Moș Sara, X F
The question everyone starts with is “Why should I be eco-friendly?”
It is a moral obligation for humans to protect the environment from pollution and other activities that lead to environmental degradation. Destroying this planet means destroying ourselves, so we need to be more conscious of our actions.
Global warming, pollution, ozone depletion and deforestation are just a few of the environmental issues that we are facing right now. This summer we have all seen and felt how bad the climate has changed and it was very worrying that we didn’t have control over it.
Your next question should be “what can I do?”
As teenagers, we think we can’t do much yet, we just skip faith in adults’ hands, but don’t get fooled, because, in this context, any small change is impactful. There are a lot of changes people of all ages can do in their daily routines. Moreover, going green is not only good for the environment, but also cheaper in terms of daily expenses.
1. Give up on plastic as much as you can
Plastic plays a big role in our day-to-day life. We use plastic bags when going grocery shopping, we usually drink from a plastic straw or plastic bottle and so on. Instead of doing these, you can buy a fashionable tote bag, a metal straw and a refill water bottle.
2. Thrift or buy fewer clothes
Like most teenagers, you probably own a lot of clothes, but wear only a few of them. Did you know that in order to make only one T-shirt, it takes 2700 litres of water and around 3 kilograms of CO2? From now on, you may want to rethink twice before buying a piece of clothing, because it’s not worth the damage. AND, BE HONEST. YOU DON T REALLY NEED IT!
3. Reduce, reuse, recycle
Reduce the amount of waste you produce. Reuse items as much as you can. Recycle everything.
4. Walk, cycle or use public transport
With the energy crisis that has come, moving by car is the most unfavourable option. Getting around by bike, public transport or on foot is so much better and it also helps you gain a healthier lifestyle.
5. Switch off plugs and turn off household technology when not in use
A lot of people have the bad habit of forgetting to switch off the lights or TV, and if you are one of those people, this is the best moment to start being more conscious about it. AND DO NOT FORGET – WHEN GADGETS ARE NOT IN USE, DO UNPLUG THEM AS THEY STILL USE ELECTRICITY!!
6. Support eco-friendly businesses
If you have the opportunity of buying something from an eco-friendly business instead of a regular business, then don’t hesitate. It’s very important to encourage eco-friendliness amongst businesses, so more of them take this path. There are of course a lot of habits you can change in order to become more environmentally friendly and I will leave you some links below if you are interested to learn more about sustainability and its effects. I hope these few tips were useful and I strongly encourage you to care more for the environment.