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Welcome to the April 2026 ISCFC discussion forum!

Look to the right side of this page, and you will see a series of Student Discussion topics listed. Students: you should look through those topics, read other students' comments, post replies, and add your own thoughts. Join as many discussions as you like!

Teachers can meet other ISCFC participating teachers and share ideas at the Teacher Planning Discussion link at right.

Note that all teachers and students who wish to participate in the forum will need to register, you can now use a single registration for both the footprint calculator and our new forum!

Click the buttons at the top right of every page to either Register or Log in so that you can participate in the forum.

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Recent posts:

Jamesepic24   2026-01-12 21:09:06 (Last post: 2026-01-20 10:20:03) in Open Forum
Artificial Intelligence

AI is becoming bigger and bigger as the industry and years progress onward. Artificial Intelligence uses gargantuan amounts of water and resources, and is becoming a tool that seemingly all companies want to use. I felt it necessary to talk about and at least put into the minds of some people since it is now becoming commonplace in today's society.

Canihaveapeperm   2026-01-20 10:20:03 in Open Forum

That is true right now, but as the technology advances, the necessary resources will decrease significantly.

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Maren.biomim   2026-01-13 21:18:47 in Food & Hunger
Food Waste

Across the world, food is wasted by restaurants, fast food places, grocery stores, and markets that make or stock more than they can sell. This is incredibly harmful because all of this waste could provide suffering families with the meals that they do not have access to. I think food needs to be made more available to the public by lowering costs of quality, healthy ingredients so that people who are impoverished can still feed their families nutritious meals.

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Maren.biomim   2026-01-13 21:03:36 in Wants or Needs?
Consumerism

Many people feel pressured to purchase new technology whenever a new version is released because they feel social pressure to always have the nicest phone or the newest airpods. This creates lots of unnecessary electronic waste and could be avoided if people use their devices until they absolutely need new ones.

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Maren.biomim   2026-01-13 20:43:01 in Extreme Weather
Extreme Weather

I feel like people who are not directly affected by severe weather events do not fully grasp how much of an effect climate change has on natural disasters. Seasonal hurricanes, wildfires, and tornadoes have become so normalized that unless they are destroying your city, most people will ignore the media coverage because they do not want to accept it as a result of climate change.

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Maren.biomim   2026-01-13 20:33:24 in MY Family Footprint
Environmentally Friendly Home

If I were the head of my household I would lower my carbon footprint by opting for LED light bulbs because they are more energy efficient than incandescent. I would also compost organic food waste to reduce the amount of waste going to the landfill and to return nutrients to the soil around my home so that I could potentially grow my own fruits and vegetables. I would also opt for energy efficient appliances to avoid burning fossil fuels.

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Maren.biomim   2026-01-13 20:11:58 in Corporate responsibility
Hold Corporate Accountable

Corporate companies produce immense amounts of pollution that infects our air, water, and land based habitats. Factories are poisoning the air with harmful gases and chemicals, and wasting many valuable natural resources. Corporate CEOs need to be held responsible for the corners they cut in order to make larger profits. Customers also need to shop responsibly and avoid companies that do not take any measures to protect the environment, their employees, or the local community.

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Jamesepic24   2026-01-12 21:37:04 in Corporate responsibility
Restrictions placed upon corporations

I'm aware that there have been restrictions placed upon corporations regarding their effect on the environment, but to what extent do these restrictions address the issue? As it stands, corporations still make up a large portion of climate change and can operate without much care for the environment. I feel that corporations need more limitations placed upon them so that they will have to take responsibility for their actions. Any thoughts?

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Jamesepic24   2026-01-12 19:30:46 in Student Footprints
Bad Habits

A student's carbon footprint is mostly comprised of actions caused by bad habits. These habits appear in daily life, and the most common are leaving the lights on, taking long showers, sitting in their car with the engine idling, leaving their devices turned on, and not recycling properly. All of these habits are commonplace in many students' daily lives and go unchecked unless someone close to them knows just how bad these habits are. We as a society should be warning these students about how harmful these things are on a larger scale.

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Jamesepic24   2026-01-12 07:56:06 in Now It's Time for Action
Restrictions on emissions

Now is the time to fight against climate change! We as a people need to crack down on the increasing emissions released by companies. As humans, we stray away from restricting businesses and organizations too much because it could affect the economy or progression of technology, but there will be no future if it is not done. You may think I'm exaggerating, but I 100% believe that if nothing is done, the world will become almost uninhabitable within the coming centuries(think of your kids or grandkids). Now then, everyone has a part and contributes a certain amount to climate change, but the majority is caused by organizations or businesses, and it needs to be cracked down on. The time is NOW!

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PaulCherney   2026-01-12 07:51:34 in Think Big
Vertical School Gardens for Lunch MUAHAHAAHAA yum

My big idea is to turn school hallways and cafeteria walls into vertical farms. Most of the food we eat in the cafeteria is trucked in from hundreds of miles away, which creates a massive carbon footprint just for one lunch.

If we grew our own vegetables like lettuce, tomatoes, and herbs right on the school walls, the "food miles" would basically be zero. These gardens use 95% less water than regular farming and don't need pesticides. Plus, having thousands of plants inside the building would act like a massive "carbon sponge," cleaning the air we breathe while we’re in class. It’s a way to make the school self-sufficient and cut down on waste at the same time.

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PaulCherney   2026-01-09 07:54:18 (Last post: 2026-01-12 07:46:58) in Is Climate Change Real & Human-Caused?
Climate change is real and Humans make it worse

Climate change is definitely real, and so much data proves it.  It's true the Earth’s climate has always changed naturally over millions of years, but the real issue is how fast we’re making it happen now. By burning fossil fuels and clearing out forests, we’re pumping harmful gasses like co2 and methane into the air at a rate the planet can't handle. We're also trashing the oceans and destroying habitats that are supposed to help clean the air. So, even though climate change happens on its own, human intervention is basically putting that natural process on fast-forward and making it way more destructive.

Jamesepic24   2026-01-12 07:46:02 in Is Climate Change Real & Human-Caused?

I absolutely agree with you, Paul Cherney! The Earth's climate is definitely being rapidly changed and warmed by humans. Most of this change is contributed to by massive corporations and businesses, but it's important to remember that we all have a part in this world. This is why I responded to your message in particular, because I appreciate how you consistently used the word "We're", which makes it clear that the problem of climate change is caused by us and therefore needs to be fixed by us.

PaulCherney   2026-01-12 07:46:58 in Is Climate Change Real & Human-Caused?

Youre wlecome JAMESEPIC24

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PaulCherney   2026-01-12 07:41:56 in Think Big
Think BIG Solar Wrap

We need to implement Solar wrap technology—ultra-thin, flexible solar film that can be wrapped around skyscrapers, paved into sidewalks, and even built into the windows of our school. This would turn every city into a self-sustaining battery. Imagine if your school building produced enough energy not just for its own lights, but to power the neighborhood around it. We wouldn’t need massive, polluting power plants miles away.

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Noah_Branham08   2026-01-12 07:32:55 in Home Grown
Home grown energy saving

I have been wondering how much energy it truly saves growing your food at home? Being able to grow it at home and also recycle using your old food to develop new food surely has to save energy, right? Is it truly worth the extra effort?

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Noah_Branham08   2026-01-12 07:30:24 in Corporate responsibility
Corporate waste

My question is, how much more money would it cost for companies to switch to more eco-friendly packaging? Given the amount of waste and excess packaging these companies use, it would likely be more cost-effective to use biodegradable packaging that requires less, so why don't they?

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Noah_Branham08   2026-01-12 07:27:35 in MY Family Footprint
Energy Waste

Most days, I leave my fan running in my room. This is a habit I got used to because my room is super small, so it is always hot. I recently discovered how much energy I am wasting and that I need to make some changes to my energy-wasting habits. How much have my few years of leaving my fan running affected my personal carbon footprint and the area around me?

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Noah_Branham08   2026-01-12 07:24:56 in Is Climate Change Real & Human-Caused?
Is climate change real and human-caused?

Climate change is very much real, but this topic does get me wondering. How much of climate change is truly caused by humans? What specific things cause the most climate change?

