Save The Planet
Protecting the environment is crucial. Many scientists believe our population has only a year and a half to conserve our resources and protect our environment until we won't be able to save the planet. The damage will be irreversible and unstoppable. We need to cut down carbon emissions and improve our solar power capabilities because if we continue to burn fossil fuels and waste away our resources, we're going to destroy our planet. By the end of the century, the average air temperature will rise by almost 40 degrees Fahrenheit, about 30% of animals will become extinct very soon and we may all die. Who would want that? Luckily, many scientists have been researching ways to stop this common enemy of climate change. These are some ways that you can help at home:
Easy Ways
- Talk to your family at home about this issue. Make sure that they know what's happening.
- Eat all of the food that you buy. The more food you throw away, the more wasteful it is. Also, it takes a lot of energy to prepare food. If you don't eat it, give it to someone who will. Don't throw your food away, kids!
- Turn off lights when you aren't using them, and don't turn on lights at all during the day! Natural light is better for your eyes and it doesn't take extra energy to use. Additionally, put your screens at the lowest brightness and low power mode at all times possible.
- Avoid single-use plastic. Buy a few reusable water bottles and refill those instead of acquiring individual single-use ones, and try to buy chips and things like that as party-sized to put in reusable bags for consumption instead of singles.
- If you must use a single-use plastic product, be sure to recycle. It may not seem like much to recycle one little piece of plastic or metal, but this means this object can be repurposed into other products and it can even conserve energy. Recycling even just one aluminum can conserve enough energy to power a TV. Check with your local recycling company to find out what they will accept for recycling.
- Unplug and turn off devices when you are not using them! Charging your electronics when they have full battery is pointless and it uses so much more electricity.
- If you use one side of a sheet of paper, don't recycle it afterward. Use it again - for lists, drawings, note-taking, etc. After you've gotten all possible use out of it, recycle it or compost it depending on the type of paper and how your community works. Just because recycling is environment-friendly doesn't mean it should be the immediate answer to everything.
- Instead of wasting plastic bags at stores and supermarkets, bring reusable bags, reuse plastic bags, and/or only take paper bags and reuse those as well. The first option is recommended
Ways That Require More Effort
- Research climate change and talk to your community about it. Make sure that they know what's happening and how to stop it.
- Try to cut down on air conditioning and heating--those really affect Climate Change. Yes, it may make it harder for you, but would you rather take your short-lived comfort for the death of the Earth?
- Reduce your water use by taking short showers and turning of the water to soap your body/shampoo your hair, quickly washing your hands, only flush the toilet every few uses (at home), turn off the water while brushing your teeth... just try to cut down on water use in general. It takes a lot of energy for water to be cleaned and get to your home.
- If you live or happen to be less than two miles from your destination when not already in a car, bike, walk, or jog there instead of driving. It's beneficial for your health and body and it's better for the planet.
- Carpool or use public transportation instead of traveling alone in a car. You get to use the HOV (High Occupancy Vehicle) lanes which are usually less crowded as well as using fewer resources such as gas and also technically the materials used to build a personal car.
Ways That Require A Higher Budget
- Use LED light bulbs! They take much less energy than normal ones and could save your family hundreds of dollars in the long run.
Ways That Would Be Challenging For A Kid Or Teen To Execute
- Power your home with renewable energy. Choose a utility company certified by Green-E because they are scientists who are working to save the planet as well.
- Even though these cars may be more expensive, try to convince your parents to buy a hybrid or completely electric cars. These don't use gas, therefore cutting down on carbon emissions. Also, try to convince your parents to only buy a new or used car every 5-15 years. This saves a lot of personal emissions because making cars is environmentally expensive! Additionally, keep your car's tires fully pumped. This makes it so that there's less fuel needed to gain momentum. These are all great ideas!
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