Tools- of Changes

19 Ways to Help the Climate, Ranked

This paper analyzed 19 climate-friendly behaviors to reveal which ones reduce planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions the most. Understanding which actions pack the biggest punch also helps us know where to aim our collective action efforts for the maximum impact.

The "right" decisions will look different for everyone depending on what's accessible to them. Living car-free is the most impactful behavior by far in terms of reducing emissions. But if that's unattainable, switching from a gas-powered car to an electric vehicle, or shifting as many trips as possible to walking, biking or public transit, also cuts emissions. Further, interventions intended to shift people toward climate-friendly behaviors — such as asking people to commit to using public transit, or comparing their energy use to their neighbors — achieve only 10% of their potential emissions impact without systemic support. The remaining 90% is reliant on broader changes that make individual actions attainable.