Effective altruism and everyday decisions

Abstract

Ask for your drink without a straw. Unplug your microwave when not in use. Bring a water bottle to events. Stop using air conditioning. Choose products that minimize packaging. I’ve recently heard people advocate for all of these, generally in the form of “here are small things you can be doing to help the planet.” In the EA Facebook group someone asked why we haven’t tried to make estimates so we can prioritize among these. Is it more important to reuse containers, or to buy locally made soap?.