Column: Eating sustainably can improve your health and the planet’s

The United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties, known as COP26, recently ended. The United Nations called COP26 “the world’s best last chance to get runaway climate change under control.”

The good news is that the conference resulted in formal agreements to implement bolder climate action on reducing methane, deforestation, and other initiatives. More than 100 countries representing 70% of the global economy signed on to participate in the Global Methane Pledge, agreeing to work together to cut human-caused global methane emissions by 30% by 2030.

China also agreed to cooperate more closely with the U.S. on climate action, strengthen their commitment to cut emissions, develop a national plan on methane, and help stop deforestation. President Joe Biden pledged to reduce the United States’ net greenhouse gas emissions by 50% to 52% below 2005 levels by 2030.

As hard to believe as it sounds, 100 leaders representing 85% of the world’s forests vowed to end deforestation by 2030. Did you know that deforestation in tropical rainforests can add as much greenhouse gas to the atmosphere as all the cars and trucks in the world combined? Governments and private funders also announced contributing $1.7 billion in support of Indigenous peoples and local communities residing near the Amazon rainforest, in recognition of their essential role as land stewards.

Despite these initiatives that sound quite promising, many critics say the result of the COP26 is too little, too late. Mia Mottley, the prime minister of Barbados, an island nation, stated that the current climate trend of the world is “a death sentence” and said: “We’ve come here today to say, try harder.”

What can individuals do to make a difference, to “try harder” in our own lives and homes? Some of the most effective individual actions for building collective climate impact are:

Eat a plant-rich diet. In a study published in Scientific Reports, researchers calculated that if every American replaced all beef, chicken, and pork in their diet with a vegetarian option, that would cut down on the emission of the equivalent of 280 billion kilograms of carbon dioxide every year. The same result as taking about 60 million cars off the road.

Support local businesses that are committed to sustainability. Locally grown and created products require less fossil fuel to get to you.

Organic, regenerative and sustainable businesses deserve our support for their care for local communities, a healthy future and for expressing aloha aina.

Reduce food waste. Food production accounts for 26% of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions, but it is estimated that 6% comes from food that is never eaten, due to either being lost in the supply chain or wasted after being purchased by customers.

Take steps to cut back on your own food waste and support local initiatives to create community compost facilities. Proper composting of food waste reduces or prevents the release of methane, which is more potent than carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas.

Compost also acts as a carbon sink or “sponge” that can soak up emissions currently in the atmosphere, while adding to soil fertility.

This holiday season and into the new year, consider adopting these individual actions for the benefit of Hawaii, our keiki, and future generations worldwide.

Alison Riggs is the customer service and public policy/government relations manager for Down to Earth Organic & Natural.