By: Tracey MacDermott, NFBPWC Environment and Sustainable Development  
Committee Chair (2024-2026) 

Be A Climate Hero 

Planet Earth Is Calling Your Name in 2025 

This opinion piece was originally published in The Greater Park Hill News, where the author is a monthly columnist. Previous columns can be found here: http://greaterparkhill.org/?s=tracey+macdermott 

At the end of November, the 29th Conference of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (COP 29) was held. For many,  it was a disappointment, beginning with the president of Azerbaijan praising oil and gas as a “gift from the  gods.” 

While the previous conference focused on limiting the rise of global temperatures to 1.5 degrees Celsius, this  year’s conference was centered on how to pay and who would pay for the mess we humans have created.  

The year 2030 is on the horizon, and each day of inaction is making it nearly impossible to stay below 1.5 degrees.  That is the necessary benchmark to avoid the dangerous and serious effects of climate change. Yet each year,  new data shows that we are missing promised targets and falling further behind. We are pushing the limits of  what Earth can handle and catapulting us towards a global catastrophe.  

This may leave you wondering if there really is anything that can be done. Organizers of this year’s Earth Day  (earthday.org) certainly think so, and you, too, can be an agent of change for positive results for Mother Earth.  

You may have already considered your New Year’s resolutions. Maybe becoming a climate hero wasn’t on your  list, but the world is calling on you. Get inspired and make an action plan for 2025 that will lower your impact;  be the change that is needed in our community.  

Trying to solve a global problem that will take all of us is overwhelming and seemingly insurmountable. But  small actions taken by many of us can create meaningful change.  

Here are but a few: 

Globally, we throw out two billion tons of trash every year. Much of that trash is harmful to the environment,  wreaking havoc on unsuspecting wildlife, poisoning our soil and destroying waterways. Let’s reduce this,  starting with the trash on our own streets. This year Greater Park Hill Community, Inc. will be hosting quarterly  neighborhood clean-up events. Please check back in the months to come for dates and other specifics. 

Did you know that our neighborhood has a group of volunteers that help kids get to school on their bikes? The  Bike Bus is currently in operation at both Park Hill Elementary and Odyssey School. The Bike Bus encourages  movement for the kids, reduces emissions and promotes wellbeing in our community. (The Park Hill School  Bike Bus rides every Wednesday, rain or shine — check out the pledge and all details at  https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1s-co-HBmGikwi6B2bwkYizIE6mMygjAjGO 

ojowy0Uk/viewform?edit_requested=true. More on the national Bike Bus movement is at bikebus.world.)  

Beyond biking to school, can you reduce your car trips by walking and biking more for errands and getting to  appointments? Carpool with your neighbors and colleagues. Denver has e-bike rebates to help get you into a  new, clean way to get around our city. (Check out denvergov.org/Government/Agencies-Departments 

Offices/Agencies-Departments-Offices-Directory/Climate-Action-Sustainability-and-Resiliency/Cutting Denvers-Carbon-Pollution/Sustainable-Transportation/Electric-Bike-Rebates.)

Or maybe it is time to get an electric car and vow to reduce your air travel in 2025. One less airplane trip can  reduce your footprint by almost two tons of CO2.  

Maybe you are a gardener. Would you be willing to help coordinate produce swaps this spring to help reduce  food waste and get food to those in need? Shoot me an email at traceymacdermott@gmail.com.  

Composting food scraps helps prevent methane emissions and also returns nutrients right back into your soil.  Eating more vegetables, fruits, and nuts, and cutting down on meat and dairy, also lowers your environmental  impact.  

At home, work on reducing your energy usage. Wash your clothes in cold water, skip the dryer, switch to LED  bulbs and energy-efficient appliances. Research rebates to see if you can convert your gas appliances to electric.  If you are not ready to ditch the gas furnace, could you buy an offset with a solar and wind farm?  

Stop the purchasing madness! We throw away so much and our homes are overflowing with items we rarely  use. Shop second-hand, and repair what you can (see Mark Kuhl’s column below for a great new directory on  related Denver businesses.) When you do need to buy, please consider companies that have proven to reduce  their impacts and are not funding fossil fuels or deforestation.  

Plant native species in your yard. This helped increase the biodiversity within Park Hill, helps native wildlife  with food sources and enhances our beautiful neighborhood.  

Use your voice. Get inspired, talk with neighbors and be the change. Make a goal each month to lower harmful  impacts. Let us know what you are doing. Let’s motivate each other!