Something I am very willing to change would be my shower time. Taking long showers increases our co2 emission because of the gas water heating system in houses. For some people this can be an easy thing to change, but for others it can also be hard. Many people use showers as their time of relaxation and alone time (like me). After a long day all I want to do is stay in a warm shower and relax, but taking a shorter shower will minimize my relaxation time. This would be a challenge I would encounter. Some support that would make my life easier could be to ask for more time alone away from my siblings from my parents.

I completely agree! After a long day, I find enjoyment in my showers because they are the one time I can truly relax without any distractions. However, I know how big of an impact long showers have on the environment, and now that I’m aware, I am going to start cutting my time short. Shorter showers use less hot water, which means my water heater burns less energy and produces less CO2, helping reduce my personal carbon footprint. I’ve realized that I can still enjoy my relaxation time without harming the planet, like listening to calming music, or use scented soaps and lotions to make my shower feel luxurious even if it’s shorter. By being mindful and intentional about my shower routine, I can feel refreshed, unwind after a busy day, and still do my part to protect the environment.

I completely agree with you! Long showers can feel incredibly relaxing after a busy day, but being mindful of our water and energy use really does make a difference. Shorter showers help reduce hot water consumption, lower CO2 emissions, and support a more sustainable lifestyle. I’ve also learned that making small eco-friendly choices at home benefits everyone — just like choosing energy-efficient solutions such as getting an EPC Certificate London Same Day when needed. It’s all about balance. You can still enjoy calming music, scented soaps, and a peaceful routine while also protecting the environment through simple, intentional habits.

Climate Change is a consequence of the rapid industrialisation of the world and human neglect/unawareness of pollution. The industrial revolution, while an important event in modern history, also kickstarted industrial pollution and as a consequence caused climate change. Are there any real ways to prevent it, or does the current political landscape not allow any such preventive actions to be put in effect due to the favoritism showed to corporations, industrialists and how they see these preventive actions as 'non-beneficial'?

this makes a lot of sense and i understand what you mean by "are there any real ways to prevent it..." i do think there are at least a couple but they might not be possible at this point in climate change.

"STOP" and "NOW", absolutely not, "lower drastically" and "over the next decade or so", very possible.
if all of humanity managed to agree to some policies and promises then we could likely meet the goal of less than 2°C by 2030 (maybe 2040)
1st we need to stop all burning of coal NOW,
coal is by far the worst, dirtiest, and least efficient fossil fuel, its a technology that belongs in the industrial revolution.

2nd we need better public infrastructure,
while one train (even electric) produces more co2 by itself than a car, if a hundred people are in that train then that train produces much less greenhouse gases per person than a car, so the answer is more electric trains, subway systems, electric ferries to islands, and electric busses where applicable, its also not just enough to have these things we need to

2.5lf encourage people to use public infrastructure and discouraging use of cars
cars are convenient sure but they pollute a lot, if we could make parking harder to find, more walking streets, one ways, reduce the number of lanes on highways, trains that run on time, and better accommodations, for example on one of these points, LA opened a new lane on one of their highways a few (dozen) years ago, and congestion got worse over the entire city, because people found it more convenient driving they would drive more and thus more cars on the roads, and that has lead to a joke in civil engineering "just one more lane and that will solve it"

3rd the world needs to transition away from coal, oils (petrol, diesel, crude oil), biofuels, and natural gas,
some fuels are less bad than others, for example crude oil and coal are much less preferable over the RELATIVELTY clean natural gas and biofuels, still not ideal fuel sources but just better if for example cargo ships run on biofuel over crude oil.
so we need to adapt industry away from that, foundries need to use preferably something like hydrogen gas or induction heating ovens,
ships need to use more efficient fuels or even hybrid ships (electric ferries for shorter trips are amazing (trust me, I'm on one right now))

4th we need cleaner powerplants to run this new industry. lets say we get every company and industry on the planet to somehow go fully electric, we still need the source of that electricity to be clean or we are just moving the problem from the production to the source. solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal, are obviously the goal and the best for this, but we need a ton of electricity it in a very short time, so might I suggest nuclear energy,
nuclear energy is much safer than people imagine (I mean global warming kills more people per year than nuclear energy ever has,) fossil fuels also contaminate more than nuclear and produce waste that goes into the air and is harder to manage than barely radioactive rocks that you can reuse 97% of and then throw the waste into a hole. because nuclear energy is so scrutinized that means that like airplanes its one of the safest forms of doing what they do, any time anything goes wrong everyone is talking about it so they have to hire the smartest people they can to make sure everything is safe.
another benefit of nuclear energy is that the only waste is a rock you burry a few kilometres underground to safely decay, and some water vapour that condenses back into safe water.

Buying food from other places around the world has a huge affect on our global co2 emissions. It takes a lot of energy to transport said food by boat, truck, plane as well as keeping the food refrigerated, thus creating a lot of carbon. Gardening is a really fun but also contributes way less to your carbon footprint. here are a few benefits; Plants create oxygen, creating more space for biodiversity in your neighbourhood, reduces CO2 emissions from shipping, because now you have grown it yourself instead of buying it from somewhere else, you will not be intaking pesticides from your produce, its good for your mental and physical health, and you will get the satisfaction of growing something yourself. Not everyone has the space or time to garden but it is always good to buy local. By stopping at your local farmers market, not only are you reducing your shipping emissions but also supporting your community and local farmers. Also when shopping at grocery stores you can check to see where the food was grown/made and if it's organic. It makes an impact what you buy. That be said no one can be expected to make and grow everything they eat by hand or to eat entirely locally, and many people rely on transported food to survive. But it's always a good thing to think about when buying food.

Hi, there are still some people who can't grow all their food at home because of the weather, for example. It's not possible to grow a lot of food where I live due to the weather, so it's okay to buy food from other countries. But I also agree with you that we should try to grow as much food as we can ourselves.

I think we might be in the same school Guðrún.
You can absolutely grow potatoes, carrots, beets, probably onions, during summer break, you could grow tomatoes and even grapes year round with a grow lamp, if you have a potato storage room you could even set up a mushroom growing place (please wear a respirator or some kind of a mask) and you could potentially also you could keep 2-4 chickens by making a small chicken coop and you can feed them scraps, leftovers and/or seeds and you can get up tp 4-5 eggs per week per chicken, (this is all assuming you live in a house with your own garden and not an apartment) but if you live in an apartment you can join or get some other people to pitch in to create some kind of a community garden focused on growing homemade food and maybe keeping small livestock (this could cost a bit of money though so i understand if this is not realistic). this is all obviously a ton of work and its much easier to buy local food and vegetables, its very fun if you have the time.

In my opinion having the latest technology could be a want but it could also be a need, it depends by the use that a person gets out of it.
if you buy the latest without any reason, just because you want it, it's a "want"; if you buy it because you use it for a reasonable cause, like work or also school, it can be called a "need".
I only buy a new phone if my latest one doesn't work anymore because until it stops working i don't need a new one.
i reckon i'm not addicted to my phone but if someone is, i think they should try doing something else like doing some sports or maybe reading a book.

yes i am so with you on this

I usually buy a new phone only when the old one is almost totally broken and i usually don't buy a new model but an old model or a refurbished phone.
When i have an old or broken phone i don't put it in the waste because there are some components of it that can be reused one more time before becoming rubbish so i ususally bring it in specifics centers that recycle them.
I'm not addicted by my phone but, if i were, i could break it leaving my phone in another room when i'm doing somethink, like studying.

I think that always having the latest technology is clearly a wants because no one needs a new technology dispositive every year.
I usually get a new phone every two/three years because I use mine until it breaks down and I find usless the amount of money  that requires news models and I don't actually need that.
Besides, all technology dispositives produce a lot of e-waste and consume a lot of energy.
I don't think I'm addicted but sometimes is better read, walk or even sleep intead of spending so much time on phones and videogames that doesn't give you the right education!

For me, having the last phone is clearly a want. We don't need a new model every year just because it's trendy. I personally don't change my phone really often, but I replace it when it doesn't work anymore. Another theme to consider is the environmental impact too. Most of our phones release a lot of carbon dioxide being produced, so people should think before buying anything that could damage our planet. I'm not addicted to my phone because I try to spend always less time on it. I prioritize staying with the people I love or go out to do some healthy activities instead of rotting in bed all day.

climate change has always been a problem but It is not caused purely by humans but they help it increase. all things that produce carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses can increase the effect of climate change. like: cows, chickens, and all other mammals. they exhale carbon dioxide as a byproduct of cellular respiration. so climate change is not purely human-caused but mostly human-caused.some ways to reduce it would be to:
1) reduce home energy use-Switch to energy-efficient appliances and LED light bulbs.
2) Rethink your transportation-Walk, bike, or use public transportation instead of driving.
3) Change your diet-Eat less meat, especially red meat, and more plant-based foods, as livestock farming is a major source of greenhouse gases.
4) Consume less and reduce waste-Buy less overall and avoid impulse purchases.
5) Support renewable energy Switch to a renewable energy provider for your home if possible.

Fossil fuels are the main cause of rising temperature and climate change. Burning them for energy releases large amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Since we use fossil fuels for many different purposes, like industrial processing, energy production, and transportation, we can't immediately stop using fossil fuels. But if people will slowly change, at first, energy production, then use this energy for industrial processing, and change all cars, and other transport to electric ones. Then this will help our planet a lot.

I think that this is an issue that needs to be addressed. However, I think this problem would be better handled regionally, not globally. I live in an area that produces almost three times as much carbon per year than average. I think that we would need to bring the carbon emissions average down by drastic changes in smaller regions. This is because it is very hard to accurately judge progress on a global scale. This could lead to inaccurate data.

