Stop Species Extinction – 10 Things You Can Do To Protect Biodiversity

Wondering what you can do about species extinction? Then you have a really great attitude and you've come to the right place! In fact, one in eight animal and plant species is acutely threatened with extinction. Around 500,000 species have already lost the habitat that would be necessary for their long-term survival to us humans.¹

Among other things, because rainforest has to make way for the cultivation of livestock feed or palm oil every minute - or because we are fundamentally exacerbating global warming through our everyday behavior. But we can all do something to preserve biodiversity on this planet.

In this article, I would therefore like to give you some valuable tips on how to increase your personal share of the Environmental problem species extinction effectively. Let's go!

10 tips: What to do about species extinction?

We are shockedwhen we realize that the last female Sumatran rhino died in Malaysia and the species is therefore extinct. And we find it hard to watch as a starving polar bear tries with its last ounce of strength to find something to eat.

But at the same time we do (mostly unintentionally; see "inconsistent behavior") also things that provoke precisely the evil in question. But as soon as we know what we did wrong, we can behave better.

Here are the promised Tipswith which you can basically stop the extinction of species every day.

1. Reduce or stop meat consumption

The enormous Land consumption for animal feed cultivation and grazing areas, the Factory Farmingwhich for 14.5 percent of all greenhouse gases caused by humans worldwide is responsible²the fishing industry, which has ensured that around 90 percent of all fish stocks are fished to the maximum or already overfished³contribute extremely strongly to species extinction.

The consumption of animal products such as meat, eggs and cow's milk is a key driver the Deforestation, the Overfishing of the seas and of the Climate change - and thus also of the global decline in the number of animal and plant species.

So, if you want to stop species extinction, your first step should be to increase your Reduce meat consumption and in the best case the Stop consumption of animal foods altogether.

For a good start, I can recommend the book "Vegan nutrition for beginners" (is available here*) with theoretical knowledge and delicious recipes.

Here are also some motivating and further articlesthat can help you:

• Convince meat eaters
• Stop overfishing
• Save rainforest
• Stop climate change

2. Renounce palm oil

The global Consumption of palm oil is steadily increasing and almost tripled from 2002 to 2022.⁴ In addition to livestock farming, it is another decisive reason for deforestation and the shrinking habitat of a large number of animal and plant species.

Natural rainforests have to make way for monotonous, lifeless palm oil plantations - for a cheap oil that can be found in almost every supermarket product these days. (more under How palm oil destroys the rainforest)

Therefore, try to avoid buying foods containing palm oil. Whether Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Ethyl palmitate, Palmolein or Palmitic acid - Palm oil has many names and is often difficult to find in the list of ingredients of supermarket products. So simply use the App CodeCheckwith which you can scan the barcode and specifically identify and avoid palm oil products.

3. Live more climate friendly

The world's climate has a decisive influence on the diversity of animal and plant species on earth. We humans are the reason that the Climate changed so drastically and quicklyThe result is that most species cannot even begin to adapt to the changed conditions.

Scientists predict, among other things, that a global Temperature increase of 2°C compared to the pre-industrial level about 99 percent all Corals disappeared in the sea will be. These in turn provide a habitat for a variety of marine animals, which in turn lie below larger marine mammals in the food chain.

In order to Climate Change it is important that we all work together to live more climate-friendly. This can be achieved, for example, by avoiding animal-based foods, but also with the help of the following, further tips and articles from the blog:

• Reduce food waste
• Buy regionally
• Seasonal shopping
• Stop coral dieback
• Live car free
• Sustainable driving

4. Garden sustainable design

Do you know these gray Gravel gardensthat many garden owners create because they low-maintenance gardens prefer? If not, be sure to check out the book Gardens of horror* on. And if so: creepy, don't you think? The fact that more and more people are interested in such lifeless and noiseless "gardens" is also a decisive reason for the global extinction of species.

They cause the Food base for many bird species - and also the Shelters are subsequently extremely rare.

If you want to do something about species extinction, you should turn your garden (or balcony) into a real Oasis of biodiversity and relaxing sounds of nature like the buzzing of wild bees or the twittering of birds from the hammock. For example with the help of of these wildflower seeds* and the planting of bird-friendly trees.

You are also welcome to use the tips from these further articles:

• Garden sustainable design
• Bee pasture garden - how to do it
• Create bird friendly garden
• Bee-friendly roses for the garden

5. Go vegan

It is one thing to stop consuming animal-based foods. But if you want to stop species extinction completely, you should go even further. Thinking outside the box and complete vegan life.

There is one essential Difference between plant-based diet and veganismPlant-based nutrition is a way of eating, while veganism is a way of life. Vegans want the Stop animal exploitation altogether.

For example, they also do not wear jackets with fur collars, do without Zoo visits and also on the Circus with animals. And Vegan:inside also do not eat honey. This way of life counteracts the extinction of species even more purposefully. Lions, elephants and other wild species can remain in their natural habitats and reproduce.

