public procurement and more.
- Increase focus on climate risk management. (3)
- Start with “Climate-Resilient Development 101” and “What is the Climate Risk Management Process?” course training.
Visit our YALI4OurFuture page for more tools and resources.
(1) Earth Day: The Official Site | earthday.org. Earthday.org. (n.d.). Retrieved April 13, 2023, from https://www.earthday.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/EARTH-DAY-MENU-At-Home.pdf
(2) UNESCO. (2020). Pages 18 and 52. In Education for sustainable development: a roadmap. Essay. From https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000374802
(3) USAID. (n.d.). Advancing climate action in and through education. Education Links. Retrieved April 13, 2023, from https://www.edu-links.org/advancing-climate-action-and-through-education