We’ve all heard about pollution, climate change and global warming. But is it really such a big deal? Is any of it actually true?

Yes. It is. And the sad part is, we are all partially to blame. Every decision we make has many consequences. Pollution, climate change and global warming are severe repercussions of our actions and are collectively destroying our planet year by year, day by day and bit by bit.

This means certain islands and places near the coast could possibly become submerged much faster, endangering the life on them.

But how is any of this our fault? We’re just living our lives and mostly keeping to ourselves. To understand our role in all this, let us take a step further.

While learning about global warming, we understand that industries emit greenhouse gasses during the process of production of products.

Why are they producing products that harm the environment? Because, WE, the consumers are buying them. By buying products that are a threat to the environment, we are encouraging the industries that manufacture them. Yes, a random shopping spree could very well be playing a part in the destruction of the earth. It all sounds quite comical when you think about it like that. But all of our actions have their own roles to play in the overall health of the environment.

We’ve all learnt about the three R’s – Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. But let’s make another addition to this – Refuse. When you refuse to perform certain acts which harm the environment, you’ve already reduced and reused. Here’s what we mean:

• Try to carry a steel bottle for water with you. This way, you will not have to buy plastic bottles that will stick around on Earth for hundreds of years, polluting the air, soil and water.
• Take your own mug to coffee shops, instead of getting a plastic cup.
• Use metal straws instead of plastic straws. Marine life mistake plastic straws for food, and this ultimately harms them. A metal one is reusable and definitely better for the environment. Even better, try to avoid straws altogether!
• Try to walk or cycle to nearby places instead of taking your private vehicle. If you’re going on a longer journey, you can always try public transport!
• Take a tote bag with you while going grocery shopping. This way, you can say no to plastic bags!
• Refuse to waste electricity. Celebrate Earth Hour at 8:30 pm on 26 March, 2022, by turning off any and all lights and electronic devices that are not essential!

These are small acts, but they have a great impact. Climate change is too huge a problem for just one or two people to solve. But collective effort does help. So we need to realize that by making the right choices, we can battle climate change together. Let us be the first ones to tell you: it’s not that hard.

If you do want to know what other simple changes you can make in your lifestyle, head over to our YouTube channel: When You Love Earth!

Sources
Nature.com