7 Sustainability Challenges For 2024

If the last year left you with some anxiety about the future of the planet, you’re not alone. A simple scroll through Instagram can easily detour into devastating places. Polar ice melting, species dying out, carbon emissions rising, the environmental impact of Swift and Kelce’s relationship, and the list continues. 

But I’m an optimistic environmentalist, and I want to remind everyone that there is still good news. You matter. Your choices matter. The power of the individual is still strong. Markets and innovation can change the planet for the better. 

If you want to take action in 2024 instead of just doomscrolling, here are seven sustainability challenges for you to consider: 

No plastic water bottles 

Experts predict that there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050. Scary? Yes. Plastic reduction is important, and there is one common plastic item you can challenge yourself not to use in 2024: plastic water bottles. The average American uses 156 plastic water bottles every year, so committing to carrying a reusable water bottle can add up to a lot of avoided plastic.

Reduce or eliminate meat consumption 

There are three huge problems with the meat industry: animal welfare, pollution, and the intensive use of resources. You vote with your dollar, and you can vote against these negative impacts by reducing or eliminating meat consumption in your life. I’ve been a vegetarian for nearly six years and highly recommend it, but even a Meatless Monday is a great way to start reducing the money you give to the industry. And if you continue to buy meat, vote for animal welfare by hunting or buying from a hunter, buying local, or buying meat only if it has an animal treatment certification. 

Buy clothes secondhand 

Fast fashion has a terrible impact on the planet. The fashion industry is the second largest global consumer of water and is responsible for nearly 10 percent of global carbon emissions. Choosing to only buy secondhand (or sustainably made) clothing is an amazing act of individual resistance when the average consumer buys 60 percent more clothing than they did 15 years ago (while keeping clothing items for half the time). 

Commit to package free produce 

This was something I challenged myself to do in 2023, and it was simpler than I thought it would be! Instead of buying pre-packaged fruits and veggies, commit to buying package-free as much as possible. First, arm yourself with some reusable produce bags (life hack: old clean pillow cases generally fit bulky produce like broccoli and cabbage better than the typical drawstring produce bags). Then, figure out where to shop. Places like Whole Foods, Sprouts, or your local farmers market are going to have a better unpackaged produce selection than Aldi or Trader Joe’s.

Start composting

If you take on this challenge in 2024, I’ll be joining you! I have been an environmentalist for nearly a decade, but as someone who has always rented, starting a compost bin has always seemed like a difficult task. But with plenty of renter friendly compost options available, 2024 is the year. Considering food scraps sent to landfills emit an annual average of 170 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, composting is a great way to do our part for the planet. 

Buy carbon offsets 

Even if we work to lower our carbon footprint we will inevitably still be responsible for some carbon emissions. That’s why carbon offsets are a great option, and technology is making it simpler than ever for individuals to easily offset their own carbon footprints. If you want to challenge yourself to reduce your carbon footprint, offsets are a great idea with plenty of options out there. 

Donate to animal welfare causes 

Sometimes we get so absorbed with climate change as a big idea that we forget to take care of a beloved part of our planet: animals. If you’re concerned about animal welfare, for 2024 I challenge you to become a monthly donor to an organization fighting for our furry, feathered, or finned friends. A couple of organizations I always recommend are White Coat Waste, which is a libertarian organization actively fighting to end taxpayer funded animal abuse, and Sea Shepherd, which works with governments across the globe to end the illegal treatment of ocean animals. 

Your actions make a difference in this world and for our planet. Never forget it. How will you be a positive environmental force in 2024?