Practical Knowledge for Sustainable Living
Our quest begins with a simple question:
Living in an interdependent world where collectively, young and old, have
a stake and a role to play, we find that the science of climate change is
Simple, the impacts are Serious, but the problem is Solvable –
Our intention is to gather and to present positive environmental information
and actions in a simple and easy to navigate format that can help our
neighbors make good kitchen table decisions and support their desire to
do something to reverse climate change.
Our hope is to join with other partners to become a Southern New Mexico
movement seizing this opportunity to shift the conversation past doom and
gloom and transition to a new vision by remaining laser-focused on the
most effective ways for all of us to address climate change.
Take Action Now!
Take Action Now!
Home Energy Audit
Home Energy Audit
Our energy revolution starts where we live. Homes generate planet-warming CO₂
emissions that seriously impact our earth. One fix is to electrify our homes ASAP.
Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) audit and upgrade incentives we can cut our energy consumption by 15-30% or higher which translates to real money AND planet savings.
There are different types of home and energy usage audits that identify where we lose energy. Information can be collected
by phone, in a completed form or, as recommended by the government, by an in-person auditor that can assess all factors
such as Electrical Equipment, Temperature Controls, Water Systems, Windows, Skylights, and Rooftop Solar.
It is recommended to do the assessments every 5-10 years.
Additionally, Federal Assistance Programs like the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) aid
low or moderate income households in reducing their energy costs and environmental impact.
Electric Vehicles
Electric Vehicles
The Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law include billions of dollars
for zero emission school buses, a network of EV chargers and heavy duty clean trucks at ports. By 2050 new standards and rules will reduce climate pollution by hundreds of millions of metric tons which is as much greenhouse pollution as New Mexico emits, making it the most effective climate policy we can adopt.
Car and truck pollution are the 2nd largest source of climate pollution in NM (The Oil & Gas Industry is 1st!).
Additionally transportation pollution disproportionally impacts lower income communities.
The fastest way to reduce the transportation sectors toxic air and climate pollution is with zero emission cars and trucks.
New electric or fuel cell vehicles can earn up to $7500 in tax credits and used vehicles can earn credits up to $4000. These federal dollars support clean trucks and car deployment, boosts NM’s economy and creates clean tech jobs. NM’s access to these millions in federal funding will boost EV infrastructure and make clean cars more convenient, accessible, and affordable.
Environmentalists
hate plug-in hybrids
Do these cars
get a bad rap?
Do these cars
get a bad rap?
What Youth Can Do
What Youth Can Do
Now is the time for an intergenerational, all hands on deck in Climate Action.
Global citizens under 30 are inheriting a hotter more unpredictable climate that has enormous implications for their future. But they also have incredible power to change the course we’re on by learning about the environment through engaging in outdoor study which, in turn, nurtures thoughtful, ecoliterate children to lead us into a sustainable future. Whether calling on policymakers, implementing innovative solutions, telling their stories, or collaborating across national lines, the more they know about our planet earth, the more they will love and protect her.
Youth are particularly powerful providers of new, diverse, and authentic voices. Their conversations and reflections are a critical source of inspiration, positivity and hope for climate change activism. Engaging young people in discussions and actions about the sustainability issues we face as well as engaging them in thinking about real climate solutions that impact us all is the most powerful resource we have.
The future is theirs and they are unstoppable.
The story of nine incredible young women aged between 12 and 24, who share a common fight: the climate emergency. The movie combines moving eyewitness accounts and breathtaking archive footage. Who are these activists, set on changing the world? How can we understand their anger? What hopes do they carry?.
Their annual One Earth Young Filmmakers Contest is open to students from grades 3 through college level from around the world. It was created with the goal of engaging youth in the discussion about sustainability issues and getting them thinking about solutions.
Southern New Mexico Recycling Kid’s Corner
Fridays for Future
Rebates & Tax Credits
Rebates & Tax Credits
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) offers homeowners several ways to save money
on energy-efficient upgrades and appliances.
Tax Credits:
• Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit: This credit covers up to 30% of the cost of qualified improvements, with a maximum annual credit of $1,200. This includes insulation, windows, doors, water heaters, furnaces, air conditioners, and more.
• Non-creditable Points: You can claim points instead of the credit, which reduces your tax bill directly. The point value varies based on the type of improvement.
