Anyone can help save the Earth

Anyone+can+help+save+the+Earth

Samuel Colmar

Global warming is a real, pressing issue, but it is not hopeless. You, your family, and your community can make a serious, lasting impact with effort and determination.

There are various ways everyday people can help the environment and fight the good fight.

Believe it or not, simply picking up trash in the streets or on nature trails can really make a serious impact.

A study conducted by the EPA showed that there are trillions of plastic waste pieces and litter in our oceans.

“Aquatic Trash,” as it is referred to in the study, breaks down over time and directly causes the rise of water levels, global temperature, ocean deoxygenation, and the depletion of aquatic life.

“The most effective way to prevent marine and aquatic trash is to prevent waste in the first place,” the study said.

To help do your part, it is recommended that you reuse packaging materials like cardboard, make conscious recycling habits, and purchase used products, amongst other things.

Reducing energy consumption in your home can be another way to help save the environment.

Making an effort to cut down on water and electrical use reduces demand on the fossil-fueled generators that power your home, which in turn results in less air pollution.

Another way to help is through gardening. Not only can a well-kept garden be an aesthetically pleasing addition to your home, but it can also provide a natural food supply and benefit the environment.

Local gardens help to oxygenate the air and provide shelter to local wildlife.

Pollinator insects like bees and hawk moths can help fertilize your garden while also benefiting themselves—it’s a win-win situation.

Gardening has also proven useful as a method in schools nationwide to educate students on environmental protection and ecosystems.

For example, At Dunbar Gardens in Little Rock, Arkansas, classes are held regularly for nearby schoolchildren to teach and demonstrate compost production, wind power, environmental wellness, and much more. The establishment is praised for its positive impact on its local youth.

Communal and personal gardens have demonstrated functionality as a way to promote awareness for climate change and reduce the use of chemicals and pesticides used in fertilizers that may harm the environment.

A report done by the Center for Civic Partnerships found that community gardens bring people together.

“Community gardens not only provide access to fresh, nutritious food—they also serve as a place to build supportive relationships among people of all ages and backgrounds,” the report read.

Recently a new movement promoting environmental awareness called “#Trashtag,” has taken social media by storm. The hashtag is part of an online effort to clean the environment, making waves throughout the internet.

The movement, originally started by U.S. outdoor equipment company UCO Gear in 2015, only recently began to resurface following a post on Reddit that went viral.

“#Trashtag” contributors are tasked with snapping pictures of outdoor places—whether it be a local park or sidewalk—that are filled with litter, then cleaning them and comparing the difference. People involved in the movement have cleaned locations from around the world: Honduras, France, India, and others.

“What’s so great about #Trashtag,” one online contributor said, “is its inclusiveness. Anyone can take part, all you need is some garbage bags and gloves.”