I agree, Makar! Turning over to renewable resources from fossil fuels will definitely mitigate climate change and balance the carbon cycle again. However, achieving this is extremely challenging - society and our global economy is heavily reliant on fossil fuels to power transportation, industrial production, and energy generation. To cease use of fossil fuels would facilitate economic collapse worldwide; corporations and stakeholders with financial interest in fossil fuels will actively deny and refuse the transition to renewable energy, sowing doubt among the people. Our daily lives are deeply intertwined with fossil fuel consumption, with many people unwilling to give up this resource. A very slow change initially will definitely be the best approach, and hopefully the accumulative effort will lead the planet to a better future.

In my opinion, we should not stop using fossil fuels completely. We should definitely use them less, but I don’t think it would be possible to stop using them completely .

Have you ever thought of buying something and then taking a second to recognize if it's a need or a want? About 40% of clothing that is unwanted and sometimes unused gets thrown away and 38% of Americans have unused Items in their house and usually end up throwing them away. There is a big difference between a want and a need. The denotation of the word want is, too "Have a desire to possess or do (something); wish for." For example, I want food (I can do without it for now.) I want a new car. (A new car would be nice to have, but I can live without it.) The denotation for need is, "require (something) because it is essential or very important." Ex. I need food. (I desperately require food. Food is a necessity to me right now.) I need a new car. (A new car is essential to me. I cannot live without it.)

I agree. Instead of buying what you want AND what you need, you should stick to buying only your needs. For example, new clothes. Unless your clothes are in very bad condition and you are in need of new ones, you shouldn’t buy new clothes. However, you should also treat yourself to a want every once in a while. All in all, you should be able to tell the difference between a want and need, and to control yourself from buying all the wants along with the needs.

We should make food free and give people only the amount they need. This will stop people from eating to much food and making less carbon, it will stop world hunger. About 30%-40% of food is wasted in USA which is estimated to be around 170 million metric tons of carbon this is why people should only get the right amount of and it should be shared.

I don't think food should necessarily be free because the people making the food have to somehow earn money, but if the food is free then they have no source of income. without a source of income their farm or wherever they grow their food they won't be able to pay taxes for it. the people working at restaurants and stores that sell mostly food, they will have to find another source of income. but I think at the end of a day or something like that restaurants should give their leftovers away instead of throwing it out.

I don't think that all food should be free because then farmers can't make money to support themselves and their families. I think that if we limit the amount of food each household can buy based on how many people live there or have a carbon tax, it would decease the food wasting. I like eliggg's idea of giving away leftovers from restaurants instead of throwing them out, and I think stores should also give away products that are about to go bad, so people in need have something to eat. Even if stores only have discounts for unwanted food, it will at least help somebody who is in need.

I also do not think all food should be free because farmers who harvest and sell food would not really have a purpose if all food were to be free, not only that, but peoples carbon footprint would rise a lot higher, and people would also take a lot more food for their family then necessary. and that would again probably leave an impact on peoples carbon footprints.

With all due respect, I personally do not agree. I don’t think food should be free. Some people may lie and take advantage of that. Also, many people work very hard to plant and prepare food, so making it free would be very unfair. Overall, I don’t think food should be free.

Fuels are burned to make energy. They release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere which hurts the planets environment by increasing the temperature. We need to stop burning fossil fuels and switch to a different energy source like solar power.

I totally agree with you. Fossil fuels and sedimentary rocks were not made to be burnt and used the way us humans are using them. Nature has a way of dealing with things and that is how it use to deal with carbon dioxide. The rocks absorb and store carbon dioxide. This process took millions of years of work and humans have been burning these fossils for daily use (as an energy source), destroying so much irreversible work. I also agree that we should switch to a different energy source like solar energy or windmill energy, however the way these things are priced is unrealistic. Solar panels have a high price rate as well as a high maintenance consumption. This causes some annoyance for some people and for others it may cause financial instability. Even though some have both the patience and money, they may not have the time to clean and set up the solar panels. This issue is not widely discussed, but I believe that if the government or solar panel companies could lower the price or/and be available to set up and come clean the panels every so often more people would be willing to switch their main energy source to try to help slow down climate change.

Garage sales are an old tradition that have been around for decades, offering a simple way for people to declutter their homes, sell items they no longer need, help the environment, and connect with neighbours and their local community in a social setting. They show how far items can go, traveling from one household to another, sometimes crossing towns, cities, or even states, giving objects a second life and allowing them to be enjoyed by new owners rather than ending up in a landfill. The saying “one person’s trash is another person’s treasure” perfectly captures the spirit of garage sales, where items that might seem useless to one person, like old books, clothes, or furniture, can hold great value and joy for someone else. These sales not only preserve the usefulness of items, but also help reduce waste, save resources, and keep countless objects out of landfills and waste-burning facilities. In this way, garage sales show practicality, and sustainability, proving that old habits can still have a positive impact on the environment, our communities, and the way we think about consumption today.

