Individual action is key. Here are some things you can do:
- Minimize your home energy use
- Seek opportunities to use public transit, carpool, walk or bike
- Purchase a more energy-efficient vehicle
- Buy groceries and supplies produced locally
- Switch to Clean Power for your home: https://www.papowerswitch.com/
- Invest in rooftop solar and solar water heating systems (rebates are often available and commercial building owners may obtain low-cost loans through Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy financing: https://www.thesef.org/
- Replace lawns with native trees, shrubs and plants; decrease your use of fertilizers
- Minimize stormwater flowing directly into storm drains — use rain barrels, rain gardens, and the like
- If possible, use reclaimed water for nonpotable uses such as watering your garden
- Contact your municipality to demand a robust, implementable and verifiable climate action plan
For more ideas, check out DEP’s 2018 climate action plan: