Africa at Work| 10 Ways to Adapt a Climate-Friendly Lifestyle

The Earth’s changing. So why aren't we? 

According to Al Jazeera,  Africa contributes just 4 percent of global carbon emissions at 1.45 billion tonnes, yet it faces a disproportionate burden from climate change and adaptation costs.

If Africa is already feeling the weight of a problem it didn’t create, what can we do — here, now — to cope, to thrive, to reclaim control over our future? That’s where adaptation comes in.

Adaptation means adjusting how we live, farm, build, and plan so that our communities can withstand and recover from climate shocks. 

It’s not just about surviving the floods, the droughts, and the heatwaves — it’s about learning to live differently so we can still flourish, no matter what the climate throws at us.

What is climate change?

Imagine the air we breathe as our Earth's skin. It happens to be extremely thin, measuring around 5-7 miles, and fragile, like the skin of an apple, surrounding a massive ball. 

The skin Insulates and regulates temperatures in a range that's just right for water and life, just as we know it. Inside the skin, we are all closely connected. All of life is nourished, protected, and held. 

For most of modern history, we’ve powered our lives — homes, factories, transport, everything — by burning fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas. These fuels release energy, yes, but they also release greenhouse gases (GHGs) like carbon dioxide (CO₂) and methane into the atmosphere. 

Those gases trap heat around the Earth, like a heavy blanket, making the planet warmer over time.  

According to the  Paris Agreement (2015), temperatures beyond 1.5°C risk catastrophic impacts (droughts, floods, crop failures, water scarcity, health crises, and displacement), increasing sharply.

According to the latest IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) assessments:

At the current rate of emissions (~40 gigatons of CO₂ per year), the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change)predicts the remaining “carbon budget” to stay below 1.5°C will be used up in just a few years, by the early 2030s.

The question is — what will you do about it?

How do we solve climate change?

Here are 10 powerful, practical ways to start being part of the solution — not the emissions.

1. Save energy at home

Much of our electricity and heat is powered by coal, oil, and gas. Use less energy by reducing your heating and cooling use, switching to LED light bulbs and energy-efficient electric appliances, washing your laundry with cold water, or hanging things to dry instead of using a dryer. Get more energy tips for your home here.

2. Change your home's source of energy.

Consider switching to renewable sources such as wind or solar by installing solar panels on your roof to generate energy for your home. This can reduce your carbon footprint by up to 1.5 tons of CO2e per year. 

Learn more about why switching to renewable energy is key to tackling the climate crisis.

3. Walk or switch to electric transport.

Walking or riding a bike instead of driving will reduce greenhouse gas emissions -- and help your health and fitness. For longer distances, consider using electric transport. 

Switching from a gasoline or diesel-powered car to an electric vehicle can reduce your carbon footprint by up to 2 tons of CO2e per year. Learn more about how eWAKA is redefining transportation for businesses and gig workers in Africa. 

4. Reduce, reuse, repair, and recycle

Electronics, clothes, plastics, and other items we buy cause carbon emissions at each point in production, from the extraction of raw materials to manufacturing and transporting goods to market. To protect the climate, buy fewer things, shop second-hand, and repair what you can.  

5. Eat more vegetables

Producing plant-based foods generally results in fewer greenhouse gas emissions and requires less energy, land, and water. Shifting from a mixed to a vegetarian diet can reduce your carbon footprint by up to 500 kilograms of CO2e per year (or up to 900 kilograms for a vegan diet).

Learn more about the connections between food and climate change.

6. Throw away less food. 

When you throw food away, you're also wasting the resources and energy that were used to grow, produce, package, and transport it. And when food rots in a landfill, it produces methane, a potent greenhouse gas. 

So purchase only what you need, use what you buy, and compost any leftovers. Cutting your food waste can reduce your carbon footprint by up to 300 kilograms of CO2e per year.

7. Plant native species

Plants, animals, and insects depend on each other. Most insects will not eat non-native plants, which means they lose a food source. Biodiversity suffers. Even a single native tree or shrub planted can offer a refuge – just remember to skip insecticides and other chemicals.

8. Clean up the environment.

Participate in local clean-ups of parks, rivers, beaches, and beyond. Every year, people throw out 2 billion tons of trash. About a third causes environmental harm, from contaminating water supplies to poisoning soil.

9. Make your money count. 

Everything we spend money on affects the planet. You have the power to choose which goods and services you support. To reduce your environmental impact, buy products from companies that use resources responsibly and are committed to reducing their carbon footprint and waste. 

If you have money that is being invested for you, through a pension fund, for instance, make sure your savings are invested in environmentally sustainable businesses, which can significantly reduce your carbon footprint.

10. Speak up and educate others.

Speak up and educate others to join in taking action. It's one of the quickest and most effective ways to make a difference. Talk to your neighbors, colleagues, friends, and family. 

Let business owners know you support bold changes – from plastics-free products and packaging to zero-emissions vehicles and appeal to local and world leaders to act now. 

Climate action is a task for all of us. And it concerns all of us.