I'm sure that some people in some time in their life have heard about food shortages, but do you really know what it means or how bad it really is? Over 295 million people spread over 53 countries that have suffered from food insecurity. That's 5% increase of people losing food from the previous year, according to 2025 Global Report On Food Crisis. People throughout the world should care because this can effect a persons health by chronic diseases, such as diabetes and/or heart problems, also could effect a child's growth, mental health and much more. I believe this topic is important because this affects many people and can be a problem we can all pitch in to help solve and help the people around us all around the world.

By making small, thoughtful changes to what we eat, each of us can help create a healthier planet. Eating fewer resource-intensive foods, especially beef, can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions because cows release large amounts of methane, a powerful heat-trapping gas that is much more effective than carbon dioxide at warming the atmosphere over a 100 year period. Methane from cows adds a surprisingly large portion to our overall carbon footprint, not just from the gas itself but also from the land, water, and feed required to raise livestock. Making small shifts, like incorporating more plant-based meals or choosing environmental-friendly options, can collectively lower the environmental impact of our food system. I'm not telling you to never eat the foods you enjoy again, but all of us consuming slightly less of it can meaningfully cut methane emissions and conserve precious land and water resources. Even small dietary changes, when completed by millions, can help slow down climate change and create a more sustainable future for everyone.

Extreme weather events are happening more often today because human-driven climate change is steadily warming our planet, reshaping the world we once knew. Rising global temperatures intensify heatwaves, pushing people into dangerous, exhausting conditions that make even ordinary days feel overwhelming. As the atmosphere warms, it holds more moisture, releasing heavier downpours, violent storms, and even floods that leave families picking up the pieces of homes and memories. Warmer oceans fuel hurricanes with speed and force, turning familiar coastlines into sites of destruction almost overnight. Together, these changes make it  clear that climate change is not a distant threat but a current problem affecting all of us, demanding attention before the damage becomes irreversible.

A way some people could get rid of gifts they don’t like after the holiday season is a gift swap. For some people the gifts they receive is actually what they want, but for some people they receive gifts that they probably won’t ever use, which is where this idea comes in. This can be a community event or a school event where everyone comes together after the holiday season and you place all of your gifts on a table or out in the open. Then you  swap your gifts with someone else’s gift they didn’t want. The way you swap your gifts is  adjustable to how  people are there and  what the people want, it can vary. In the end , this a good way to receive something you actually want and will use instead of letting it collect dust on a shelf or worse, throwing it away which would intern more carbon emissions. This idea is also customizable to where you don’t have to swap your gifts for someone. It could be where everyone brings the gifts they didn’t really want or think they’ll use and then you’ll collect all those gifts and then you  could donate them to some charity or organization that could use them.

don't just throw your old clothes out! fast fashion is becoming a big problem and old or ripped/broken clothing items are filling our landfills. But There are many ways to repurpose your old stuff such a donating to thrift stores or charities, or upcycling them into fun projects or useful items. If not they can be turned into rags or donated to fabric recycling center. Making art is super fun and what better way to do it than with stuff you already have that would just end up in landfills, polluting our climate. Get crafting people!

going shipping uses  lots of gas and causes pollution, the food can get squished, lost , and get rotten on its way from farms to  stores so you should try to buy locally grown food and all grocery stores should bring locally grown groceries to sell so they are cheaper and better for and it’s also harder to check if groceries from somewhere else are 100% organic.

I totally agree with this. Food that was not locally grown was likely shipped by plane or boat, both of which emits a lot of greenhouse gasses, increasing our carbon footprint. Locally grown food would not have to be transported as far. The downside to this, is depending on where you live, locally grown food is not always available. Where I live Its really easy to go to a farmers market in the summer to buy locally grown produce, but in the winter, most things are imported. This makes it more expensive during winter months to buy local organic foods. I think that it should be made easier, and more cost efficient to buy local produce for everyone.

I totally agree with this MHRC. To add onto what you were saying about the accessibility of locally grown food. If everyone budgeted to buy from local businesses, their profits would increase, which would intern allow them to potentially attend more farmers markets, or if many people are enjoying the produce the word would  spread. However, some people can’t budget for this because of financial reasons. Which is where the government should come in and even out the prices of organic versus non-organic produce or food. This would decrease the amount of carbon emissions produced from the process of shipping non organic foods overseas if everyone shopped for organic products.

One way we can make a more sustainable city is first focusing on manageable things like  avoiding fast  fashion. Fast fashion is buying clothes that are currently in style, even if you don't need them, from companies that make them with cheap materials. This creates more clothes waste when these clothes go out of style fast and can cause harm to the environment because of the cheap and therefore more dangerous materials used in fast fashion. The creation of these clothes pollute the water and cause micro fabrics into the ocean as an article, "The Environmental Effect of Fast Fashion Explained" tells us. In order to prevent fast fashion, focus on thrift shopping, or buying higher quality clothes.

