Every year when Earth Day comes around, people celebrate it by sending out tips on how to conserve energy or how to live a more eco-friendly life. But, why don't we see this information any other time?
It seems as if Earth Day is the only time of year that it's "cool" to be considerate to the earth. But, every other day, it almost seems like no one really wants to take any action and people might even go so far as to label those who do anything to help as a "hippie tree-hugger" for doing something environmentally friendly.
You have to wonder how many people actually act on the simple advice they are given in order to help protect our planet. We can't just count on other people doing enough eco-friendly things in order to protect our planet, we all need to take a role in it, even if it's something as small as taking a shorter shower or unplugging electronics when they're not in use.
Another reason people may believe that they don't need to be environmentally friendly is because for many people, it is all beyond their control. They believe that the government controls and has the largest effect on things that are environment-related, and it's all out of their hands. This is completely untrue. Even though the government may control the larger contributors of pollution, each individual person can control their own actions in lowering the amount of pollution they individually produce.
The issue may also be a result of a lack of education to students about sustainability and conservation efforts. Yes, some schools may touch on it, but it seems as if the only way you could really know a lot about it is if you specifically study it.
It is more critical now than it ever has been for us to take care of our planet. Just over the past 25 years, our population has nearly tripled in size. This means that there are even more people producing chemicals and gasses that are harmful to the earth and cutting down trees is necessary in some places to make room for all of us.
There's a term we've all heard, but may have limited knowledge about, that is one of the major contributors to our environmental troubles: greenhouse gasses. These are gasses that trap heat from the sun. Although some of these gasses are natural and necessary, many of these gasses are produced as a result of human activity and are causing the earth to heat up to a temperature that is higher than it should be. Some of the most common types of greenhouse gasses that we worry about are carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O).
We all do things that are killing the earth, but there are things we can all do to slow the process down. There are the obvious ones, like limiting usage of water and electricity, recycling, and not littering. Not only can limiting use of resources like water and electricity help save energy, but it can also help lower your bills.
Limiting use of individual transportation can help reduce air pollution. Some ways you can prevent unnecessary pollution are, of course, by carpooling, walking, biking, and taking the bus. But, another way to help eliminate unnecessary pollution that you might not have been aware of is by shopping online, if you can! Carnegie Melon's study proves that shopping online contributes to a lower amount of greenhouse gas emissions caused by car.
Some other small ways you can help protect the environment is to watch what you eat and shop locally. As this infographic shows, pork and beef releases the most amount of CO2, while foods like potatoes and apples produce little CO2. Avoid shopping at big businesses, even though their products may be less expensive. Many local places sell fresh fruits and vegetables, while large national markets have to transport food across the country to stock the large stores. This not only helps the environment. but also helps out your local businesses and the economy!
Being careful about the products you buy can help you out, as well as the environment. Limit waste by avoiding items packaged in a lot of plastic; this is a great idea because you won't have to worry about opening the extremely stupid packaging that most products have! Surely you can find something similar without all the packaging, but if you have no other choice, make sure to recycle the plastic after you break open the package.
Being careful about the other everyday products you might buy, like makeup, is great for both you and the environment, as well. The FDA does not regulate makeup, and as a result, often times there are chemicals in it. Obviously these chemicals aren't great for you, but they negatively impact they environment also. Make sure to check ingredients before you decide to fall in love with a new product.
Of course, it's going to be hard for all seven billion of us to be able to work together to save our planet. But, we still need to watch our actions and stop being so careless. There are many simple things you can do to help protect the environment we live in.
