The strong want to be able to have the popular things/items that are seen all over the internet, muddle the opinion of whether it is actually needed, or do we want it so bad that it feels like we need it? Lots of things are bought because someone wants it, but when something is needed, people noticeably slack on buy that item because it isn't wanted.

I agree with this, that many of the expensive things we buy are not necessities. However, in the world we live in it is a prised thing to have the coolest new thing or the next celebrity item. Along with people having the need to seem cool or fit in. This goes to show that everything we do contributes to climate change even as something as simple as buying the next popular clothing item to fit in because not only does it lead to over consumption but it leads to our judgment about wants vs needs being clouded.

My household will be able to reduce gas usage because my brother has just left for collage so we will have less to cook, heat, and cool.

That will help the environment.

nice, maybe if we all lowered our emissions we could save the planet

@sean1111 I agree with this. Every single person on Earth could do something to reduce their footprint and help stop climate change. However, even if one person does one thing to help climate change that is still helpful because no matter how big the action it still contributes to the overall stopping of climate change.

Being mindful before buying something and not buying unnecessary products.

A lot of the time I have the experience of buying something that I don't really need but feel like it will make me happy. This may be a response to boredom, however a goal I for myself is to find something else to occupy myself with instead of adding to overconsumption and waste. These harmful materialistic behaviors are something I know a lot of teenagers and people in general struggle with, as due to media the solution to every problem seems to be a new product. This wasteful mindset is part of the reason our planet is in such a bad state. An example of this is the floating trash islands in the ocean and the piles of old products and trash in third world countries that are direct results of our consumer driven society. A way to combat this is to think about if you really NEED something before buying it or if it will just collect dust in your home before you throw it out and it pollutes our environment.

I also understand the wanting something but knowing you don't need it. I feel it is a tricky thing to overcome and the best way to deal with this most likely is to try ones hardest to not get that thing. What we need to do is monitor our consumer nature to try and help our planet thrive, even though it may not do much, in the long it will help us.

I very much agree with this statement. I honestly think that people can be able to tell whether they actually need something or not but they still buy stuff anyway. That is what I think is the problem that people need to overcome. They need to learn to be able to just not buy stuff they don't need rather than being able to understand if they need it or not

I agree, but i like the stuff i dont need

I agree with every person because sometimes when I go shopping I buys clothes but at the end I don't even wear them a lot, just for 2-3 times

While I am under average in almost everything I am wildly over in the travel section and should probably cut down on that

Me too, i think that it might be from when i went on trips for fun over summer break. I could cut back on these to reduce my footprint.

I was also wayyyy over the transportation section and that's the only section I really need to improve more on

Me too, i flew way too much this year which really contributes to travel.

My carbon footprint was heavily impacted by my trip to europe and I know my family is going on many more vacations far away what can I do to reduce the impact those trips will have?

you cant so just enjoy your trip away from home and try new things while youre there

I have this same problem. Its very hard to reduce your carbon footprint from air travel as a kid but being mindful about it is already a major step in the right direction.

My carbon footprint was also extremely impacted by my trips. I think the best thing to do is to lower other other stuff like home or foods. I honestly know I'm going to go on more flights. So I'd enjoy the trips and lower using stuff at home that does impact climate change.

my footprint was also affected a lot by trips, so i will try to cut down on big trips

So apparently I got more kgs in home and food, but I don't understand what I should do to bring it down. Any ideas?

I must eat more organic and less processed foods to make less environmental destruction.

chocolate makes me very happy i eat it lots

According to https://concernusa.org/news/world-hunger-facts/ "the world produces enough food to feed all of its 8 billion people, yet 733 million people (1 in 11) go hungry every day. 2.8 billion people around the world (35% of the global population) cannot afford a healthy diet.
That percentage is even higher in low-income countries, where 71.5% of people cannot afford a healthy diet." (as of 2025)
Sustainable eating is great, but almost impossible when you are struggling to just get any food to eat. If you can afford to eat sustainably, by all means do so. But for poorer people, they don't think to eat sustainably, because they don't have the money to do so. Lowering the price of sustainable, environmentally friendly food would be wonderful. So would making it more accessible/advertising it more. Even if people have the money to buy environmentally friendly food, why eat it when there is far cheaper, better tasting fast food like McDonalds? Sustainable food needs to be more mainstream, less costly, and something that is easily available to the general public. Thanks.

Fast-Fashion is one of the biggest influences  of over consumption our society faces today. Websites such as SHEIN started to trend due to their extremely cheap prices, because of this people tend  to overlook reusing & re-purposing because it is “too much work” or they simply believe they aren’t capable of creating something by hand. Instead of encouraging this behavior we should look towards other alternatives such as thrift-stores! Old clothing that no longer fits you can be donated to these organizations or you can use the fabric for a different craft! Any sort of “trash” can be reused and turned into something resourceful.

The craziest part is that some Fast-Fashion isn't even cheep anymore. Our society has started hiking up prices for things that were supposed to be easy and cheep. Now all we are getting is cheaply made clothes for unfair prices. This should be a wake up call for people to start slowing their role on buying the newest fashions from SHEIN, and start going and buying things at goodwill, value village, or just your local thrift store to give old clothes a second life. Doing this doesn't just help our planet, it also saves us the trouble of poorly made clothes breaking and us going to buy a new one, in turn wasting our money.

In my research, I have found that adopting a vegan diet is one way to save on the environmental impact caused by raising farm animals. Now more than ever there is a lot of healthy, balanced ways to consume a plant-based diet. One of these ways I have found was through the recipes Baking Hermann has showed me. Baking Herman is a website founded on principles of sustainability. Baking Hermann spotlights plant-based meals from around the world to show the diverse foods and meals that can be made.

