Bala Sivaraman drives an electric car around the US capital, Washington, buys used clothes and furniture and cooks his vegan meals in an induction oven he bought after the parting with his gas stove.
Sim Bilal relies solely on public transport – no easy feat in Los Angeles-centric transport – uses refurbished technology and lives in an apartment with solar panels.
As world leaders prepare to meet for the crunch COP28 climate talks in the United Arab Emirates next month, some Americans are showing that they see the environment as being able to limit their carbon footprint, comparing the they work with their resources in a country where there are no lifestyle options. .
“When we are bombarded with so much news of the tragic day, it can be difficult to think that we have something to establish ourselves,” Sivaraman told AFP.
“The most powerful thing about living a sustainable life or committing ourselves to lifeless activities is that it gives us that sense of hope, because, take back our power.”
Living on opposite sides of the country, the two young men work as environmental activists and have a carbon footprint of three to four tons per year, according to estimates powered by carbonfootprint.com.
That’s below the average US annual footprint of about 15 tons, which is three times the global average.
On a short fall day, Sivaraman took his compost to a local community garden, opened a compost bin, and began placing vegan hotdogs, paper plates and other biodegradable items inside.
“From a party at my friend’s animal shelter the other day,” said the 28-year-old, who does communications for the nonprofit Earthjustice, covering the mound with dry trash to help the decomposition process.
After six months, the fertile soil is used in plots to help grow tomatoes, cilantro and other vegetables.
“Garbage is diverted out of landfills,” he explained, and because it decomposes in the presence of oxygen, it produces methane that harms the climate. It helps foster a sense of common purpose and community, he adds.
Less and worse
Bilal, 21, got his first taste of direct action last year after covering the L.A. mayoral debates, making local news as he led the candidates to release their their work plans.
“This is the number one problem for my generation,” he told AFP. He is currently organizing a joint California Green New Deal and Youth Climate strike in Los Angeles.
Although getting a driver’s license was a rite of passage for US teenagers, Bilal decided at the age of 16 that the climate was too expensive.
When he’s not riding the LA Metro or taking the intercity train, he can be found on his one wheel: a custom-made electric skateboard that will see him through the last mile in the city. public transportation will be lacking.
The clothes he’s wearing during the video interview are four years old and his five-year-old iPad was refurbished after breaking its screen, instead of buying a new one – dimensions to connect to its principle of buying less, and buying forever.
“It’s difficult because some things are very comfortable – you might want to jump into a trend, but for me the price is not worth it,” he said.
Sivaraman – who was involved in direct action with the Sunrise Movement and was arrested for the first time in September at the Federal Reserve building in New York – said that his health and well-being have only improved. since he made choices to see the weather.
The idea that phasing out fossil fuels is causing people to have a “dangerous, miserable life” is a “great PR stunt” required by the industry, he said.
“Across the board – health, emotional happiness, money… There are many benefits to living a zero-waste, sustainable lifestyle, and I’m sure that’s the case.”
[GNN]