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Noah_Branham08   2026-01-12 07:22:24 in MY Family Footprint
Showers

How much do my long showers affect the environment and my footprint?

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BiomimAva   2026-01-11 20:24:11 in MY Family Footprint
How much of my family footprint is under my control?

It's hard for me to gauge what aspects I am responsible for. Sure, there's the lights in my personal spaces, the plumbing I use, the things I buy, but that hardly scrapes the surface of my family's overall carbon footprint. Is there anything else I can be more involved in?

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BiomimAva   2026-01-11 20:19:07 in Extreme Weather
Concerning Normalization of Natural Disasters

I find it odd how hurricanes, droughts, and forest fires can devastate states every year, but it's just brushed off as an annual travesty. What compels people to keep returning to places that are becoming uninhabitable? Is anyone working towards preventative measures, and how?

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BiomimAva   2026-01-11 20:12:46 in Home Grown
Maintaining Plants?

My family used to have a tomato plant many years ago, but we probably only had two years of it producing tomatoes before it died. I also had a personal cucumber plant, but it didn't reach maturation due to accidentally overhydrating it with a humidifier. My mother claims to have a black thumb when it comes to gardening, but I believe I'll have better luck if I try caring for a cucumber plant again. Does anyone have any advice?

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BiomimAva   2026-01-11 20:08:25 in Wants or Needs?
Shopping at Malls

It's easy to lose sight of wants and needs when in a third place like the mall, especially when you have your own source of money for the first time. To try and minimize unnecessary spending, I usually try to window-shop, set a budget, and carefully consider whether or not I'll use the things I want. At the end of the day, virtually nothing at the mall is needed, but splurging on yourself every once in a while can be beneficial mentally.

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avraBOD   2025-05-14 14:57:07 (Last post: 2026-01-09 09:13:13) in Clean Development
Flying Less

Flying is the biggest way I add to my carbon footprint. Planes use a lot of fuel and release pollution into the air. To cut down on this, I can fly less and take trains or buses for shorter trips. If I do fly, picking direct flights helps because takeoff and landing create the most pollution. Some airlines are working on fuel-efficient planes, and I can also use carbon offset programs to support eco-friendly projects. A big question is how the aviation industry can make flying greener.

27sabol4403   2026-01-09 09:13:13 in Clean Development

Just like you, my carbon footprint suffered massively from the number of flights I take. My dad is a pilot and my mom used to be a flight attendant, so I practically grew up in the air. Direct flights are definitely the best way to reduce carbon emissions without actually traveling less. Even so, I think we should push airlines to find more environmentally-friendly business practices and increase fuel efficiency.

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Books   2025-11-18 22:28:05 (Last post: 2026-01-09 08:01:51) in Food & Hunger
Food Insecurity

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.

27sabol4403   2026-01-09 08:01:51 in Food & Hunger

The drastic increase in food insecurity over the past year signals an issue with the way we live in the modern day. The statistics are concerning, and people are suffering both physically and mentally because they can't get enough nutrition to fuel their bodies. All people deserve to be healthy and fed, even if they live in a food desert or can't afford ample fuel. I agree that this topic is important and should be addressed so we can develop better practices worldwide to help this terrible situation. Whether its spreading the message or encouraging global governments to aid in the crisis, we can all do something to curb food insecurity.

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BiomimAva   2026-01-09 07:58:42 in Student Footprints
Carpooling

Out of all my friends, I am the only one who has both a driver's license and a car. Naturally, I offer rides to them to/from school and work, and I never thought much about it until recently, when I realized I was unknowingly cutting down on carbon emissions. If I start or end a work shift at the same time as someone else, it only makes sense for us to take one car instead of two.

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BiomimCollins   2026-01-09 07:58:22 in Food & Hunger
Food waste

What ways can the everyday person avoid food waste? Not everyone has a compost bin so where do they put all the old food? Maybe there should be a separate bin for food waste that certain trash collectors can get for compost on farms?

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BiomimCollins   2026-01-09 07:54:35 in Open Forum
Info in schools

How can schools properly provide more information and resources about climate change? Students should be properly informed about how their actions affect the environment.