I totally agree, you made some great points. To add onto what you said about about thrift shopping or buying higher quality pieces. You have to be careful nowadays in thrift stores because a good amount of what you’re seeing is from fast fashion brands as a result of  this overproduction of clothes. The brand I see a lot when thrifting  nowadays is SHEIN. To add onto what you’re saying about buying higher quality pieces yes, the quality does matter, you’re correct about that.  However, you must be careful when buying a higher quality pieces as it’s irrelevant to buy a high quality piece if it was made unfair working conditions or the process of harvesting the materials for the product was harmful to the environment.

A way that some people will be able to get rid of their old items and some people will be able to get new items without buying brand new things, could be neighborhood item swaps. This idea could help those that are not fortunate enough to still get new things while helping those who over consume, to give back to their community and get rid of things they don't want or need any more without throwing them away (which creates more co2 emission). This would also be way more sustainable for those who are "addicted" to buying and having new things constantly, for them to have recycled/donated things so that they are not contributing to any more co2 emission. Another positive, unrelated, factor that may help decrease co2 emissions would be that neighborhoods could come together and talk. This could be highly impactful, raising awareness of climate change and possibly bringing up new ideas on how to decrease co2 emissions.

People believe that climate change is fake because they argue that it's still -10 degrees outside. That's the weather. Weather and climate are two very similar, but different things. Weather is the temperature of the current day. Climate is the temperature, precipitation rates, storm possibilities, and more. Climate tells us what the average weather will be for a certain time period. Over the years, we have seen the climate increase and more and more carbon dioxide gets released into the atmosphere.

If climate change is fake, then are the ice caps melting? Why are coral reefs going extinct? You may think that increasing the sea levels by 2 meters is nothing, but the effects are catastrophic. Many parts of the world including Florida, Miami, Bangkok, and more will be underwater. So what? Who cares about these cities? It's not about the cities. It's about the people. Who will pay for all the damage caused by these floods? Where will all the people populating the cities go? If we do not do something now, it will become much harder later to fix these problems.

Exactly, People really need to open their eyes nowadays, we are heading into a dark future. I hope to live in a future where my future grandkids will be able to see snow. I have a half-sister that dreams of seeing snow someday. As our carbon emissions go higher than ever recorded, I don't think it will be possible in the future unless we act now. Can you believe that after the industrial period, we have produced over 1,800 GtCO₂ which is 37.8 billion metric tons. How will we ever recover from this. As sea levels rise, i feel like more people are covering their eyes and ears as they don't believe this is really happening. 99% of scientists believe that climate change is real, but why don't the people believe? I'll tell you why; they are too scared to realize that us humans will go extinct in a matter of a few decades if we keep up our carbon emissions. There are ways we can reduce carbon, A bunch actually, but people live too lavish to care. If we can't do something about this right here and right now, our species is done. Mother nature can live without us. But we can't live without her.

Yeah, I strongly agree with what you guys are saying. We need to wake up to what climate change is doing to our planet,and not just in small places, like the pacific islands or the Maldives that don't really affect a large number of places, but everywhere. People have ignored the problem for so long, only because it didn't DIRECTLY impact their daily lives.And only now are people realising that this is real and they suddenly have to do something about it. But what about the people who have already been suffering for years, who had to move because rising sea levels made their country go extinct. These people have been trying to tell us for years that climate change is real, we are the problem, but we haven't listened until now. We all have to do something now to stop climate change before it's too late.

Everyone has wants and needs, and it's usually hard to balance the two. Needs things and items that you usually need, while wants are just something that you desire. And a problem with wants is that usually it gets to a point where you have too many things that you want and you don't end up using them just because you wanted it at the moment which causes resources to used wastefully.

I agree with this statement. Overconsumption has caused major effects in our climate and there are many people who can learn the importance of identifying a want, or a need. Wants take up a lot of overconsumption because when you want it, you tend to buy it. There is no problem purchasing items you want for your pleasure. However, there are times when you want more than you truly need and constantly buy things that just begin to pile up. On the other hand, needs are resources that help with your survival, like food, water, and warm clothing. Needs should have priority to your purchases. While you start to only buy things you need, your carbon footprint might start decreasing, less money will be spent and your action will positively impact our climate.

I agree that it’s super important to be mindful of your wants and needs. This can help limit over consumption which alone can significantly reduce your carbon footprint. It will reduce the amount of fossil fuels release when transporting your packages, and the garbage thrown away after unpackaging your items. When we only focus on what we need it helps us live a sustainable life from conserving resources.

Hi there friend I totally agree with this statement because I've  experienced it. For example, this usually happens to me while buying clothes where I see something that I want. Something that has helped me is seeing myself with it in the future and seeing if I'll actually use it or if I'm even a little bit hesitant I won't buy it. I do think this is a problem though because for the people out there who don't have very big limits when it comes to money they won't even stutter when thinking of buying something they might like. This is bad for the environment because it takes a lot of carbon to manufacture all those clothing, gadgets, tools and other stuff.

