Eco-Justice Team - March 2026

In a recent article, the Post-Gazette referenced a piece by the Associated Press concerning individuals’ possible effect on climate change. The A.P. asked, “What if just 1 in 10 Americans who currently eat beef, drive gas powered cars, heat their homes with natural gas and buy new clothes changed each of those habits?” Gathering data from federal agencies and other sources, they calculated how much difference would result if one in ten Americans changed their habits. Two of those habits will be discussed this month, and two in April.

The American Heart Association considers one serving of meat to be 3 oz. Substituting a serving of chicken that size for one of beef would cut 10 pounds of carbon dioxide, or 525 pounds over 52 weeks per person. If the price of beef hasn’t already forced you to make that change, it’s an easy one to do.

The EPA says the average American motorist drives 11,500 miles each year. Switching from a gas to an electric vehicle “cuts nearly 7400 pounds of carbon dioxide annually, even accounting for emissions from electricity generation.” However, electric vehicles may not always be the best choice for our climate and terrain. The article does not consider hybrids, which are becoming extremely popular. They have both a gas engine and a large battery, which is charged either from plugging it in, or from the gas engine itself and energy recouped from the brakes.

Enjoy planning your sustainable garden this month- organic vegetables and/or native plants!