For some people, it might be important to read this line again. But, CLIMATE CHANGE IS REAL AND WON’T STOP UNTIL WE DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!! You can call it “god’s plan” or just a natural path that we need to take, but if we don’t do something about it right now, we will only have a couple of years before it gets the best of us.
It may seem like there’s not much you can do, but trust me, if you care, you’re already one step ahead.
I’m going to skip over the facts because today, we can see it happening. Australia, Arctic, India, even the US, it’s happening all around us. You may wonder why Philadelphia’s weather was beautiful in the second week of January, it’s climate change. It is lovely weather and we love feeling the sun during what is supposed to be the coldest month of the year. However, we like living and breathing fresh air, which will no longer be a reality. 70 degrees during the month of January is not normal. Even if we ignore the facts, the science, the specialists and even the government, we cannot ignore the signs the earth is giving us.
Here are some easy ways that you can make a difference:
- Speak up and make yourself loud and clear
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Everybody has different views on climate change, but it is important to spread the word if you believe that this change is real. Sure, we’re not all Greta Thunberg, but it doesn’t mean we can’t create a change that big. Talk to your friends, your family, your community, try to organize events where you can collectively make a change. There’s always power in numbers.
- Try to change your eating habits, for yourself and for the environment.
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Believe it or not, eating one cheeseburger instead of two, actually helps the environment! Instead of producing one cheeseburger, that energy could be consumed to drive a small car for about 20 miles! Who would’ve thought that something so small could make such a big difference. Not only did you save yourself some calories, but you helped the environment and you still have your 5$. It’s a win-win.
Yeah yeah, we all love meat but we can try to cut down. Maybe eat it once a week instead of three times. It’s worth it, and your decisions do make a difference.
- Tech-everything
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We already shop online; we’ve just got to do more of it! Buying things online involves less energy use and you do it from the convenience of your home. Apart from shopping, working from home is a great option too. Try to drive less by walking, biking, taking a carpool. Skate if you need to, protect the environment. This way you’ll save 1 pound of carbon dioxide for every mile you don’t drive.
If you ever want help calculating how much damage your decisions are potentially making, you can download earth-saving apps like Kill-Ur-Watts or Wiser EMS. They also tell you how to save energy and your money!!
- Remember the 3 R’s you learned when you were 5? It’s time to use them
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Shockingly, a lot of places around the world haven’t banned plastic use but push yourself to rely on other carry-ons. Carry your own reusable bags, you can even buy them in some grocery stores for a dollar! Say goodbye to plastic bottles too, make reusable water bottles great again. You can pick your favorite ones here or amazon!
Apart from that, you can also recycle your household waste and save up to 3000 pounds of carbon dioxide! Disposing materials and segregating them also makes a big difference, so please remember that paper goes in recycling and chewed gum is trash. **A single piece of trash can contaminate what can be recycled.
- Make every day Earth Day
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Yes, it has come to that. We have to celebrate the earth every day by protecting it. Every day, try to cut down on your electricity use. Simply turn off your television, you don’t need the background noise, no monster will catch you. Try to sleep without watching Netflix and turn off your computers. Switch off your LED lights in your dorm room if you’re not using them too! Act like it’s the 1800s and use a candle. It can be a great idea for a date night too!! **Don’t use too many because that defeats the entire purpose.
- Conserve water
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A tired tip but so important. There are droughts all over the world and some people have the privilege of brushing their teeth with clean water. Let’s share that privilege and try to cut down our long showers. Not all decisions need to be made with the shower running.
Fun Fact: washing your clothes or even your face with cold water, saves 10 times more energy as it would if you did it with warm water.
- Most important, treasure the trees and the soil.
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Believe it or not, we need oxygen to survive, and it cannot be produced with any kind of technology. We. Need. Trees. A single tree has the ability to absorb one entire ton of carbon dioxide over its lifetime.
Let’s not take their life and ours. Plant a seed, grow a tree.
When purchasing paper products, make sure that it has been made using sustainable methods. Promoting unsustainable production promotes unsustainable use and environment. That is a no-no.
- Seed-bearing products
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Many companies are devising elaborate plans to make sustainable straws and dishes. Recently, Amborella Organics made a lollipop that is seed-bearing! So after you finish it, you simply throw the stick on the ground and it turns into a plant! It’s a treat for you and for the environment.
To sum it all up, we need to make a difference because preventing climate change is more important than ever. We cannot declare war on the environment, it’s clear who will win. We’re the last generation that can change the course, and we will be the first to face its consequences. I know I need to make a change, how about you?