• Professional home energy audit: You can claim a tax credit of up to $150 for a home energy audit. This audit can identify areas for improvement and help you choose the most cost-effective upgrades.
• Low Income Household Appliance and Home Improvement Rebates: This program offers rebates for low- and moderate-income households to purchase qualifying energy-efficient appliances, furnaces, and water heaters. The rebates can cover a significant portion of the cost.
• The 2024 rebate availability depends on how each state rolls out its incentive program.
Home: Appliances & More
Home: Appliances & More
Our homes generate planet warming CO₂ emissions through the use of appliances, water heaters, and Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems.
At some point everyone will need to replace their stove, refrigerator, water heater, or clothes dryer. Whether in the midst of a major renovation, weatherization or just everyday use, it’s a perfect opportunity to convert to instant hot water heaters in the kitchen and baths, electric appliances or systems that will contribute to providing climate savings. And now with the government providing financial incentives there is no better time to convert and/or upgrade.
Click on a picture to explore some
environmentally friendly and financial saving options.
The All-Electric Kitchen
Refrigerator
Coming Soon
Coming Soon
Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (hvac)
Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (hvac)
Upgrading to newer, more efficient HVAC systems, especially those utilizing heat pumps, can significantly reduce energy consumption and emissions. Heat pumps use electricity to move heat unlike furnaces and boilers that burn fossil fuels and release greenhouse gases. A switch to heat pumps can cut emissions and reduce the overall demand for electricity, especially if the electricity comes from renewable sources like solar or wind.
New refrigerants with a lower Global Warming Potential (GWP) are being developed to minimize the impact of leaks.
Utilizing programmable thermostats and smart controls allow for optimized usage and reduced energy consumption.
Regular maintenance of HVAC systems ensures optimal performance and efficiency.
Induction Ranges & Cooktops
Induction Ranges & Cooktops
Induction stoves offer clear potential advantages over gas stoves when it comes to combating climate change. While the upfront cost might be higher, electric induction ranges offer a combination of efficiency, safety, environmental benefits, and precise cooking control, making them an attractive option for many modern kitchens.
Why?
- Energy Efficiency: Induction stoves are significantly more energy-efficient than gas. They heat food by directly heating the cookware, minimizing heat loss to the surroundings. Gas stoves lose much of their heat output into the air, making them less efficient.
- Reduced Fossil Fuel Reliance: Where electricity comes from renewable sources, opting for induction cooking directly reduces reliance on natural gas, a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions.
- Indoor Air Quality: Gas stoves leak methane (a potent greenhouse gas), even when turned off. Additionally, they release pollutants like nitrogen dioxide, which contribute to respiratory issues.
- Safety, control and speed: Induction stovetops are easier to clean, they’re more responsive, and they are just as powerful, if not more powerful, than gas.
But there are a few downsides:
- Cost: Induction stoves can be more expensive ($1000-$4000+) than gas stoves and you may need some re-wiring. However, the energy savings over time can offset this. There are also rebates and incentives to encourage the transition.
- Cookware Compatibility: Not all cookware works with induction stoves. You may need to invest in new pots and pans.
Recommended ranges will bring
pasta water to a fast boil,
hold a big batch of spaghetti sauce or
chili at a low simmer, and
deliver dozens of cookies that are
evenly baked and nicely browned.
You may consider buying an induction cooktop rather
than a full range. Why?
- Cost: Cooktops are cheaper.
- Flexibility: You can integrate an induction cooktop into your existing kitchen countertop.
- Space-saving: Ideal for smaller kitchens or apartments.
- Easy installation: “Plug and play” using existing 110v outlet.
- Affordable entry point into the world of induction cooking.
Simple Everyday Actions
Simple Everyday Actions
Let's all take on a small everyday action that can
make a difference and even
inspire and motivate others.
Every single one of us has a role to play.
Click on a title, picture, or link to see more!
ranking tissue brands
Eco-Friendly Options
Recycled vs Bamboo Toilet Paper
The average family uses 2 trees worth of toilet paper per year.
Over a million trees are destroyed in the production of regular tree toilet paper.
Bamboo TP is toxin free, biodegradable and BPA free.
Bamboo TP Reviews:
Best Eco-Friendly Bamboo TP
Buy local!
