I’m sure most of you have heard of the climate issue in some way. Maybe you learned about global warming and climate change in school, or you’ve read an article about the dangers of greenhouse gasses and fossil fuels. But did you know that you can help lessen the extent of damage done by these things by only changing small things in your day-to-day life? I would also like to add a disclaimer that most people contribute very little to the climate issue in comparison to some large companies. That being said, please don't feel guilty if you contribute to the climate issue. Many larger factors contribute much more than the general public, but it's still important to try and help. This is all to raise awareness!
What is the Climate Issue?
Before we start getting into more detail about the climate issue and talking about what you can do to help, let’s discuss what it is. This problem is often known as and associated with climate change and global warming. These two things have similar meanings. If explained simply, they are all based around how the earth’s climate is becoming warmer due to human activity.
Now, let’s talk about why exactly this is happening. One of the main causes of climate change is greenhouse gasses, which are created by the carbon emissions burning fossil fuels creates. Over 30 metric tons of fossil fuels are burned annually. Fossil fuels include oil, coal, and natural gas. Greenhouse gasses create a kind of “blanket” around the earth, trapping the sun’s warmth inside and creating what is called a greenhouse effect. Over time this raises the earth’s temperature, leading to the climate issue. So far, Earth's temperature has increased 33.98 degrees Fahrenheit or 1.1 degrees celsius since the late 1800s. One of the reasons greenhouse gasses are so impactful today is because of deforestation. It's estimated that 15 billion trees are cut down each year, and over 30 million of these trees are used to produce books. Trees absorb carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air and create oxygen during photosynthesis, which lessens the amount of greenhouse gasses in the air and provides us with more oxygen. Some things that emit fossil fuels into the atmosphere include transportation, agriculture, and industrial purposes. According to The USEPA in 2021, agriculture contributed 10%, transportation contributed 28%, electric power contributed 25%, industry contributed 23%, and commercial & residential contributed 13% to the United States' greenhouse gas emissions. Of course, there are other human-related causes of the climate issue, but greenhouse gasses are one of the largest contributors today.
Why you should help
The climate issue will not only affect the environment, wildlife, and the earth but also humans. Because the earth’s temperature is increasing, ice caps and glaciers are melting and will continue to melt. This causes the ocean levels to rise, which will put coastal areas under water and potentially even almost all land on earth. This will affect humans because the land, resources, and wildlife in these areas will be gone or difficult to access. The climate issue will also cause the weather to become more unpredictable, leading to dangerous weather such as droughts, floods, and hurricanes all becoming more common. This will affect our safety, the safety of wildlife, and possibly threaten our water and food supply. Also, the more burning of fossil fuels and carbon emissions increase, the more our air quality will decrease. This will make going outside unsafe for children, people with breathing conditions, and potentially everyone. It could also lead to long-term health problems. All of these events will also make it hard for plants and animals to survive, which creates food shortages for people. Although the climate issue is caused by both natural events and changes, the main contributor today is human activity. This is why it’s important to educate ourselves and do what we can to help!
How you can help
Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. They’re in that order for a reason! They are ordered from what makes the most of an impact, to what makes the least of an impact. The first step you should try to take is to reduce your plastic use and waste. You can do this by using environmentally friendly products. Environmentally friendly products include things such as reusable bags, reusable cups and water bottles, wax wraps/covers, clothing made with recycled fabric, products with biodegradable packaging (such as paper), and other reusable, recycled, or biodegradable items. that, you should reuse any plastic or waste you use. This can be done by using items for crafts, washing, and disinfection. Please only do this if the item is safe to be used again! Finally, you should recycle anything that you’re able to. Make sure the item is recyclable, and check the recycling guidelines in your area.
Use journals and notebooks made of recycled materials. These can be a great way to draw, write, take notes, complete schoolwork, etc. while helping the environment! There are many journals and notebooks made with recycled plastic and paper out there. You can find some through many online small businesses, and occasionally larger companies.
Speak up and support others who are trying to help. There are many programs, communities, petitions, etc. out there that you can get involved in. A quick Google or social media search can direct you to some of these. You can also spread the word about how to help with the climate issue to others. If you happen to be a writer, you can raise awareness through your writing.
Avoid buying paper copies of books. The production of books contributes a lot to deforestation and carbon emissions. Instead of purchasing paper copies of books, you can purchase online versions. There are many websites and apps that provide books that you can buy in order to support the authors and avoid using unnecessary paper.
Reduce energy use at home. You can reduce the amount of energy you use at home by unplugging things if they aren’t being used, turning off lights in rooms you aren’t in, and taking shorter showers. Some of these things can even save you money!
Donate books. Donating books to local libraries, bookstores, schools, and friends can help reduce the amount of people purchasing paper copies of books. Sometimes these organizations will even pay for books. This will also allow you to clear up space, and allow others to explore more amazing books.
