Espèces menacées : ce que nous pouvons tous faire pour les sauver
En ce jour de la Terre, découvrez les menaces auxquelles ces animaux sont confrontés ainsi que les efforts de conservation visant à leur éviter ...
serviettes en tissu
Nous pouvons tous participer au ralentissement de la déforestation en utilisant simplement moins de papier et en achetant uniquement du papier à haute teneur en fibres recyclées, ce qui entraînera une diminution de la demande en bois vierge. Pensez à utiliser des <anchor>serviettes en tissu</anchor> plutôt qu'en papier et passez au tout électronique pour vos formalités administratives. Si vous avez réellement besoin de papier, choisissez les produits certifiés durables par des organisations comme le Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).
Your actions alone can’t save the planet—but these habits can help
Your actions alone can’t save the planet—but these habits can help

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- [EARTH DAY ISSUE](https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/issue/april-2020)

# Your actions alone can’t save the planet—but these habits can help

Each of us can help lighten our ecological load—in our homes, our neighborhoods, and the wider world.

ByPatricia Edmonds

Illustrations byTomi Um

March 25, 2020

•5 min read

This story is part of the optimistic argument for the future of the planet in our special issue on Earth Day. Read the pessimistic argument and the rest of our stories [here](https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/issue/april-2020).

When Earth’s woes come in large numbers—10,000 microplastic particles per liter of [Arctic sea ice](https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/remote-arctic-contains-more-plastic-than-most-places-on-earth), 30,000 species at risk of [extinction](https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/vanishing-what-we-lose-when-an-animal-goes-extinct-feature)—we may doubt the power of this small number: one. As in, **one** person, ready to help.

It’s true that individual acts alone can’t cure what ails the planet. But each **one** of us can find ways to contribute to the solutions—in our homes, our neighborhoods, and the wider world.

## In the home

Become an eco-friendly **pet owner:** Be careful how you use flea and tick products containing pesticides. Avoid cat litter made of materials obtained by strip-mining.

![](https://i.natgeofe.com/n/bf80dd76-7b9c-4d33-adc3-b6984a8916ec/ex-optimism-individual-acts-home.jpg)

Minimize **[food waste](https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/people-waste-more-food-than-they-think-psychology):** Use a digital meal planner to calculate ingredients and portions so virtually everything you buy and cook gets eaten. Learn how to store foods to prolong their usability.

Keep food scraps and waste out of landfills by **[composting](https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/compost--a-history-in-green-and-brown).**

Be sure to properly **insulate** your home and replace old, drafty windows with energy-efficient ones.

## At the store

Green your **coffee** habit. Get a reusable filter pod for your single-use coffee machine—and fill it with certified “ [bird friendly” coffee](https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/shade-trees-coffee-plantations-effect-bird-biodiversity) grown in a habitat that also nurtures birds.

![](https://i.natgeofe.com/n/50add622-e2da-4565-8496-78a0b578e926/ex-optimism-individual-acts-store.jpg)

Be choosy when buying **home tissue.** Know which products are made of virgin wood pulp, which contribute to [destruction of forests](https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/deforestation). Instead of buying paper towels and paper napkins, use cloth towels, napkins, and rags when possible.

Consider [dropping **meat**](https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/commission-report-great-food-transformation-plant-diet-climate-change) from a few meals, or completely.

## In the neighborhood

Help keep your community’s vegetation healthy by organizing **tree-planting projects or pruning and weeding outings** to eliminate invasive plants.

![](https://i.natgeofe.com/n/ac7504c1-67b6-475e-b9c2-7b9e8fa9e78a/ex-optimism-individual-acts-neighborhood.jpg)

Plant **[pollinator](https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/150524-bees-pollinators-animals-science-gardens-plants) gardens.**

With help from local water and conservation officials, arrange a **cleanup of a creek** or other waterway in your community.

## As a citizen

Know the requirements for **testifying at hearings** or submitting written comment when federal agencies are seeking public input on an action or rule under consideration.

![](https://i.natgeofe.com/n/76021a11-8e57-424f-aa8e-22ef0573fd9b/ex-optimism-individual-acts-citizen.jpg)

Check _[townhallproject.com](https://townhallproject.com/)_ to search by zip code for **town halls** and other events where you can speak in person to your local legislators.

Share your home-composting experience: **Hold workshops** in the neighborhood to encourage and teach others.

Source: [Natural Resources Defense Council](https://www.nrdc.org/)

This story appears in the [April 2020](https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/issue/april-2020) issue of _National Geographic_ magazine.

## Related Topics

- [GREEN LIVING](/related/c868f14c-5a5a-3be8-8980-8888fec83065/green-living)
- [RECYCLING](/related/e4d17418-f5b9-32e5-b035-3baddc2abed5/recycling)
- [CLIMATE CHANGE](/related/c55876ee-1f9f-3756-8fd0-e1a5707efdf1/climate-change)
- [COFFEE](/related/9ed6d8a4-a2f6-3ffa-83d3-64cfadfec1f1/coffee)
- [FOOD WASTE](/related/12f8f76a-e270-38a9-9df4-4056ab39488b/food-waste)
- [COMPOST](/related/eb9b04ad-8c88-3556-9c24-1475fe5ff721/compost)
- [GARDENS](/related/5010c84f-df41-37ca-9a87-4697cf9c5b6b/gardens)

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