Here is the website

I agree with what you are saying. I think a plant based diet helps reduce your carbon footprint a lot. Since the demand for meat has gotten much higher, farmers have been clearing way more land for there farm animals to live on as well as land to grow food for the animals. Valuable land too, a football field sized chunk of land is cleared every second for agriculture from rain forests. So eating less meat also saves our forests.

I think adopting a vegan diet is a great idea but for some people it is very hard to give up meat. Maybe if regular meat eaters only have meat 4 out of 6 day of the week it would make a big change. This would be way easier than a full vegan or Vega diet but will still have impacts. Another way could be to eat fast food burgers less because 1 burger is equivalent to 3000 gallons of water or 2 mouths showers so this would have a huge impact on water levels as well.

I 100% agree with your statements. I think that creating a plant based diet is healthy, and also it reduces your carbon footprint significantly. Although for meat eaters switching to a all plant based diet will be tough. I think that for meat eaters instead of eating meat all the time they should try and stick with a plant based diet for at least 4 times a week. Also switching to a plant based diet helps with the farmers so much, because raising these animals give a big chunk of their land so it will help them out a lot.

I agree with the idea of adopting a vegan diet will help with the environmental impact of animal agriculture, although I don’t think everyone should just stop eating meat and dairy. I think that people should cut down on their meat eating per week because some people have been eating meat their whole life’s and we can’t just tell them they’re not allowed any more. Although we can teach people more about where it comes from and let them decide whether they want to become vegan.

I agree with the vegan diet meal but it is quite hard for people who always had meat for the longest time will eventually start to adapt to having a little bit of fresh greens to having half of there meal attached to green foods.

I agree that a vegan diet would reduce the amount of carbon and even have a few other positive impacts but there are some negative impacts that should also be considered when having everyone adopt a vegan diet. In the US, in the year 2024 about 876,460 acres of land were used for farming which is a reason why deforestation happens. If more people were to adopt a vegan lifestyle then the demand for animal products would decrease and so would their populations. This would lead to less land needed for overpopulated animals who were mass produced in order to fill the demand for meat and other products. The economy would also suffer in response to this, such as farmers. Some people also require medical needs that wouldn’t work with a vegan diet and would require more supplements. Most people wouldn’t be willing to give up meat as well. Over all it all depends on the person but if more people adopted a vegan diet less carbon would be created. 

Here is the website link to the statistics on farm land:
https://www.statista.com/statistics/196 … ince-2000/

I agree with possibly adopting a vegan diet, but I wonder for people that won't agree with it is there some other alternative to eating meat, like possibly eating impossible burgers or something? I feel like if you search for the right foods, or possibly the right meals that others have created it would at least be less meat consumption than most people already. Wish there was an in-between because a lot of other people won't agree with going to a vegan or vegetarian diet.

While I agree with what is being said it really is hard to just start being a vegan especially if you have grown up eating meat your whole life. I believe that a way to help the people who want to change their eating, but don't want to give up meat, is to find a happy balance between the two. For example eating vegetarian and/or vegan meals 4/7 days a week and eating meat based dishes the other 3. This kind of plan is a good way to start a less carbon filled eating journey in my opinion, but please tell me your thoughts about this.

something that I cant give up is campfires with my friends because they are too much fun and are not really that bad when compared to other things we humans do.

I feel the same way. I still think we should not do it on the regular though.

I agree even the little things count for something bigger

I agree we should limit the amounts of fires but i can't get rid of them fully.

I believe as humans we want more and more things, such as keeping up with the newest trends. It is not necessary because what we already have before buying these new items are usually in good condition.

I agree with you. I think people do want more and more things as new trends or something new comes out. I however don't think this is a bad thing to an extent of us buying things we don't always need or use.

I agree as well as you can easily notice how fast micro-trends go in and out of popularity which causes for great numbers of people to buy products and throw them away a couple years later after being barely used.

Agreed 100%, unfortunately I have also fallen victim to trends/microtrends but I'm trying to improve my want for unnecessary things, especially when the items I have already work well.

i agree, we want a lot of new things

yes

I agree

Yes it is.

yes, all the pollution in the oceans and a lot of the CO2 in the air was caused by us.

I believe it is due to our large carbon and fossil fuel emissions, constantly warming the planet.

It is caused by us. Via big corporations polluting the atmosphere, and the average persons daily life impacts the C02 pollution as well.

yes

The answer is both, but i think its more important to change the way bigger companies operate to sway the public into watching their own emission's.

I agree

thank you evan

I believe that climate change is effected more by large governments and corporations, and because of this, they should hold most of the responsibility to work against climate change. It is unrealistic to expect individual actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions alone.

I think that climate change is more affected by larger companies but our own emissions are still important

Both do have an effect, but larger companies have a bigger affect 100%. They have much more influence and also burn fuels at huge levels resulting to way too much CO2 in the environment.

I think that both parties have an effect. We should definitely stop companies from doing so much emissions, like carbon caps and taxes. But, I don't think it's an excuse to slack off on our emissions because "one person does not make a difference." We can also push companies to produce less via email and letters. If enough people send them they will listen. (Hopefully ?)

I agree, thinking that it is both larger companies and our own emissions, because every persons emissions, add up to about the same a large company.

I agree, I think that we all have a part to play in climate change, but large gas emissions do also have a big effect.

