Climate Change Is Killing Us: Here's How to Take Action
Illustration by Reema Ibrahim (re.artem).
We see everyone talking about climate change, but we don’t see many of them taking action. And after media confirmations that no European country has ever experienced this much heat this summer, climate change is real and there’s no proving wrong to it. Everything is changing rapidly, so please, take a few minutes off your time to learn how to take action. Let’s begin.
Corporations around the world are selling us things that are very harmful to the environment. Examples are: plastic water bottles, toothbrushes, plastic bags, etc. We have many eco-friendly alternatives that can replace these harmful essentials—which will be discussed in a while.
Large corporations release a substantial amount of carbon dioxide, which then contributes to climate change. Carbon emissions are sadly the biggest contributors to climate change. We burn fuel to produce electricity and heat, which emit greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gases (which burn the ozone layer open) are released from generating electricity through burning fossil fuels. Too much greenhouse gas is lethal to both humankind and the environment.
Cars, planes, and other transportation methods we use on a daily basis also release carbon emissions. Carbon has the power to burn, which is also not-so-slowly burning the ozone layer open. Earth becomes exposed with too much radiation from the sun, which practically means that anything that inhabits Earth is going to be burnt alive. Now, I’m not saying that you should completely cross off your daily methods of transportation, or not use your AC or lights altogether—you should just minimize your consumption to these things. Turn off your AC and lights when you’re not in the room. And if there is any place that you need to visit can be accessible to walking or biking, then do it.
I have listed some alternatives with biodegradable products (products that naturally dissolve into the soil) which might make a difference and slow down climate change:
Cut plastic bottles from your life. Get a reusable water bottle instead and keep refilling. I’ve been doing this for two years, and it’s really easy (and costs way less). One reusable bottle charges much less than constantly having to buy plastic bottles. (Keep in mind that reusable bottles can live up to 12 years.)
Install a Brita. A Brita is a filtration system that ensures your sink water is safe to drink, which is an easier and more affordable alternative than buying a water dispenser.
Use reusable bags when you’re shopping. Do this unless your grocery store supplies biodegradable plastic bags (this is printed at the bottom of each biodegradable bag).
Use bamboo toothbrushes, since they’re more eco-friendly and are biodegradable.
Try using less straws and tissues, and if you can, buy stainless steel straws.
Buy a reusable cup from Starbucks so they can fill it up for you every time you go there. It’s even cheaper if you tell them you have a reusable cup. (Even if your go-to café isn’t Starbucks, you can still use the reusable cup anywhere.)
If you don’t need it, thrift it, donate it, or recycle it into towels or patches.
If you somehow had to use a plastic bottle, make sure you cut off the ring that’s on the drinking hole, since it can kill animals (like birds, for instance).
If you’re not a big fan of reusable bottles, at least collect the lids to your single-use plastic ones. The more you collect, the more you can donate to a charity or hospital so they can recycle it into a wheelchair or a prosthetic limb.
Plastic pollution and carbon emissions are humanity’s biggest threat, so please, reduce as much as you can. Keep reducing, reusing, and recycling. Starting a petition or an awareness campaign at your school or neighborhood won’t harm.
Here are a few links and ideas that can help you take action and save our environment:
Visit the nearest park to you and pick up whatever people have littered. Go with your friends, build a community that raises awareness to climate change and littering.
If you live near a beach, do the same thing. It’ll be fun and beneficial to our planet.
Consume as less water and electricity as you can. Unplug your chargers when you’re done charging and try to shower as fast as you can.
If you happen to know any coffeeshop owners, suggest they make it known that they’re friendly towards reusable cups. Maybe even make them cut off the price a little bit, as it will also save them from paying for their packaging.
Plant trees that do not require much water consumption and are compatible with where you live. Here are a few trees that can bear the hot weather.
You can take action into helping the environment by pressing the “Get Involved” button.
Petition to stop the legal slaughter of Polar Bears by trophy hunters.
Download Ecosia. It’s a search engine that performs like any other engine, but unlike them, a tree is planted within every 45 searches. You can see for yourself and track their process in their “About Us and Our Work” page.
Our planet is in danger. Within a few months, we will get into irreversible climate change. Please, spread the word. We got ourselves into this mess, and we can get ourselves out once people take serious action. 7.71 billion people are saying that one person can’t make a difference, and maybe all we need is one person to make that difference for others to follow. ◆