I totally agree, you have to be super careful with what you purchase and think if it’s a need versus a want. For example, the dollar store you might see an item that is only one to two dollars and think oh it’s only one to two dollars that won’t hurt. However, what you don’t take in account why these  products are so cheap. They were probably made in an unfair working condition or the materials were harvested in a way that hurts the environment. Which  will increase the carbon emissions from producing these cheap products if they weren’t created in a sustainable way.

I learned that most of my carbon emissions come from home energy and transportation. My footprint is 3,055 kg of CO₂ per year, which is lower than the average for California, but I still want to lower it. I think the easiest way to start is by using less electricity and turning off lights and electronics when not needed. Families can also switch to LED bulbs, use energy-efficient appliances, and adjust the thermostat to save energy. If more people made small changes at home, it could really help reduce total CO₂ levels.
(Source: ISCFC Calculator, 2024; EPA “Reducing Home Energy Use,” 2024)

Another thing we can do to lower carbon emissions at home is to turn off the water while we are brushing our teeth and only using it when needed. We could also just not use any heating or air conditioning, and as a substitute for heating we can use blankets.

There are many ways you can lower your carbon footprint. Like using public transit, walking, or biking instead of driving. You can also lower your beef consumption. Eliminating beef as much as possible, will significantly lower your carbon footprint. Cows produce methane, which is produced when they eat. One methane molecule is equivalent to about 23 CO2 molecules! Even replacing beef for chicken or fish will lower your carbon emissions. You can also lower your shower times.

At my school especially, I have noticed there has been a mass overconsumption of paper, and that the paper has not even been fully used. This causes unnecessary de-forestation of tress and more garbage (if not recycled) pollution, which leads to more co2 emmision. A step we can take to fix this would be to collect all paper at school every so often and do recyling paper projects, especially in art classes. In the class students would 1) break down the paper to pulp using and reusing water, 2) make a flat or whatever shape intended paper 3) let it dry, for schools to make their own recycled paper, reducing co2 emission and ensuring a full recycling process, rather than "accidental" littering.

We can re-use items like shopping bags, lunch containers, and bring cutlery for eating.  We can use water bottles instead of buying water in plastic bottles.  We can also reuse clothes by shopping at thrift stores.  When we do art, we can use recycled materials for projects.  We can recycle paper, and reuse paper scraps for projects.

A large part of someone's carbon footprint comes from the amount of time that they travel in cars, so if they live in large or urban cities they can travel via bicycle instead. Especially for shorter distances, bikes are good alternatives for car travel since they significantly cut down on carbon emissions and provide exercise. The only con to traveling with a bicycles in urban cities is that it can be dangerous at times as a lot of people don't watch the road in front of them.

I think that bicycling around your city as a transportation mechanism is a great idea and is good for decreasing carbon emissions. Although if your like me and live far away from school and don't necessarily want to bike to school in the morning you can also take public transit. Public transit is much better for carbon emissions then cars because lots of buses and all skytrains are electric powered instead of gas powered cars. Public transit also can carry up to 20-30 people for buses and can carry up to 100-200 people for skytrains where a car only carry's around 2 people.

I think students who live in the neighbourhood can walk to school more often.  They can also take a bus or ride a bike.  They can improve their carbon footprint by walking, riding their bikes.  Students can also take their lunch in containers and use reusable cutlery.

every week I have to drive to and from my sports and most of the time I have to drive 50km or more. I can't give this as my games are usually early in the morning, and I wouldn't have enough time if I didn't do this. although I try to balance this out by carpooling with other members of my team

Just take the bus

I do things very similar to this. I also have to drive to many events 4-6 times a week for sports. Also, often the he event is more than 30km each time. Additionally, sometimes we have games in Victoria or Nanaimo. To get to the islands, I have to take the ferry. I have tried to look for public transit, but there are not many options to the areas where I play.

Although I agree, RileyWcanada never specified where his sports took place, or if he could take the bus or not. and if they are less than an hour away you could also just bike because if you just biked instead of driving it would impact your carbon footprint a fare bit.

I have very similar problems, as i have a dance class all the way in maple ridge every week. We have to drive incredibly far there and back and we dont really have a choice as there is no bus that takes you that far. Carpooling would also be difficult for us because everyone in my class is very spread out and everyone in my area doesn't go to this class. They only go to a separate one. So it's a very tough situation and i truly wish i didnt have to drive that far.

i am also in the same situation as all of you. i have to drive 2 times a week for practice, and every Saturday for games, and many times my games are far away. people should consider walking if they can to sports that are not to far away. even biking,  taking the bus, or getting a ride with someone else.