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27sabol4403   2026-01-09 07:54:11 in Is Climate Change Real & Human-Caused?
Climate Change: A glaring modern issue

There was once a time when climate change was merely speculative, a faraway threat nobody needed to address at the time. We didn't think humans would ever see the consequences of reaching greater and greater populations, using more energy and producing more waste and carbon emissions than the Earth can handle. Now, climate change is real, and its a greater threat than ever because we ignored it for so long. Year after year, temperatures have increased drastically as rainforests have been cut down and fossil fuels have been burned. This can only go on for so long; the human population tends to increase exponentially, and the Earth will eventually reach its limit.
Between corporate waste, excessive energy usage, and an unwillingness to look toward the future, we've killed off coral reefs in the ocean and obliterated entire species. This wouldn't have happened without us. We must acknowledge the glaring threat of global warming and work to coexist with ecosystems instead of destroying them. Things won't change unless we all take action together. We can't just pin the responsibility on others when we all inadvertently play a part in this dilemma. Between reducing energy usage, recycling and reusing, and spreading the message about our dying Earth, we can all make a difference together and heal the Earth.

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PaulCherney   2026-01-09 07:45:46 in Student Footprints
Student Footprints Driving to school

In my opinion, if you live close to your school, you do not need to drive. You can cut down your carbon footprint by just walking or biking. Even just taking the bus is better because it keeps more individual cars off the road.

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BiomimCollins   2026-01-09 07:44:50 in Home Grown
Making your own food

There should be a lot more encouragement to grow your own food in a garden. There should be more encouragement and available resources to let people grow their food without taking a large monetary risk.

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27sabol4403   2026-01-09 07:43:33 in Wants or Needs?
The Issue of Overconsumption

In our modern world, people are inclined to buy things they don't need without thinking. Websites like Amazon make it so easy for people to purchase things at the click of a button without thinking: "Do I really need that?" Additionally, social media trends allow people to promote buying things people want in excess, contributing to waste and environmental decline globally.
Fast fashion is one example of a trendy industry, guided by the whims of people with the most influence. A particular style will be "in" for a week or two and then cast aside and forgotten. As a result, fast fashion companies like Temu and Shein can make low-quality products that fall apart quickly without consequence. Fashion trends are already over by the time the cheap polyester(plastic) clothing falls apart; people move on to the next almost immediately and throw everything else away. The sheer amount of low-quality clothing being wasted is obscene, more than we can feasibly make use of. All around the world, these cheap products go into landfills, slowly stripping the Earth of its health and nature.
This obscene modern trend must be stopped; we need to put more thought into our purchases and consider the future consequences of our actions.

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PaulCherney   2026-01-09 07:37:22 in Wants or Needs?
Wants or Needs? Fast Fashion

I think fast fashion is one of the things that seems like a need because everyone wants to keep up with trends, but it's actually a big want that causes a lot of problems. It's tempting because you can get a whole outfit for like $20, but the quality is usually so bad that it ends up in the trash after a month. In my opinion, it's much better to save up for at least a quality piece of clothing that you like instead of buying five cheap things just because they're on sale. Plus, the environmental impact is huge, fast fashion creates so much waste. If more people just shopped at thrift stores or wore their clothes longer, it would save money and the planet.

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BiomimCollins   2026-01-09 07:34:40 in MY Family Footprint
Family footprint

How can children encourage their parents to change their way of living? Parents hold a lot of authority and it could be hard to break them out of their habits.

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27sabol4403   2026-01-09 07:34:04 in Corporate responsibility
Corporations Destroying the Environment

Corporations play a concerningly large role in the environmental decline of the modern day. Appliances in previous decades used to be built to last a lifetime, and now they must be replaced every few years. By forcing people to buy low-quality products again and again, corporations contribute to an obscene amount of waste. At the end of the day, all that matters to these big businesses is profit margins, not the increasing frequency of landfills all across the world. Between non-biodegradable plastic products, fast fashion, and water/energy waste during production, corporations are destroying the planet and then pinning the blame on consumers. They pretend to care about the environment, lying about green policies and imploring people to recycle instead of removing harmful business practices. We could do so much to resolve this, whether by imposing legal responsibilities onto these corporations or implementing clean and renewable energy, but doing so requires foresight people don't want to have. Looking toward our future reveals an unpleasant picture of a desolate Earth, and we are more willing to turn a blind eye to this and hope it'll never affect them. Unfortunately, the way things are going, it most certainly will over the course of our lifetimes.

