United Nations 2014 Climate Summit

On September 23 the United Nations met at their New York headquarters to discuss the issue of global climate change. This Summit aimed to inspire world leaders to take action in the fight against global climate change. The United Nations goal is to reduce the rise in global temperature to less than two degrees Celsius by 2015.

The Summit has proved to be a success; world leaders have agreed that immediate action must be taken. Ban Ki-moon, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, wanted world leaders to be ready to take action at this summit, so he asked world leaders in advance to come prepared with actions and initiatives that they will enact in order to reduce emissions and prevent the rise in global temperatures.

Some of these initiatives included making changes in climate finance, energy, transportation, industry, agriculture, cities, forests, and building resilience.

United Planet is equally committed to reducing emissions and going green. We offer Environment and Sustainability Quests that benefit the environment by helping to sustain and conserve the environment in countries such as Ecuador and Costa Rica.

Animal/Wildlife Quests help to aid endangered and neglected species by helping to preserve their environment and making it more sustainable. One of our Animal/Wildlife Quests involves volunteers working at an animal sanctuary in Peru. Volunteers would be feeding, cleaning, gardening, and caring for animals who have endured severe trauma in their lives.

There are also our Environmental and Education Quests which let volunteers share their passion for the environment by helping other diverse communities realize the importance of their environment and what it means to them. Volunteers can travel to Ecuador to help improve the awareness of biodiversity and conservation methods within a community. Some other tasks include helping in forest research and assisting with conservation work such as planting local species of trees and working in organic gardens.

There are always numerous ways to make any United Planet Quest greener. Here are some ideas;

1) Research what kind of programs or guidelines your destination has for recycling or saving energy and what you can do to help the community.
2) Keep your shower time short and shut off the water while you are brushing your teeth, shaving, or washing dishes.
3) Always remove any litter or waste.
4) Avoiding the use of soaps, shampoos or detergents that could be harmful if they drained into the local water source. If possible, use environmentally friendly products.
5) When leaving rooms, turn off and unplug electrical devices.
6) If it is safe, use public transportation or walk instead of using a private taxi.
7) Support local artisans and craftsmen but never purchase souvenirs that look like they could be manufactured from endangered species.
8) Purchase local produce and eat local specialties which support farmers.
9) Reduce consumption of plastic bottles by packing your own water bottle to reuse.
10) Consider purchasing carbon offset credits for your international flights.

Our office in Boston is committed to making a change as well. We have introduced green practices that limit our environmental impact. Some of these practices include things like recycling all of the paper that we are done using, coming other recyclables into one bin, only printing when it is absolutely necessary, and shutting off all of our lights and computers at the end of the day.

What do you do to recycle or help promote a healthy environment? Let us know your best practices in the comments section below and share any practical suggestions!