There are many things that as people we naturally indulge in that we really have no need for. Because most people have evolved to be so naturally lazy we use things so environmentally horrible its shocking. Instead of driving your car to work you could bike instead,also by reducing shower times by just 5 minutes the energy needed to heat it could be affected greatly. Eating more organically and healthier could help you have a lower carbon footprint and be able to be more physically active meaning a bike is now a possible option over a car. Mass.gov says that other ways to be carbon efficient at home is to do things like recycle half of you plastic waste, and lower/ raise your thermostat depending on the temperature outside. With all of these together it is possible to make a comeback against mass carbon emissions and helps save humanity.

I agree with this completely since humans have evolved to be a lot lazier because we have made everything easier for humans. So for example instead of walking 20 mins to go to and from work we would instead just choose to take their car and save 15 mins of their day. So it is very important to understand the effects these actions will have on our environment and how they will eventually ruin our planet. So instead of making short term choices thinking that they wont effect anything we should instead make choices to better the overall health of our planet. Like instead of driving everywhere we go we could instead try to take public transit when you can. Also instead of taking 40 minute long everything showers we could try and cut down our shower time to only 15 or 20 minutes long. While doing your part by yourself stopping climate change is a group effort so reminding others to do their part can also play a big part in lowering the carbon footprint.

I also agree with this. Humans have gotten a lot lazier and more accustomed to things being made easy for us. For example, ordering clothing online; If you order online, there is often a lot of excess packaging, usually plastic. All this extra plastic being manufactured in large factories, which increases our greenhouse gas emissions. When you order something, it has to be shipped to you, either by plane, boat, and/or car. This further increases our carbon footprint. We have also become more, and more reliant on fast food, or factory made foods. These all have plastic containers or packaging, which greatly effects our environment. These are things that are now in our daily lives, and I think that even if we can't avoid these things every day, we can still try our best to avoid them as much as possible, even if its just a few times a week.

Extreme weather events (including but not limited to lightning) can cause wildfires. while a few wildfires are normal, with climate change in effect the wildfire rate has gone way up. wildfires each warm season now burn twice as many square hectares as they did before the human population skyrocketed. Wildfires destabilize ecosystems by removing prime food sources, destroying habitats and disorienting certain populations. Act now to prevent further damage.

I completely agree how wildfires are a serious problem that's been getting worse because of climate change. Hotter temperatures, dry conditions, and stronger storms make it easier for fires to start and spread quickly. Wildfires can hurt animals by destroying their homes and making it hard for them to find food, which can also change how the whole ecosystem works. People are affected too, because wildfires can damage homes, farms, and even make the air dangerous to breathe. Another problem is that wildfires release a lot of carbon into the air, which makes climate change even worse. We need to take action now, like planting more trees, managing forests carefully, and reducing pollution, to protect both nature and human communities.

(This isn't about wild fires, but forest fires.) I'm also very shocked to hear that people occasionally cause forest fires on purpose, just to get palm oil and make profit. People don't notice the harm tbey are causing to our future and planet in exchange of making money for themselves. I wish people knew the effects of their actions and how it leads to worsen the problem of climate change. They only focus on making profit from getting oil, even if that means having to start a fire

our planet is changing fast because of pollution and waste. if we all reduce trash and save energy. we can protect Earth for the future. small actions from everyone can make a big difference.

I 100 percent agree with what your saying because its true that our planet is changing fast due to all the pollution and waste. I think that if we all took climate change seriously we could make a big difference because we did start climate change so we can also finish the ongoing increase in carbon dioxide. If we don't stop climate change we could be majorly affected as humans in the future and also affect other populations (Animals). All of our small actions can make a difference but only if we all corporate.

While growing your own food reduces your carbon footprint, there are downsides to growing your own food. While growing your own food seems to be a great way to lower your carbon footprint, you don't have to buy imported food, or use transportation to get to the store, there are downsides. The main downsides are that most people can't afford to, or don't have the time to grow their own food. Growing your own food requires time for them to grow, and most people also can't get the same things for several days or weeks at a time, and you have to wait for them to grow. For some people, they can't afford the seeds, dirt, and water needed to raise the plants. Sometimes people's only options are to go to the store.

i agree with TLee11. although growing your own food would benefit the climate largely, people are tight on space. it might be hard to grow your own food if you live in an apartment, or if you live in somewhere with extreme weather conditions or not much soil for growing produce. this is why clubs that give you opportunity's to grow food are such great ideas. because it can teach you the benefits of organic food, that wasn't made or transported through large factories.

My family would really like to be vegetarian. But because my family has some personal health issues, this is only possible for us once or twice a week. We were vegetarian for a long time. But meat became really important to my family's health a while ago, and we weren't able to give it up anymore. But i think its important to source your meat reputably and responsibly and try to address to yourself where it came from and acknowledge what you're eating before consumption if your family really has to eat meat like mine.