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BiomimCollins   2026-01-09 07:30:35 in Student Footprints
Student encouragement

How can students encourage people around them to take action to have a smaller carbon footprint? It is very difficult for students to get the attention of their peers and help change their minds. It is also almost impossible for students to be heard by adults so how can they be heard?

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Mikay   2025-11-18 22:37:53 (Last post: 2025-12-08 06:38:45) in Now It's Time for Action
Shorter Showers

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.

Danon Raaj   2025-11-18 22:55:59 in Now It's Time for Action

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.

landlordcertification   2025-12-08 06:38:45 in Now It's Time for Action

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.

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Eduardvalea   2025-04-02 22:36:56 (Last post: 2025-12-07 10:34:03) in Is Climate Change Real & Human-Caused?
Is there any real way to stop Climate Change now?

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'?

TAy98321   2025-11-19 20:26:48 in Is Climate Change Real & Human-Caused?

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.

BoopDoopC   2025-12-07 10:34:03 in Is Climate Change Real & Human-Caused?

"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.

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Leila O (lahlah)   2025-11-19 00:02:20 (Last post: 2025-12-07 10:07:19) in Home Grown
benefits of gardening and buying locally grown food

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.

Guðrún   2025-12-03 09:41:13 in Home Grown

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. smile

BoopDoopC   2025-12-07 10:07:19 in Home Grown

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. smile

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Dario_Moccia   2025-11-20 00:38:47 (Last post: 2025-12-03 09:34:51) in Wants or Needs?
Wants or Needs

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.

Guðrún   2025-12-03 09:34:51 in Wants or Needs?

yes i am so with you on this smile

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marco09   2025-11-20 00:23:06 in Wants or Needs?
Wants or Needs

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.

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Gi0rgi4   2025-11-20 00:22:15 in Wants or Needs?
Wants or Needs?

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!

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Alice8   2025-11-20 00:21:30 in Wants or Needs?
Wants or needs?

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.

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TAy98321   2025-11-19 20:11:28 in Is Climate Change Real & Human-Caused?
yes climate change is real and is a huge problem

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.

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Makar   2025-11-14 11:31:52 (Last post: 2025-11-19 19:29:54) in Is Climate Change Real & Human-Caused?
Can we stop using fossil fuels?

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.

Eric N.   2025-11-14 12:02:46 in Is Climate Change Real & Human-Caused?

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.

okoklala   2025-11-19 09:51:44 in Is Climate Change Real & Human-Caused?

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.

askaboutzainab   2025-11-19 19:29:54 in Is Climate Change Real & Human-Caused?

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 .

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AndreaC   2025-11-19 00:18:51 (Last post: 2025-11-19 19:23:34) in Wants or Needs?
Wants vs. Needs: Understanding the Difference

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.)

askaboutzainab   2025-11-19 19:23:34 in Wants or Needs?

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.

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Connor10   2025-11-16 17:46:33 (Last post: 2025-11-19 19:15:44) in Food & Hunger
Should food be free

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.

eliggg   2025-11-18 15:51:10 in Food & Hunger

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.

TLee11   2025-11-18 15:58:20 in Food & Hunger

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.

lucapasta3   2025-11-18 16:07:01 in Food & Hunger

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.

askaboutzainab   2025-11-19 19:15:44 in Food & Hunger

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.

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Connor10   2025-11-16 17:27:39 (Last post: 2025-11-18 22:57:07) in Is Climate Change Real & Human-Caused?
Fossil fuels

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.

Mikay   2025-11-18 22:57:07 in Is Climate Change Real & Human-Caused?

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.

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Danon Raaj   2025-11-18 22:35:53 in Reuse & Repurpose
How far garage sales can go

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.

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Danon Raaj   2025-11-18 22:18:50 in Now It's Time for Action
How can we change the world by just changing your diet?

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.

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