I think climate change is caused more from big companies but i also think it is still important to think about our own impact to and try to reduce it

i think it is the big companies that are causing it, but individuals should be carful

I think that we should reuse plastic containers instead of throwing them out

We need to make more containers that ARE reusable, most plastic will degrade and leak microplastics into whatever it is containing. I think the solution is to make more biodegradable plastic as apposed to reusing.

I personally think that we need to stop making/creating so much single use plastic in our packaging as its what is mainly sitting in our landfills. Plus, with packaging like the kind you are given from taking food home from restaurants, they use harmful products like Styrofoam which is horrible for environment. Therefore is companies can find more environmentally friendly packaging we can help avoid adding to our already existing waste problem.

We should use either containers that are reusable or compostable inside or outside of your dwelling so it can be repurposed either way.

yeah, I think we should prioritize re-using, and try and keep the number of plastic products we buy to a minimum. As well as reducing the amount of kitchen items like cling wrap and things that won't break down somewhat easily.

Absolutely! I think a lot of people tend to just throw away things that could be used multiple times. Throwing things away will have a bad effect on the environment knowing where they go, I don't exactly where everything goes but i can say for sure a lot of plastic ends in the oceans and definitely effects the wildlife in negative ways. And people can do this by reduce the plastic they throw out.

Yes. I fully believe that humans are the main cause of climate change. The reason for this is because most of the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is caused by humans. Humans cause CO2 to be released by cutting down trees for various reasons (ex. clearing land for agriculture, paper production), breeding animals for meat consumption, burning fossil fuels (ex. transportation, heating), electricity use, and so much more. I feel that if we were to reduce some of the things we do to contribute to the CO2 in the environment, then the world would head towards a cleaner and safer future.

If you are a student, you may not think that you can do much to help out, but there are many things you can do including eat less meat, take shorter showers, turn off any electrical device when it is not being currently used, take public transportation, walk, or bike whenever possible, and throw your waste in the right bins. I'm not telling you to change your whole lifestyle, but if we all try to reduce even a little bit of the things we do to contribute to climate change, then we can make a huge impact to change the outcome of the future. Try to do whatever is possible for you.

you're right, we are causing far to much CO2 to enter the atmosphere and this needs to stop. while personal action will help there will always someone who doesn't care, which is why big corporations also need to play a role.

I agree as well, we are causing way to much pollution and C02 to enter our and atmosphere. And we need to do something about it. We need to get big groups of people to help the cause, while individual help and still impact it. Bigger groups get attention better than just one person.

I completely agree Humans have single handed raised the ppm of CO2 by almost 125 since 1960

Wants and needs are very tricky.

What catorgie is most harmful to the planet?

While doing my calculations, I noticed that a carnivore diet with four people produces a lot of CO2.

I agree that carnivore diets produces greater amounts of CO2 than a vegetarian or vegan diet. This is due to many things but one of the greatest contributors is the food needed to feed the animals that could have been used to just feed humans. Personally when driving past cow farms it highlights all of the resources needed to create meat.

I put that I wasn't a vegetarian and immediately got an extreme amount of C02 as well. I guess just one thing to help with C02 impacts would be to eat less meat or just eat smaller bits of it.

Corporations are responsible for a large amount of our carbon emissions. I think that large corporations need to find more enviornmental friendy ways to do buisiness. About 80% of the carbon emissions from 2016 to 2022 can be traced back to only 57 companies. These statistics came from this website

100%. As a society we need to advocate more about how much affect corporations have on the climate, as it is easily the biggest problem related to climate change imo.

I agree too, however I think a couple of these companies make a change on how much C02 they produce all the other companies are bound to follow which would help to lesson carbon emissions by a large amount.

some people exaggerate with shopping which is a desire not a necessity, there are many things they don't need but they still spend a lot of money on things harmful to the environment

yess, overconsumption is such a big issue right now. If people didn't impulse buy so much there wouldn't be so many things that they throw away.

Especially with clothing trends that go away after a few months, people overconsume clothes so much. It's so important to actually like what you're buying and not just get stuff because other people have it!

100% it is not a necessity and many people should at least attempt to cut back

I think that overconsumption is a big issue and that we all need to remember what we have, before we purchase more things.

i think buying things in smaller amounts is one of the problems because they more packaging is used and it cost the consumer more.

Wanting something is different then needing something, wanting something is trying to get something that you don't need, needing something is if your old thing doesn't work or you need something to live your life.e

yeah if everyone only get stuff they needed and not everything they wanted, the world would be a much better place.

no i disagree, if we only have things we need then we should all simply live in shacks with food and water instead of huge homes with cars and whatnot, also we should not own ANY pets and all fend for ourselves, so i disagree but i do agree that we should limit our "wants" to an extent

I think we need a balance of needs and wants. Everyone should have a house with running water and electricity, and many families need cars to get to work and school. But when it comes to wants, you should be able to get some small things that you want every now and then, but I don't think you need EVERYTHING you want. Also pets should be for families that can afford to take care of the pet, and are financially stable enough to feed it and take it to the vet whenever needed.

yes i agree, you should get wants instead of ONLY relying on what you need. as for pets, i double agree. it almost seems selfish when homeless people own pets (respectfully) because they are literally in the worst possible situation for the pet. if i was homeless and would continue being homeless for a long time to come, i would give my dog to a shelter or someone trustworthy (i know its harder than it sounds

I would say wants are a major part of your carbon footprint because it is stuff that you don't need. Needs are the necessities like food water and shelter. I think the wants are what separate different peoples carbon footprint though I think there needs to be a balance between the two.

there should be certain website that are recipes for things that are typically leftover ingredients

Recently, we have experienced hurricanes back-to-back that left impactful damages to our homes and cities. While this is an annual event that happens quite often in Florida, it is important to note the changes in the behaviors and effects within these newer hurricanes. The article https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/ … ngNewsSerp, talks about the impacts of Milton on the health of those who were affected by it. Milton was noted to reach record winds that reached up to 180 mph. It is also noted to be the first hurricane to reach up to category 6. My question is, does our changing environment and growing pollution on Earth contribute to these extreme weather cases? If so, what is casuing them and how can we reduce the impact?

