Climate change is an ongoing tremendous problem that humans have faced for the better part of the 20th century. This is not a problem that will go away easily; this will be something that we will have to learn to live with and adjust our lives in order to create a better future. Personally, as a student, there are some options I can take in order to be a helping hand in trying to save this planet. While I have the opportunity to be in a classroom setting, I can take part in classes that focus on the future of the world and educate myself as much as possible. While staying ahead of the curve and being up to date on pressing issues, I will be able to obtain not only first-hand knowledge but also the opportunity to stay at the top of my field and implement changes based on information I have taken from classes. With classes such as this one that heavily focuses on climate change, it is my job to fully relish in the knowledge so I can offer future solutions. My generation’s job is to take actual steps to deal with climate change in order to secure a more stable future.
Another thing I am capable of doing to help slow down climate change is my own personal impact on the climate buy purchasing items from companies that are aware of their carbon footprint and sustainability. When shopping I would normally go for the most convenient and appealing products, however now I take the time to research products and companies to find the most sustainable options. I have come to realize how bad a lot of brands I have always used are for the environment, which inspired me to switch to more natural products and companies whose mission is to provide more sustainable options. It started out exceedingly small on a vacation to California where I bought my first reusable shopping bag. I progressively began looking for more sustainable products at my local Trader Joes where I found all-natural sponges made from natural vegetable cellulose which makes them compostable and over time they would be able to decompose back into the Earth. These sponge’s packaging is also sustainable because they squish the sponges down and when you wet a sponge, they pop open to a normal size; twelve of them fit in a single package the size of one sponge. After I made that tiny switch and noticed no change in product quality, I knew I needed to incorporate more options like this one in my life to not only make a cleaner and safer environment for myself but for everyone. By choosing to support companies that are more environmentally cautious I am also supporting the growth of companies who working towards a greener future and eliminating their carbon footprint to the best of their ability.
In Union Square where the time displays a countdown to the time when irreversible changes are made to the environment, it tells us that we have a little over 7 years to make a change. We still have time to change our ways to help prolong life of this Earth. The best thing anyone of us can do regardless of being a student or not is being responsible for our own actions. Everyone needs to be more conscious while making purchases and ensuring you buy the most environmentally friendly product you can. It is breaking a comfortable pattern that will be the hardest, but as a student I also have the resources to educate others and encourage people to make similar changes that may not seem like much of a change at all. Take for instance the sponges or buying LED lightbulbs which are more environmentally conscious and work much better. It truly is the little changes made by everyone that will add to making a more substantial difference. By advising my friends and family of the ways I am impacting climate change I am also coming up with new ways on how I can further educate others. There is always the opportunity to learn so I will take advantage of my ability to understand the growing issues so as an educator I can continue to pass down my own knowledge of climate change to younger generations.