Toucan Grocery
Sprouts
Websites of a few brands:
Call, Email or Write to your local rep
Make your voice heard by those in power that Climate Change is important to you and that you want them to take ambitious, bold climate action now.
Write to:
Urge Congress
to Act!
Donate
Donate to Climate Action non-profits, join a local environmental board or volunteer. Here are just a few:
Las Cruces Green Chamber of Commerce
Think Local First!
Think Local First for environmental sustainability. Local stores and chain stores are not the same. Local stores create walkable town centers that reduces sprawl, automobile use, habitat loss and air and water pollution.
Community scaled business districts actually improve environmental sustainability. Additionally, independent businesses make purchases requiring less transportation cost and operate in commercial town corridors rather than in the outskirts. This allows for greater pedestrian and public
transit access and less land used for roads and parking.
Local stores enable residents to fulfill more of their daily needs close to home. They walk more if they live near neighborhood stores and drive less. Small businesses also influence the likelihood of people taking public transit. Neighborhoods with the most local businesses have 26% fewer automobiles miles than people living in areas with few neighborhood stores.
Less automobiles=less air pollution.
Buy Less!
Choosing to buy less or not at all is the original mantra for saving money. Add “refuse” to the three Rs you’ve already heard of: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Additionally, when you don’t buy, you cut down on the amount that you contribute to landfills. The carbon footprint of refusing is hard to calculate because it varies from person to person, but tools like footprintcalculator.org can help you determine your current ecological footprint and offer actionable solutions for change, including buying less.
Solar Power
Solar Power
Installing solar electric on your home is a positive step towards a cleaner, healthier environment. It reduces greenhouse gas emissions, improves air and water quality, conserves resources, and can pay for itself with rebates, credits, and lower energy bills. While there are some environmental considerations, the overall benefits make solar a worthwhile investment for many homeowners.
Recycling & Composting
Recycling & Composting
Here are some benefits to recycling & composting:
- Reducing Landfill Emissions: Recycling and composting divert waste that would otherwise contribute to methane emissions in landfills.
- Conserving Resources: Recycling materials such as metals, paper, and plastics reduces the need for energy-intensive mining and manufacturing processes that produce greenhouse gases.
- Building Healthy Soil: Compost enriches soil, aiding plant growth. This promotes carbon sequestration (removing CO₂ from the atmosphere), and helps soil retain water, reducing the need for irrigation.
Trash or Recycling?
Why Plastic Keeps Us Guessing
Food!
Do you know the complex link between our food choices and climate change?
- Agriculture: Growing crops and raising livestock require massive amounts of land, water, and energy. Processes like land clearing, fertilizer use, and animal digestion release greenhouse gases (methane, nitrous oxide).
- Food Processing & Transportation: The industrial food system relies heavily on fossil fuels for processing, packaging, and transporting food over long distances.
- Food Waste: A massive amount of food is wasted at every point in the food supply chain, from the farm to our plates. When food rots, it releases methane, a potent greenhouse gas.
What You Can Do
- Reduce Food Waste: Preventing food waste is critical to curbing emissions. Planning meals, shopping wisely, and composting food scraps can make a huge difference.
- Sustainable Diets: Choose more plant-based foods, source meat and dairy from sustainably managed farms, and opt for local, seasonal produce when possible.
- Support Sustainable Agriculture: Look for farmers' markets, Community Supported Agriculture (CSAs), and food products that promote regenerative farming practices.
Eat a Plant-Based Diet
Click on the images below for information on plant-based diet’s impact on the environment.
Series: You Are What You Eat:
A Twin Experiment
Plastics
Plastics
By 2050, without intervention, greenhouse gas emissions from plastics
could be nearly 15% of the earth's total remaining carbon budget.
Plastics contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions at
every stage of their lifecycle.
This includes:
- Extraction and Transport of Fossil Fuels: Plastic is made from oil and gas, and getting these resources out of the ground and transporting them are energy-intensive, carbon-emitting processes.
- Production and Manufacturing: Refineries that turn oil and gas into plastic precursors, and the manufacturing process itself, release vast amounts of greenhouse gases.
- Waste Disposal: Incinerating plastic waste releases substantial CO₂ and other pollutants into the atmosphere. Landfills aren't much better, as plastic decomposition can release methane, a potent greenhouse gas.