I think the human have a very small contribution in the training of hurricane. This meteorological phenomene are very frequent in the mexico gulf . But , our footprint impact on earth have a lot of consequences like the melting of the ice ...

I agree with you, not only are hurricanes getting more frequent, but they are getting stronger. With the global warming the ocean is getting warmer. The studies have shown that oceans are getting little warmer each few hundreds years. That effects the strength of hurricane because hurricanes are getting energy from warm ocean water. The stronger hurricanes are one of the side effects of global warming, but I think there are more serious issues.

This is a major issue. If we continue to pollute the climate at a rate as high as we are today, our planet will become unrecognizable. Many places will become uninhabitable due to temperature, sea level, natural disasters, and other things. This will also destroy natural resources, and lead to overpopulation as there will simply not be enough space for us to live if certain spots on Earth are riddled with constant natural disasters. Everyone needs to realize what we are dealing with and change fast.

climate change is human caused because we breathe out carbon no mater what so every breath you take adds on and on and on so even if you try your most to live a life trying to not "contribute" you still will

Climate change is somewhat human caused. Climate change itself was going to happen just from natural events that heat up the climate. However, humans have greatly sped up climate change with gas cars, factories, and fossil fueled powered things. So to answer your question climate change happens because of natural events, but humans have sped up the process of heating of the earth due to what we use as fuel.

I fly every year or two to see my family in Japan and it adds a lot to my carbon footprint. Even though it might have a big impact, it's extremely hard to skip out on seeing family I rarely ever get to see. My family and I do still try to be green whenever we can for our trip, we choose the eco friendliest routes that have the least stops, and sometimes my mom even brings home some recyclables because there is no recycling system in rural Japan.

I agree with you as my family also lives all around the world so maintaining a average carbon footprint can be hard. It adds a lot to my footprint as my family travels at least once a month to keep in touch with loved ones. Keeping eco friendly on your trips is a smart touch and I can definitely start to incorporate that more in my travel.

I relate to both of your experiences. While my extended family does live nearby, I do take some long-distance trips that add to my carbon footprint. Flying is a high environmental footprint activity, but studies say that some high impact activities, like major trips, are hard to completely stop doing (IPCC, 2022). Choosing to take non-stop flights and building green practice in travel, like you have done, are great methods of cutting that footprint down. It's more about finding a harmony between significant traveling and environmental consciousness. Both are important.

I also fly to visit my family who lives across the country, and it adds a significant amount to my carbon footprint. Unfortunately it is the only way to visit them besides driving, and I don't have the time to drive for four days to see them. I hope that the United States eventually develops an electric high speed rail system as that would help reduce air travel and carbon emissions a lot. I try to keep in mind how I can be eco-friendly while im traveling and on a trip. I always make sure to not over consume and to always bring a refillable water bottle instead of wasting plastic ones. I also think it is very interesting how rural Japan has no recycling system, yet the United States carbon emissions were almost five times Japan's carbon emissions in 2023 (2025, investopedia.com). I wonder what percent of people in Japan have access to recycling vs the United States.

Recently I have been flying out of state every year. Adding on to late my family does a lot of driving back and forth.  I the future I hope that the electric cars will help lower the carbon emissions.  I the U.S. around 28 percent of emissions come from transportation (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, n.d.).  I wonder if in the future will scientist figure out a way to lower CO2 emissions

There are a lot of things that people do in this world that are not eco friendly, and I try my best to reduce those activities. My family and I live in California, and like many others, visit family or friends in other parts of the world. Every year, we drive down to Cabo to see some family friends which increases my carbon footprint by a good bit. In fact, driving is by far the largest part of my family's footprint, over half. This is an example of something that my family will not compromise. I also have a cherished hobby, where I go and run my family’s tractor over the weekend. I hardly burn any diesel, but it goes without needing to be said that this hobby is probably not the best decision for the planet.

Obviously, a lot of this stuff (like traveling to visit family) isn't really in our control, which can seem really upsetting when a few trips a year can greatly increase your carbon footprint. But, like you said, trying to be as green and sustainable as possible when traveling is a great way that you can have an impact on your own emissions!

Sure, You are correct

yes i agree its hard to do.

I agree that you should be going and seeing them because they are your family, but i feel that you shouldnt fly there more than twice a year. that way you can even out your carbon impact and see your family.

By far the largest impact to my carbon footprint was transportation, specifically flying. This is because I have family across the country that I visit twice a year, as well as I travelled to visit extended family across the world for the first time this year. This is a difficult decision for me, because while I care a lot about lowering my carbon footprint, I do not know if it is worth it to sacrifice seeing my family. Though my family does purchase carbon offsets to help mitigate the impact, I still feel bad about flying so much when I know it has such a huge negative impact. I think this is a difficult issue for people who live far away from their families, and I'm not sure what is the right thing to do.

Hi tivakc, I think what you are saying makes perfect sense; yes, it uses lots of carbon to fly places but it's also necessary if you want to stay in touch with your family. I also have family out of the country and in different Provences that I would not give up seeing just because of the environmental impact. There are so many other things I (and many others do) to reduce their carbon footprint. I believe it is up to the government and engineers to make flying more sustainable. The plane was a great invention at the time but now as the environment is at risk, it is time for a change, and unfortunately, as individuals, we can not make this change. However, we can write letters and campaign for a change.

