Walk the Earth: Five ways to help the planet

Rachel Chen, Copy Editor|April 22, 2014

 I am not the Lorax, but I think I speak for the trees and every other living organism when I say we could take much better care of our Earth. With bleached coral reefs, melting ice caps and diminishing rain forests, today is a day to either make little changes or at the very least, become aware of ways to make a difference.

   In lieu of Earth Day, here are a few ways to help decrease your carbon footprint:

  1. Bring your own lunch and use reusable containers and silverware. Take a look at the trash bins and you will notice how much styrofoam and plastics are thrown away each day. These “disposable” products are made of nonrenewable petroleum.

  2. Stop buying cheaply made clothes and mend broken ones instead of tossing them. Stores try to get consumers to purchase more by pushing usually underpaid workers to make more low quality textiles. As a result, you have to keep going back. Save your money by thrifting or investing in well made garments while simultaneously decreasing textile waste.

  3. Recycle cans, bottles and paper. Generally, materials can be recycled more than once. Make the five second trek to the recycling bin  to drop cans, bottles and paper in clearly labeled recycling bins instead of just dropping them all in the trash can. A small effort on our part goes a long way when we decrease the production demand of such materials.

  4. Plant a garden of native plants. It may not seem like much, but it could help native species thrive. As always, plants help make oxygen, and everyone loves – and needs – oxygen.

  5. Carpool with friends when going out. For starters, if everyone takes turns driving, everyone saves gas money. Together you would emit less greenhouse gases as well. Another bonus – only one person might lose their parking spot that day. The hardest part would just be deciding who would drive when!   

There is no point trying to force people to care, but the world’s people need to realize that global warming is real and eventually, we will have to pay for our so-called improved standard of living. Hopefully, this list inspires you to make a change in your life and in the planet we call home.