- Plastic in the Ocean: Plastics degrade into microplastics, which can disrupt the ocean's ability to absorb and store carbon dioxide. Further worsening the climate crisis indirectly.
What you can do:
- Reduce plastic consumption: Opt for reusable alternatives, like glass, stainless steel, and fabric bags.
- Recycle: Where possible, properly recycle plastic items.
- Support policies that limit plastic production and invest in sustainable alternatives.
Click here to learn exactly how plastic pollution is linked to climate change.
Re-use Take-Out Containers
Here are some small changes that can make a big difference in breaking free from single-use plastic containers:
- Use your own reusable water bottles, shopping bags, and food containers.
- When ordering takeout, ask if you can bring your own container.
- Pack leftovers in reusable containers and choose fresh produce over pre-packaged snacks whenever possible.
- Use glass or stainless steel containers for storing food, leftovers, and even taking lunches to work.
Americans discard 25 billion Styrofoam cups and take-out containers every year! Styrofoam is made from petroleum that accelerates climate change. In addition to polluting, Styrofoam is non-biode-gradable and appears to last forever. Non-biodegradable materials are the main component of marine debris. 57 chemical byproducts are released during the creation of Styrofoam. This pollutes the air and results in liquid and solid toxic waste that requires proper disposal.
Eliminate your use of Styrofoam by washing and reusing plastic take-out containers or by purchasing stainless steel containers.
Americans discard 25 billion Styrofoam cups and take-out containers every year! Styrofoam is made from petroleum that accelerates climate change. In addition to polluting, Styrofoam is non-biode-gradable and appears to last forever. Non-biodegradable materials are the main component of marine debris. 57 chemical byproducts are released during the creation of Styrofoam. This pollutes the air and results in liquid and solid toxic waste that requires proper disposal.
Eliminate your use of Styrofoam by washing and reusing plastic take-out containers or by purchasing stainless steel containers.
Websites:
Over 700 million plastic detergent jugs are discarded every year. By 2050 it is estimated that there will be more plastic waste than fish.
Ditch the plastic jugs and use biode-gradable, eco-friendly laundry sheets in cardboard packaging.
Good Housekeeping: Best Laundry Sheets
Buy Local!
Albertsons & Target
Websites of a few brands
MultiMedia
Here are some movies, series, podcasts, TED talks, books, etc.
that can inspire action toward addressing climate change!
Click here to share any suggestions.
NEW ITEM!!
The first of its kind streaming platform that brings inspiration and action together through award-winning, certified films and documentaries that you can stream at any time, and on any device for free.
The embedded link takes you to the “Climate Action” page for films ranging from 5 minutes to feature length.
Ted Talk - Climate Change: Simple, Serious, Solvable
Other Climate Action Resources
Other Climate Action Resources
Here are some additional resources for climate advocacy & more ways to get involved beyond what is provided in this website.
Amplify Your Voice
We created the Climate Action Now app - to make it easy and rewarding for ordinary citizens to amplify their voices on behalf of the planet.
The Science is Simple
The Science is Simple
- CO₂ traps heat
- We’ve added CO₂ to the atmosphere.
- The Earth is getting warmer
o2
the impacts are Serious
the impacts are Serious
- Rising Temperatures can lead to:
- More Extreme Weather Events
- Melting Glaciers and Ice Sheets
- Changes in Precipitation Patterns can lead to:
- Droughts
- Floods
- Ocean Acidification harms marine ecosystems,
including coral reefs and shellfish populations.
- Impact on Biodiversity and Ecosystems
- Sea Level Rise:
- Threaten coastal communities
- Causes saltwater intrusion into freshwater sources.
- Threats to Human Health:
- Worsen air quality
- Increase the spread of malaria and dengue fever
- Cause injuries, deaths, and displacement.
- Food Security Issues – Disruption of agricultural production
- Economic Impacts - Damage infrastructure, disrupt supply chains,
and lead to economic losses in various sectors like agriculture, tourism, and insurance.
No Breakthroughs Needed
No Breakthroughs Needed
We welcome any suggestions, corrections, questions, comments, criticisms, etc.
Please use the form to the right, or simply send an email to:
or
Any mention of contractors or links to websites does not imply any endorsement of the products, services, or information offered.