Use public transportation, carpool, or bike/walk places more often. It’s not only good for the environment but in many situations good for yourself to bike and walk places. An alternative to this is carpooling or public transportation. All of these options can help you save money and are beneficial to the environment!
Make homemade paper from recycled paper. This is a great way to have fun, create something unique to write or draw on, and help the environment all at the same time! A quick search on the Internet will bring you to many methods, and you'll just have to try some that work best for you. One of the best things about this is that you can personalize your paper as much as you want, and have fun with it.
Get food locally. Getting food from farmer's markets, local farmers, and other local sources can help cut back on fossil fuel emissions used during transportation. Getting food from your own garden can help with this even further.
Write digitally instead of on paper. After all of the rough drafts and edits made during the writing process, a lot of paper can be used. In order to avoid the unnecessary use of paper and creation of waste, it's better to write digitally. It can also be a much easier and more organized option at times.
If you would like to see what your carbon footprint is, and how many Earths we would need to live like you every day, please click here. Just as a quick disclaimer, I do not earn any commission from sharing this link. It is simply a resource that will calculate your carbon footprint, and give you tips on how to decrease it. I hope this resource and article have helped you become more aware about your contribution to the climate issue, and provide you with ways to change for the better.
References:
United Nations. “What Is Climate Change?” Climate Action, United Nations, www.un.org/en/climatechange/what-is-climate-change. Accessed July 2023.
United Nations. “Actions for a Healthy Planet.” Act Now, United Nations, www.un.org/en/actnow/ten-actions#:~:text=Much%20of%20our%20electricity%20and. Accessed July 2023.
Biferno , Anya, and Randal Jackson. “Global Warming vs. Climate Change.” Climate Change: Vital Signs of the Planet, NASA, 26 July 2023, climate.nasa.gov/global-warming-vs-climate-change/. Accessed July 2023.
National Geographic. “Climate Change | National Geographic
Society.” Education.nationalgeographic.org, National Geographic, education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/climate-change/. Accessed July 2023.
US EPA. “Sources of Greenhouse Gas Emissions | US EPA.” US EPA, 28 Apr. 2023, www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/sources-greenhouse-gas-emissions#top. Accessed July 2023.
US EPA “The Sources and Solutions: Fossil Fuels.” Www.epa.gov, 20 Jan. 2023, www.epa.gov/nutrientpollution/sources-and-solutions-fossil-fuels#:~:text=oxide%20emissions%20include%3A-. Accessed July 2023.
The Royal Society. “The Basics of Climate Change.” The Royal Society, royalsociety.org/topics-policy/projects/climate-change-evidence-causes/basics-of-climate-change/. Accessed July 2023.
Onya. “48 Eco Friendly Products You Can Buy Today to Help Stop Plastic Pollution.” Onya Life, 20 July 2017, www.onyalife.com/eco-friendly-products/. Accessed Aug. 2023.
B-cap. “Eco-Friendly Products: 6 Examples of Daily Product.” B-CAP, 2018, b-cap.eu/environmentally-friendly-products-5-examples-of-daily-products/. Accessed Aug. 2023.
Faiz, Muhaiminah. “How to Make Paper (Easy Method of Making Recycled Paper).” The Craftaholic Witch, 30 May 2022, www.thecraftaholicwitch.com/how-to-make-paper/. Accessed Aug. 2023.
Babcock, May. “Here’s How to Make Handmade Paper from Recycled Materials.” Paperslurry, www.paperslurry.com/2014/05/19/how-to-make-handmade-paper-from-recycled-materials/. Accessed Aug. 2023.
wikiHow. “How to Make Recycled Paper.” WikiHow, 30 May 2023, www.wikihow.com/Make-Recycled-Paper. Accessed Aug. 2023.
Talbot, Dean. “Impact of Book Publishing on Environment – WordsRated.” WordsRated, 22 Feb. 2023, wordsrated.com/impact-of-book-publishing-on-environment/#:~:text=For%20the%20US%20alone%2C%20the. Accessed July 2023.
Global Footprint Network. “How Many Planets Does It Take to Sustain Your Lifestyle?” Ecological Footprint Calculator, Global Footprint Network, www.footprintcalculator.org/home/en. Accessed July 2023.
Kilgore, Georgette. “How Many Trees Cut down Each Year or in 2023? The Deforestation Crisis Explained.” 8BillionTrees.com, 10 July 2023, 8billiontrees.com/trees/how-many-trees-cut-down-each-year/#:~:text=Paper%20Production. Accessed July 2023.
World Nuclear Association. “Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Electricity.” Www.world-Nuclear.org, Oct. 2022, www.world-nuclear.org/information-library/energy-and-the-environment/carbon-dioxide-emissions-from-electricity.aspx#:~:text=Worldwide%20emissions%20of%20carbon%20dioxide. Accessed Aug. 2023.
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