I agree with what was said above as for me flying was the biggest part of my carbon footprint but it is off the table to change as i also have family on the other side of the country which makes them very hard to reach if not flying. I also agree with the fact that companies could find a way to make aircraft travel more carbon friendly as for lots of people not flying is impossible.

This post really resonated at lot with me because transportation, and more specifically flying, is by far the aspect of my lifestyle that contributes the most to my carbon footprint. I deeply care about the environment, sustainability and my personal environmental impact, but I have family all across that country in the states of Georgia, Michigan, Alaska, Tennessee, Washington DC and Colorado and Minnesota. For reference, I live in California, and it is incredibly important for all the members of my family that we visit each other. Like tivakc, my family also purchases carbon offsets but that does not make up for environmental harm. I also think that TeaganCR has a really good point in saying that the government and engineers need to be addressing the environmental costs of flight but I also believe it is up the individuals to make other significant carbon footprint reducing changes in their lives such as eating less meat, especially if giving up flying is not an option.  Finally, I think in addition to the work that governments and those who design airplanes can do to make flight more sustainable, I strongly believe that we also need to hold the large airplane coperations accountable.

My carbon footprint was pretty average until it came to the transportation section, so I relate to this a lot! My carbon footprint escalated quickly when I put in all my flight information from the past year which made me feel a bit helpless. My family loves to travel which I am eternally grateful for, but I had no idea it was hurting our planet so much. It makes me sad to realize that experiencing different cultures, traditions, and new places comes with the price of destructive carbon emissions. I wonder if there are any other materials we could use to make planes fly but travel still safe and accessible?

I completely agree. My family and I prioritize keeping our footprint low in as many areas as we can and my footprint is well below average in all categories except for transportation. I've take 2 to 3 roundtrip flights across the country each year to visit family and participate in national sports competitions. Both of these are non-negotiables for me, especially seeing family. I, like many people, am not willing to sacrifice time with family to lower carbon footprint. What we need is to find a way to lower the carbon emissions of flying or find another alternative.

There are websites such as: https://realfood.tesco.com/what-can-i-make-with.html that enable you to enter some leftover ingredients you have (like potatoes, garlic, or onions) and it suggests recipes that you can make to use up loose bits and pieces. This is better for the planet because it means less food waste, as you are eating everything you've bought (and it saves you money, too).

I totally agree with you. This is an amazing way to use up all the ingredients that you have as leftovers. Like you said by doing this you can have less food waste and throw away less food. And if you do this you can save money, which is very important these days with the high prices of everything. I think it's also a great way to try something new and you never know you might like it.

I 100% agree with you. Most people have no idea how much food they throw away on daily basis. Using your leftovers for new recipes is a great way to lower your food waste. Not just that, but you are also saving money by not buying new food for every meal.

I really like the idea! Personally, I never knew about such websites, but now I'm intrigued. I like the appeal of reducing food waste, as people seem to throw away a lot more food than necessary. Also, I feel like these websites could encourage people to cook at home rather than eat fast food. It's a win-win for both the people and the environment.

I think there is so much you can do with leftover food- for example you can take watermelon rinds and pickle them, you can really get creative and find many uses for things, whether its to eat, or to reuse for other projects. Veggie scraps and meat bones can be boiled down to soup broths, and so much more

I completely agree, but lets not also forget composting too, you could pickle the watermelon rhines, or you could compost it and grow more watermelons.

This is such a good idea, and I completely agree. We should all use our leftovers in new recipes before throwing them away in order to limit food waste.

its important to grow home grown food to stay away from gmo and micro plastics and its much more healthier than massive farms that spray there vegetables with pesticides it is better to just spray dish soap water and vinegar

I believe it is caused by humans because apart from necessary things we need in life, we’re creating/doing unnecessary things and hurting the environment more just for our entertainment that don’t even always last.

I agree I think that humans cause all of our earths problems. Things need to change before we could help stop climate change.

yeah lots of things we do need to change like factories and stuff that produce CO2.

I agree that climate change is human caused, but its mainly big corporations, not necessarily one person.

I think its very important to know what u really need then what u want.

I think having a phone that's a new model doesn't matter as long u can get in touch with someone.

I agree, getting the newest phone is a want, not a need, unless your current phone is broken.

How can my school make a big impact?

I’d also like to know this. I feel like it’s hard to make an impact with such a big group of people and not resources like recycling or compost everywhere we go. Some people aren’t as informed and don’t know that’s its very important to do these things.

I think every school has an impact, but it can be good or bad. If a WHOLE school recycles and stops using plastic it could have a GREAT impact! That is my opinion, tell me if u agree...

I agree with u but for example we recycle in my school but everyday I see plastic being thrown in paper bags and paper being thrown where plastic should be. Its really sad and unfortunate some people cant really see how much our planet and climate is suffering because of this little mistakes

I think schools can be a big impact because if more people put effort to recycle plastic it would definitely make some type of impact but nowadays most people dont really care for that type of stuff.

We should get recycling bins instead of just throwing everything away.

I think that my school was one of the first to have compost bins in all of the classrooms in the state at least, so i think teaching and having options to compost and recycle could be one of the ways that schools can make an impact.

you must use what you have to stop waste.