Companies have a crucial responsibility in addressing global warming. They must prioritize sustainable practices, reduce emissions, and invest in renewable energy sources.
By taking proactive measures, companies can mitigate their carbon footprint and contribute to a healthier planet for future generations.
However, as long as companies prioritize short-term profit over the well-being of the planet, change remains an illusion. It is essential for companies to realign their financial priorities towards sustainable investments and eco-friendly practices. Only then can we hope to reverse the trend of global warming and protect our environment for future generations

I definitely agree with you, many larger companies are way too obvious to the harm that their non biodegradable waste is for the environment. I feel that the larger food and grocery stores need to start solely only allow biodegradable bags/ packages.

Very true, and the people with all this money tend to say they help the environment or are going to, but don't actually act on what they said.

Very true, and the people with all this money tend to say they help the environment or are going to, but don't actually act on what they said.

I agree! We’re told that we can make a difference by turning off lights and water, or buying compostable things, and while this helps, I’ve read that the main problem is the companies that burn fossil fuels, or contribute to fast fashion/consumerism. What we really need to do is get them to stop or switch to different methods, but all the people in power care about is money, and because the things they are doing now are cheap and the more sustainable methods are more expensive, they refuse to switch. Despite them all being some of the richest people in the world and having too much money to even consider spending in one lifetime. I doubt using methods that won’t eventually kill us will affect their style of life too much.

I absolutely agree. A vast majority of companies do not care about their carbon footprint and do not take the necessary steps in order to appropriately limit them just to save them some money. It's completely morally corrupt, but morals are clearly disregarded in the face of profits.

I agree, most companies don't care enough to mention the importance of the earth's safety and where the money goes. They can use their company's popularity to provide information or encourage people to take action. Even if they don't do this, they can contribute by switching from burning fossil fuels to something else.

You’re right, companies hold a ton of power when it comes to fighting global warming. They’ve got the money, the reach, and the ability to push things in the right direction. Still, too many stick with whatever makes the most profit, even if it’s bad for the planet. Switching to renewable energy, cutting emissions, and choosing greener ways to operate shouldn’t just be nice ideas—they need to be the norm. Honestly, as long as companies keep chasing quick wins instead of thinking about the bigger environmental picture, we won’t see real progress.

I completely agree as well. Major companies hold a tremendous amount of power over politics. they can easily influence the political decisions made and turn things toward their favor. Companies are avoiding the fact that climate change is a huge problem. They're only focused on short term revenue and profits. Altogether ignoring the bigger picture that they're slowly destroying our planet because of their greed. Using renewable energy or choosing more sustainable ways to make their products is easy, it's just a matter of whether you care enough about the issue to do it. Because if we continue down this path and turn an eye away from climate change, future generations might never be able to witness snow firsthand or live in a peaceful world without major disasters.

I agree. This is a huge problem, but it's not just companies, it's the very foundation of our society that is the problem. As humans we tend to see the world from a very individual perspective, separate countries, separate poeple. Our society is run on consumerism and capitalism and if we want to live a sustainable future this will have to change. we are so busy with our day to day lives caring for ourselves, our familles, work school, that we aren't able to think about everybody all the time and the impacts longterm of our decisions, so we're left waiting on politicians and big companies to make a difference, but most of them rely on the revenues that come from fossil fuels so they aren't willing to change. politicians are more our elected followers rather than leaders, they have to do what the people want in order to get elected, even if they really want to make change. but since billionaires make their money on fossil fuels they would want to prevent laws and taxes against fossil fuels to keep up their income and so missinformation is spread to the public about climate change and change isn't able to happen at the rate we need it too.

I agree with you. Major companies only care about how much money they can make. They almost have everything you need to push the people in the right direction: money, and influence. But they choose not to. They could easily switch to using renewable energy as they have the money to do it. but they choose not to as fossil fuel is cheap and works well. They are slowly killing our planet without us realizing it. They shut down any talk about how their companies are corrupt and are killing our planet by using influencers to shut us up. If companies keep on chasing money rather than environmental friendly options, we will never survive as a species.

Environmental justice means making sure that all people, and organisms, have equal access to a clean and healthy environment. Globally, low-income communities and communities of POC often are faced with higher exposure to pollution, limited access to clean water, and overall more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Environmental justice is about understanding the inequalities and impacts and working towards solutions and policies that protect both the planet and the people most affected by environmental harm. One thing I noticed from calculating my family's carbon footprint was that a lot of the emissions came from transportation and home. Although not much can be done about traveling via planes, I think installing solar panels and using public transportation or an electric vehicle can lessen CO2 emissions, ultimately leading to less pollution and a cleaner environment.

Very well said, and I completely agree with your definition of environmental justice. Developing countries are disproportionately impacted by climate change, facing greater impacts from extreme weather and health risks compared to already industrialized countries: the result of inequities deep rooted in systematic racism; POC communities have limited access to resources like you said, which is a right everyone has. However, these countries are the ones trying their utmosts to mitigate their carbon emissions. These nations with minimal contribution to the problem, are prioritizing efforts to develop climate-resilient infrastructure and try turning to renewable energy. However, what can be done, and how can they turn their country to cleaner energy while they are simultaneously trying to lift their people out of poverty?