And disease-prone, bred honey bees transmit rare diseases on wild bee populations, so that the vegan lifestyle also has the Stop insect mortality can.

So try to go vegan. If you still lack the motivation to do so, then be sure to check out the article now with my personal reasons for veganism on. And I also like to use the book again "Vegan nutrition for beginners" (is available here*) with theoretical knowledge and delicious recipes.

Tip: The Dominion film revolves around the topic of factory farming. It has personally opened my eyes and provided lasting motivation for a vegan lifestyle.

6. Organic shopping

Modern agriculture uses on a large scale Pesticides to control weeds and pests and to achieve higher yields in the short term. In the long term, however, this measure damages yields, as beneficial insects such as wild bees also disappear and soil fertility decreases.

If you have the Biodiversity want to promote, you should give preference to plant food from organic farming set. I regularly go to the weekly market, for example, as local farmers also sell their produce there. Of course, you can also find them in organic markets or traditional supermarkets.

7. Rethink your consumption

You want to stop the extinction of species? As long as our daily consumer behavior is itself part of the problem, we should of course start with ourselves first. For example, we produce a lot of Plastic waste entering the environment and costs the lives of millions of marine animals every year.

Whether dishes or cups made of plastic - or another consumer good: Every time we buy something, we should ask ourselves whether we really need it.

Of course, this not only applies to disposable products, but also, for example, to souvenirs from vacation or items of clothing. Does it really have to be the Vacation souvenir from ivory or the Fur coat and Leather be? There are always animal- and species-friendly alternatives, so the honest answer is usually a clear "no".

Just use the following, further articles, to learn more about these examples and the opportunities for more sustainable, animal-friendly consumerism:

• Sustainable consumption - tips & tricks
• The truth about the fur industry
• Sustainable souvenirs on vacation
• Zero Waste Tips
• Distinguish real fur from artificial fur
• Why don't vegans wear wool?
• Living minimalist - Here's how
• Plasticfree lifestyle

8. Start and sign petitions

Now you have learned many tips that you can implement at home. In order to promote biodiversity, you can now get other people involved. A good opportunity for this is the Supporting or starting online petitions. In the process you collect digital signatures against a specific grievance or for a specific project that affects species conservation.

For example, you can apply for the End of whale watching in the Faroe Islands or against the agricultural use of the pesticide glyphosate strongly to support the "Volksbegehren Artenvielfalt".

Tip: I have given you Here is a list of sustainable petitions that you can sign to make a real difference against species extinction and many other challenges and ills of our time.

9. Support animal and nature conservation organizations

So you alone can help in your everyday life to ensure that countless animal and plant species are no longer threatened. But there are also great organizations that fight for the protection of biodiversity on a large scale every day and can always use support. You can help both in financial but also in energetic form.

Here are some organizations that you Promote in the fight against species extinction can:

• Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union Germany (NABU)
• Association for the Environment and Nature Conservation Germany e.V. (BUND)
• Foundation Pro Biodiversity

Tip: I have also given you a detailed Comparison of the best animal welfare organizations created.

10. Become active and stand up for biodiversity

Is your everyday life already geared towards protecting biodiversity? Then you can now go one step further and as activist:in or in a political party engage to help even more people achieve a more species-friendly everyday life.

Countless organizations regularly plan Awareness campaigns in the pedestrian zonesthat you can support. For example Anonymous For The Voiceless To promote the vegan lifestyle in our society. Or the NABU in action for the Biodiversity referendum. By actively supporting such campaigns, you inspire even more people for species conservation.

Stop species extinction and promote diversity of animal and plant species every day!

As you can see, it's actually not that difficult to stop species extinction. All it takes is the Willingness for information and personal change. It is important to be aware of the consequences of your own behavior for animal and plant species and what you can do to improve it.

As soon as you have made your everyday life more species-friendly, you can also inspire other people and help them to become more species-friendly. more sustainable lifestyle of our global society.

"If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe, then man would have only four years of life left. No more bees, no more pollination, no more plants, no more animals, no more man."

Albert Einstein (more under Species protection quotes)

I hope you have been able to take away some tips from this article to do something about species extinction yourself. Do you have any questions or further ideas on species conservation? Then just write me a comment.

Stay sustainable,

PS: Want to do even more for the animals? Then take a look at my article about the Animal welfare in everyday life!

References:

1. Summary for policymakers of the global assessment report on biodiversity and ecosystem services of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, IPBES, 06.05.2019, p.13. ↩︎
2. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO): Key facts and findings, available at https://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/197623/icode. [26.02.2025]. ↩︎
3. H. Vesper; WWF Germany: What we need to do to save the oceans (17.04.2018), available at https://t1p.de/oori. [26.02.2025]. ↩︎
4. USDA Foreign Agricultural Service: Global consumption of palm oil in the years 2002/03 to 2024/25 (as of July 2024), available at https://de.statista.com/statistik/daten/studie/443033/umfrage/konsum-von-palmoel-weltweit. [26.02.2025]. ↩︎