When I calculated my carbon footprint I found that I was far above average because I travel a lot. Air travel is something I do quite often and traveling in planes releases a ton of CO2 into the atmosphere. There is little I personally as a kid can do about this but, some companies could limit their flights. A Some airlines fly extra empty flights just so that they can keep their status, but they are not thinking about the effects that has on the environment. Air travel amounts to about 2.5% of all greenhouse gas emissions which is a lot that most likely could be cut down. We can do our best to limit unnecessary air travel, but in the grand scheme of things we need to be careful and mindful of how the things we do change the environment we live in.

I agree its bad but we cant just limit flights

As a high schooler, I agree it is difficult to affect how you do your air travel, as that is mostly up to the parents. I find myself in the same situation. Another way you might be able to help with all that air travel is making up for it by instead of driving to some places, ride your bike, or walk. That's what I have been doing, and I find that helpful.

Rampant consumerism is a very large issue in the world today. Many people feel like they always need the newest and trendiest thing, but having those things does more harm than good. What we often don’t realize is that buying new products like clothes, makeup, and other commodities hurts our environment. Due to things like international shipping, the materials used to create the products, and how they were created, harmful gas emissions are driven up. Also, oftentimes these products are thrown away when the person feels like they don’t need them anymore, and because people don’t always dispose of their waste properly, thousands of tons of discarded products end up in landfills, creating a cycle of environmental harm that cannot be undone, unless people make large-scale changes to their consumer habits. These changes could be thrifting clothes more instead of shopping fast fashion, or choosing to shop from more eco-friendly brands.

So true ?

will weather become super crazy and way more dangerous in 100 years? will tornados become stronger or like will the entire world will be a wasteland in like mad max or something?

Yes, everyone has a carbon output which attributes to climate change, these carbon emissions contribute to climate change by adding carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. We can all reduce our carbon emissions by using electric cars or things that don't put as much carbon into our air.

yes everyone contributes to co2 emissions and this warms our planet. we need to get group action involved to stop climate change from hurting earth permanently.

yes it is

Yes everyone contributes to climate change with their C02 emissions, but the largest contributors are major companies like Amazon, Microsoft, and major oil companies.

yeah its real cause everything with technology has some impact on the environment which makes the planet hotter. i saw this article that says phyto plankton that supplies 60% of the oxygen we breath will die if the planet keeps getting hotter

There are several ways you can help reduce pollution:
Reduce plastic consumption
Opt for sustainable transportation
Energy conservation
Recycle and reuse
Small daily actions can make a difference in reducing environmental pollution.

I completely agree with your points! What’s great about reducing pollution is that it doesn’t have to be overwhelming—just starting with small, simple actions can make a big impact. For example, choosing to bring a reusable water bottle or taking public transportation for one day may seem minor, but when you make those choices consistently, they add up. It’s all about finding small, manageable changes in our daily routines and building from there. The great thing is, once you try one thing, it often motivates you to explore other sustainable options. Little by little, these habits can create meaningful change without feeling like a huge burden.

I also agree! It is important for people to realize that by doing small actions like recycling plastics or by using less plastic products, they can help fight pollution. It doesn't have to be a huge burden for everyone, so just by doing these small things more often, we are helping reduce pollution. Plus, it can encourage others to try doing the same!

I agree with your statement, all of those examples are great ways to reduce pollution, a point I would like to add is, if abled, people could try and go out to parks or public spaces and pick up waste around them.

I think it's very important to think about how our individual small acts impact the environment, we should all try as much as we can to minimize the harm we cause in every way we can. Even if the methods feel insignificant, they add up.

I 100% agree with the points you're making. And with what other people are saying; you don't have to go to the extreme such as not using technology at all or walking or biking everywhere, but if everyone would help lower carbon emissions even just by cutting the time on their devices by 10 to 20 minutes and try not to spend hours everyday driving just by running errands.

I totally agree with you because I feel most people furiously use the internet and that's not okay

These are very basic, yet effective solutions that every one could take part in.

Plastic pollution is a major environmental issue, but what if packaging could help break down plastic waste instead of contributing to it? The solution could lie in biodegradable plastic-eating inserts. Made from eco-friendly materials like algae or cellulose, these inserts contain microorganisms or enzymes that break down plastic within the packaging over time. While traditional plastics can take hundreds to thousands of years to degrade, bio-based plastics break down within months to years, depending on environmental conditions.

Hello Lucija0901,
I find this topic that you are writing about very interesting in addressing a major part of climate change, plastic pollution. I think this is a great idea, to put eco-friendly materials that contain microorganisms or enzymes that break down plastic. However, this would take a lot of resources and time in order to coordinate, since this is a large-scale project. We would need a testing stage so that we can figure out how effective this project would be. Additionally, we would first have to figure out how to coordinate this project---which would likely need large amounts of money for funding. On top of that, we would need a way to source large quantities of these microorganisms/enzymes.

I think the biodegradable plastic is a very good solution that could solve many problems and be useful for many years.

I can reduce my family footprint carpooling in electric cars to save gas, I can also compost and recycle whenever I can. Doing these things can help reduce my carbon emissions and impact on the environment, I can tell my family to do these things to so we can reduce carbon emissions as a whole.

