Every individual has a part to play in the global fight against the climate crisis, and awareness is the first step to making more sustainable, eco-friendly choices. That’s why Bank of the West, a subsidiary of BNP Paribas, recently teamed up with Swedish fintech company Doconomy for the former’s new 1% for the Planet account. This first-to-market product uses Doconomy’s Aland Index, a cloud-based service that tracks the CO2 emission of every 1% for the Planet debit card transaction, to provide customers with an on-demand view of the potential environmental impact of purchases.

Via the optional mobile app, users are able to measure their footprint and even compare the impact of thir purchases month to month. As customers begin to better understand their impact, they can then begin to consciously reduce their carbon footprint. And for whatever emissions customers simply cannot avoid, they have an opportunity to offset them too.

On top of it all, the 1% for the Planet debit card is made from 100% compostable and biodegradable PVC (except for the EMV chip, magnetic strip, ink and hologram). Bank of the West has also pledged to donate 1% of its net revenue on the account to environmental nonprofit organizations including Protect Our Winters, and has vowed to restrict the financing of any activities (such as Arctic drilling) that may be harmful to the environment.

Adopting a more plant-based lifestyle comes with a bevy of health benefits including reducing your risk of cancer, diabetes and stroke. But adding more fruits and vegetables to your plate isn’t just good for you; many experts agree it’s good for the planet, too. A special report commissioned by the United Nations in 2019 took an in-depth look at the impact of agriculture on the environment and confirmed what scientists have long suspected: that our insatiable appetite for meat and dairy products are major drivers of climate change. It should come as no surprise then that the report recommends individuals, especially in the West, consume less meat and more plant-based foods.

On a micro-level, you can understand how your personal food choices impact the planet with the meat footprint calculator at Omni Calculator. The analysis lets you see what your meat footprint is now versus what it would be if you were to reduce your meat intake. Now, this doesn’t mean you have to quit eating meat cold turkey. Start by skipping meat at one meal each day, then when you’re feeling up to it, move on to a full day of plant-based foods. The Meatless Monday campaign website provides plenty of resources to help you learn to embrace plant-based eating, as well as delicious recipes to get you started. And if you’re on the move, the HappyCow app can help you find all the vegan and vegetarian restaurants nearby.

Before the Covid-19 pandemic significantly slowed down air travel, an estimated four billion people were traveling by air each year, reports the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI). And while the climate change impact of commercial aviation still hovers below the impact produced by the combined use of cars, electricity production and the industrial and agricultural sectors, it appears that passenger air travel is “producing the highest and fastest growth of individual emissions,” the EESI states.

But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t fly ever again. There are a number of digital tools that will help you offset the carbon footprint of, for instance, that island getaway to Turks and Caicos. For example, online tools like My Climate and Cool Effect let you calculate a flight’s impact and then offset your footprint via donations to sustainable development projects around the world. There’s also Trip Zero, a travel booking website that calculates the carbon footprint created by a passenger’s trip once they book on the site. The company then offsets your carbon footprint created by your trip (including hotel stays, flights and other transportation) by funding reforestation, renewable energy and methane reduction projects—at no additional cost to you.

As the rising concentration of greenhouse gases continue to trap heat in the atmosphere and cause temperatures on land to increase, our oceans aren’t faring any better. Along with CO2, the ocean absorbs much of the excess heat from greenhouse gas emissions, and that means climate change is increasingly leading to rising ocean temperatures. With the ocean experiencing prolonged warming, the adverse effect on marine species and ecosystems, especially on reef-building corals, has been swift. From 2014 to 2017, a mass bleaching event affected 70% of coral reef ecosystems across the globe, including in Australia, where hundreds of miles of coral along the Great Barrier Reef were affected, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

What does that mean for us? For starters, more than 500 million people worldwide depend on coral reefs for not only food, but their livelihoods. In the US alone, coral reef services – including fisheries, tourism and coast protection – account for $3.4 billion in total economic value each year. Coral reefs are also estimated to prevent $94 million in flood damages each year.

It may seem like a huge undertaking, but we can all do our part to help save the oceans. Sustainable Surf*, a California-based nonprofit dedicated to protecting the ocean by empowering surfers to be environmental stewards, offers up a variety of tools to get you started. For example, the nonprofit’s Ocean Positive app serves as a pocket guide for saving the seas, curating easy ways to make healthier, low-carbon choices for the ocean in your daily life, including ocean-positive eating tips. The website also points consumers to Sustainable Surf-powered projects focused on restoring ocean health, like SeaTrees, which provides funding to support the protection and regeneration of critical ocean ecosystems. Specifically, SeaTrees helps plant mangrove trees, which can sequester five times the amount of carbon as land-based trees while protecting threatened species.

We all know recycling is one of the best ways that we, as individuals, can help reduce waste – and we are here for it. But did you know there’s a right way to recycle? According to the National Waste & Recycling Association, an estimated 25% of materials we place into those familiar blue bins are actually contaminated, meaning the items either should have gone in the trash or haven’t been rinsed properly – think: super sticky residue from that aluminum soda can. When there’s too much contamination in a batch, the plant can’t process it, and the whole lot ends up getting chucked into a landfill.

Luckily, there are a number of digital resources dedicated to addressing this growing problem. One is Recycle Coach, a handy app that arms residents with all the tools they need to boost recycling knowledge, like what items go in which bins according to your local curbside pickup program. The app also delivers engaging lessons in fun forms (including comic strips) and lets you set alerts for collection days. For another helpful resource, check out RecycleNation, a comprehensive online database where you can search for recycling centers in your area.

Of course, the greenest goal is always to minimize consumption to begin with. That’s where My Little Plastic Footprint comes in. The app calculates what it calls your Plastic Mass Index, or PMI. The closer your PMI is to zero, the lower your plastic footprint, and the closer your score is to 100, the higher your footprint. As you embark on a “plastic diet,” the app tracks your progress and offers sustainable alternatives to help you live a more plastic-free lifestyle. In fact, one place to start reducing plastic consumption is to carry a refillable water bottle. Download and use the Tap app to find the nearest refill station.