Growing up, we were always told to "reduce, reuse, and recycle", and we celebrated Earth Day by cleaning up trash. Nowadays, it feels like people don't care. People stopped thinking about the effect all this trash has on the Earth and started thinking about convenience as a priority.
I get it, convenience is important, but shouldn't keeping our home clean and healthy be the top priority? Thinking solely on convenience is selfish. You're not thinking about the people who live after you. You're not caring about how you leave the Earth after you're gone.
Unlike some people, I care about this world. I care what my impact is. I don't want my impact to be negative, with a ginormous carbon footprint being left behind. If anything, I want my carbon footprint to be so small that it looks like I wasn't even here.
I was scrolling through Twitter the other day and saw a video that really opened my eyes. The opening line was, "The amount of CO2 in the atmosphere has become so large that planting trees can no longer save us." Just that line scared me.
As you can see from that video, the Earth is in some serious danger if we don't change our habits. Here are 10 ways you can reduce your carbon footprint.
1. Reusable cups!
Instead of using the plastic cups from coffee shops, bring your own reusable coffee cup. Starbucks, Dunkin' Donuts, and Wawa sell both cold and hot reusable cups that they will fill with the drink of your choosing.
2. Reusable lunch containers and food storage!
You can get them literally anywhere. It's even cheaper than continuously buying plastic bags.
3. Eat less meat and dairy!
Raising cows, pigs, and chickens creates as much carbon emissions as all cars, trucks, and automobiles combined.
4. Carpool!
If you're heading to the same place as someone else, don't meet up at the spot. Instead, carpool. The ride there and back will be more fun, and you'll create less CO2.
5. Walk if you can!
Same as carpooling. By walking to destinations that are close enough to walk to, you're not creating any CO2.
6. Reduce the amount of packaged foods you buy.
No matter if you recycle it or not, the plastic will wind up in the ocean. Buying less packaged foods means less plastic.
7. Instead of using plastic straws, use paper or metal ones (or don't even use a straw)!
You know the whole thing about the turtles and plastic in the ocean, so I'm not going to repeat it again.
JUST USE REUSABLE CUPS AND STRAWS!
8. Get reusable shopping bags!
Shopping bags are such a waste. You use them for about five minutes, and most of the time, they rip.
9. Take notes on your laptop instead of a notebook.
So much paper is wasted. You write on it, use it to study, then throw it away. Why don't you just write your notes on a document and delete them later? Your notes will be neater and you'll save a tree.
10. Eat locally!
Locally grown fruits and veggies mean less transportation, and less transportation means less CO2 being put out into the universe.
If we all just try a little harder to reduce the amount of carbon we put out into the world, then maybe we can make a difference. I know it might not be easy to change your habits, and it may not seem like it will do a lot, but it will make a difference if we each change our habits a bit.
Change is necessary if we want to prevent the extreme dangers that can occur if we keep up the way we are going.
Remember to Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle!
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