For some people, it’s easy to live your life with only the bare essentials, but for others, it’s hard to discern between if they need something or if they really want something. Now, if you really want to get argumentative, practically everything can be written off as a “want”, including clothes in the summer, blankets in the winter, and umbrellas in rainy days. This is why it’s so easy to berate someone for wanting material possessions, while at the same time you can just as easily wave the blame off of yourself for getting a new muffler for your bike. It’s when you think about how we have been living for centuries without a dire need for anything, and that we’ve been living in excess for so long, that you realize that the question changes from “Do you really need it?”, to “Is my purchase of this item really what’s causing all of this?”. We’ve known that CO2 emissions have been rising ever since the Industrial Revolution, and the main driver of global warming is most likely not the customers that buy the products, but the manufacturers that pump out incredible amounts of waste in a landfill they call products, and don’t even stop for a second to think about their impact on the environment. The environment isn’t solely in the hands of you and whether you decide to buy that Hydroflask or not, but it’s up to the companies that dump tons of oil into the ocean, the same companies that use the energy that just so happens to be the most damaging to the environment. Now, I’m not saying to be mindful of your impact on the environment, in fact, I support those who “reduce, reuse, recycle” and don’t buy tons of environmentally-damaging plastics. What I’m saying is: Be mindful of your waste, but please don’t beat yourself or others up about it. Buy more organic options at the store, support your local farmers and business owners and avoid the companies that emit the larger percentage of the world’s carbon, but please, don’t force yourself or anybody to live a life that you/they don’t want when the real problem is out of your hands.

I agree. Everyone can go on in life without all the excessive things we often buy but many of us can't bring ourselves to agree with this. I know of people who frequently go shopping on a daily basis for things that and very nice to have, but not necessary. Things like celebrity fans rushing to purchase the most recent merch, people immediately buying the latest design that their favourite brand just dropped, and those who are shopping for their 9th pair of shoes are all common examples of how we buy what we want, not need. We have the luxury of getting to choose what we want to buy. Those people in under-developed countries and places don't have this choice. They can only make use of what they find and what they are given. Yet you still see them making the best out of it unlike us who want more and more even if our current item is still in usable condition. All these small little things add up bit by bit as we continue to contribute to global warming.

I agree a lot with this. Currently, I feel like average, everyday people are blamed and made to feel bad for problems that are really out of their hands. Sure, the accretion of normal people's carbon emissions is part of it, but when celebrities are emitting the same amount of CO2 in one 15 minute private jet flight than the average household emits in a year, who is really the problem? The average person doesn't have even a fraction of the influence and power a politician or celebrity has. Telling people the climate crisis is their fault is a hugely mistaken perspective to take. Most families have no option but to buy clothes that are not sustainably made or to buy cheap, non-organic, non-local produce and food. Shaming other people for the choices they make surrounding sustainability is in no way going to help. Change doesn't come from a few people being "perfect", it comes from a lot of people making small, everyday improvements.

I agree with this. However, even though celebrities are producing more carbon than the average person doesn't mean you can't still do your part. Additionally, saying that only celebrities are a fault is false every single person contributes carbon and while it is vastly different amounts that doesn't mean that only celebrities should have to reduce their carbon foot print just because they buy or make things that make a huge carbon foot print. Their fans are also the ones supporting them and giving them a platform in the first place. So, I think every single person who makes a carbon foot print should have to help reduce it in order to stop climate change for good.

Transportation plays a big role in carbon emissions because most vehicles that aren't electric run on fossil fuels like gasoline. This causes tons C02 to be released into the atmosphere when cars, trucks and airplanes burn these fuels. In many countries transportation in the biggest source of C02. To help the planet we need transition from using gas transportation to using electric cars, biking places more, or using more public transportation, also cities making public transportation electric can also help a lot.

I'm so glad electric cars are becoming more common now, because they are super helpful for reducing carbon emissions and are a lot better for the environment (and a lot cheaper because no buying gas!) than regular cars. I see electric cars all the time now in my city, which is really great!

In our society, lots of new things are being made cheap and quickly every second of the day. They are made out of plastic, being imported into wealthier countries, and they don't tend to last. Instead of participating in fast fashion, people should try going to thrift stores and buying used clothes or items. Thrifting is also typically much cheaper than buying brand new items. You may even find products which are made with higher quality fabrics. If you grow out of your clothes you should donate them to thrift stores, reuse the fabric for something else, or try making a Tshirt no sew reusable bag.

I like your opinion and I completely agree with you. More and more clothes are bought every day and I think too many clothes are thrown away. Some stores recycle used/old clothes but not enough. I think influencers could contribute to solving this problem because they have a great influence on young people. Some of my friends also use the app to sell things at low prices. I think it's good for both people and the environment.

I totally agree with you. Fast fashion has done so much harm to the environment, and the items being produced are cheaply made and often break down after a short period of time. I’ve started thrifting a lot and can honestly say that it is much better than buying fast fashion. Many of the things I find are even vintage and the quality of the clothing is built to last a long time. Additionally, the clothes are being reused instead of being dumped. I am proud to say that a large amount of my wardrobe has been thrifted instead of bought brand new. Also, I crochet accessories for myself instead of buying them, like beanies, bags, and leg warmers. By crocheting, I am paying much less for items than what I would pay for if I bought them brand new from a fast fashion brand. It’s also very rewarding to be able to say that I made an item by hand. I think buying clothes and accessories secondhand or even making them yourself is a great alternative to fast fashion and a great way to reduce waste and pollution.

I agree with you that thrifting and crafting are great ways to be more sustainable. The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) states that over 11 million tons of textile waste were thrown away in the U.S. in 2018, which is really concerning. Thrifting can help make a change by giving clothes a second chance rather than tossing them in the landfills. From my own experience, I've been able to find some very nice clothes while thrifting and sometimes the quality is way better than fast fashion. Also Fast fashion is cheap and does not last long. Lastly, I like the idea of reusing old clothes to make things like reusable bags or other crafts. It's a creative way to repurpose old clothes instead of throwing them out.

