Environmental Writing

This had Better Come to a Stop

                              What you can do to help save the world around you

By: Anga_Boba_Tea

Global warming is a phrase we hear quite often these days - from the news to our very classrooms. We learn about reducing, reusing, and recycling in elementary school. We learn to turn off the lights when we leave a room, turn off the faucet when we're not using it. We know that electric vehicles are better for the environment, but does that mean that they're good for it?

There's debate over whether electric vehicles are actually better than fossil fuel cars - yes, they are. We're told to recycle, but 13% of what we recycle is actually trash. We recycle glass, but apparently it's worthless, and only good to recycle in theory.

So what are some things we can do that are definitely better for the environment? Even if some parts of it might need to be reworked, recycling is good for the environment. Saving water through turning off the faucet when not using it and taking shorter showers absolutely works.

You can volunteer for community cleanups or just do cleanups by yourself! These include cleaning roadways, waterways, and planting trees. Volunteer to work for environmental organizations like Greenpeace, the Arbor Day Foundation, Sierra Club, and the National Audubon Society.

Try out sustainable diets, like vegetarianism or veganism. These kinds of diets may seem hard to transition to, but it's the second most effective thing you can do as an individual (right behind conserving energy and using sustainable energy sources). If this isn't a viable option for you, try purchasing fresh food from your local farmers using https://www.localharvest.org/.

Limit your plastic use. Plastic is everywhere, and though it can be hard to avoid, take every opportunity you get to do so. Use paper or reusable bags at the grocery store, buy less bulk-produced foods with plastic packaging, and try to reuse plastic if you do use it (such as tupperwares or plastic bottles).

Fast fashion is cheaply produced and priced clothes that "get pumped quickly through stores in an effort to maximise trends". According to Business Insider, fast fashion contributes to 10% of global emissions. Clothing is detrimental to the environment, so in general slim down your wardrobe, reuse clothes, or try getting at least some of your clothes from places like Goodwill.

Transportation accounts for over 28% of greenhouse gas emissions. So try riding a bike, scootering, skateboarding, or walking to places nearby. Consider public transportation or carpooling! If you're in a fortunate enough position to do so, having your family buy a car with low carbon emissions can help the most.

Educate yourself as extensively as you can on the subject, and once you've done that - go out and educate others! This is one of the most important, wide reaching efforts you can make, and it doesn't take too much work.

Petition for change from your local, state, and federal governments. They represent YOU, so don't be afraid to make your voice heard. Following COVID-19 regulations, and after COVID, you can join environmental rallies or even start them yourself.

Finally, we have to face the hard truth that how much of an impact you can make on reducing your carbon footprint is largely based on how fortunate you are, which can include household income. A vegetarian diet can be an expensive privilege, foods that are not mass-produced can often cost more than those that are, and the same story goes for things I mentioned above, such as fashion or transportation. That being said, not having access to these kinds of things should not be a deterrent. Volunteering and educating yourself and others is more often than not free. So is joining rallies and standing up for what is right.

There are many ways in which we can contribute towards slowing global warming. And though it may not feel like an individual can do that much, if everyone did their part, our planet wouldn't be overheating. Some of these strategies, such as education and petitioning, can be used for almost all other important issues in our society too, from racism to health, poverty, and more! We all have the same goal in mind, which is for our Earth to not prematurely die. Remember, being aware and caring is going a step further than many others.

Here are some websites to help you get started:

https://climatestore.com/take-action/get-involved/non-profit-organizations-working-on-climate-change

https://cotap.org/

https://www.aag.org/cs/programs/interdisciplinary/climatechange/clearinghouse/organizations