I completely agree with you. The cycle of fast fashion and constant consumption is not only harmful to the environment but also encourages a throwaway mindset where individuals will waste clothing that someone else could've used. I also agree that thrifting is such a great alternative — it helps reduce waste, supports sustainability, and often leads to finding unique, high-quality items that you can't get in regular stores. I also love your idea about reusing fabric, it’s eco-friendly, and a great way to give old clothes new life. In addition, I wonder if there are any companies that already use old fabric to create new clothes.

I see your point, Nina. Thrifting and upcycling things not only conserve waste but also give us the chance to find high-quality pieces. Thrifting has a big affect in reducing waste. I also like the idea of making reusable bags out of discarded shirts. Have you ever tried making other things from thrift shopping items?

I agree. I am passionate about thrifting all of my crafting materials, especially taking old things and turning them into something new! With the fabric store joanns closing, I am now sourcing even my needles at thrift stores, if you do some digging you can find incredibly cool crafting materials- super sustainable and very affordable!

sabababa I love how you look for clothes that aren't brand new or make the clothes yourself, its really inspiring wish I could be just like you, but I'm just learning more about reusing and I hope that I can be just like you one day. I also agree how people just buy so much clothes and once they don't use it again they just throw it away and it ending up in a dump instead of giving someone else a chance to wear the clothes they had.

I agree, fast fashion is such a big problem in the media right now, same with over consumption. its being normalized and that's not what we need. One of the ways that we can help fight this is thrift and only buy things when we need too, not just because it is trending. You really don't need twenty of the same product jut because it is "limited edition". Crafting is also an amazing way to repropose things, instead of buying something new for a pencil holder, you could make a really cute one out of an old can for soup or tomato sauce and paint it or put construction paper around it. But basically I totally agree with this point and its not even the hardest change to make, that shirt that is trending right now will go out of style in a month so its better not to buy it anyways.

One way to reduce carbon emissions at home is by using energy-efficient appliances and LED light bulbs. My family got a new fridge that uses less power, and our electric bill went down. I also noticed that the fridge runs more quietly and doesn’t get as hot, which shows it’s using energy more efficiently. Making small changes like this can really help fight climate change.

I totally agree! While you might think you don't have any input on what electronics/appliances your parents buy, just mentioning to them different models that are more energy-efficient or giving them ideas to reduce their carbon footprint can be helpful. And small changes are always good, even if they don't seem like they matter!

For me, what I would do would be to use more bicycles and public transport, avoid eating meat often, but what would work would be to buy more electric cars, use bikes, not eat meat often, and check the car.

YES, it absolutely is. Humans are the main cause of climate change, but there may also be some natural causes too. So the answer is mostly.

A good way to reuse and repurpose would be to thrift clothing, eat all leftovers before making more food, and use things you think are useless and give them a purpose to lessen your carbon output, so, like cans or bottles, could be repurposed to hold other things like jewelry, hair ties, and other items to help lessen the waste.

My average carbon footprint is 8994kg, which compared to the average American, is quite low, but comparing to the average person overseas, is quite high. Currently I am trying harder to conserve water by taking shorter showers and running the dishwasher instead of handwashing. I'm also trying to limit my single use plastic intake and invest in reusable alternatives. Although I am trying to take more accountability for my environmentally unfriendly actions, I'm wondering when big corporations will, when will they stop sweeping their overuse of fossil fuels or plastic under the rug? What are THEY doing to reduce carbon footprint? Or are they being silenced by the fossil fuel industry in return for money? When will they tell us the truth and stop increasing co2 emissions?

As long as they are motivated by money, they are probably not ever gonna stop unless the government does something about it, plus some corporates are even backed up by the government.

I agree. While Millyvanilly's efforts are obviously beneficial to the environment, and should be continued and adopted by more, I think the overarching issue is companies. If companies do take responsibility for their footprint and ACTUALLY make an effort to change it, then we can expect a more systemic change. Companies are pushing us to use paper bags while everything you see in a grocery store is wrapped in plastic. While I do think that individual efforts are important, companies need to change and the government needs to step in.

Many grocery stores and restaurants overstock and waste 100s of pounds of food per year. Although there are corporations and groups trying to speak out against this, but these companies stay silent and continue to waste food. If we want to see a change in this behavior, we have to all work together to protest.

Conner i disagree with you because it starts with you

Replying to Loic1234567890: It is somewhat true that it "starts with you"; we should all do what we can to decrease our carbon footprint. BUT, part of the reason people's carbon footprints are so big is because companies don't make cheap, sustainable products. As Connor mentioned, many things in grocery stores are wrapped in plastic, and often those plastic-wrapped products are cheaper; many people can't afford to have a lower carbon footprint.

https://instituteofsustainabilitystudie … -products/

Here is an article that may be useful.

I agree in part with connor4412 and Millyvanilly. In my opinion, the everyday person should do all that they can to create a more eco-friendly life, but we also have to look at the large corporations that have a huge footprint. As with the Nestle issue, Nestle was removing the water from a creek way up in the San Bernardino mountain range (California), on a permit that expired in 1988. Ever since that permit, they had been taking just about all of the water from that area, leaving the natural wildlife next to nothing to live off of. Just in the past five years, the company was forced to stop pulling. We need to recognise these situations more frequently, so we can help our environment out as temperatures rise globally, and terrain gets drier. I also believe that we (as a planet) would be way better off if our big factories and companies ran off of renewable energy. For example, a large company is limited in the amount of non-renewable power that it can take, so it is forced to rely on more natural sources of energy such as solar power or wind power.

I agree with EzquielC big companies don't care about that they're doing about the environment all they care about is the profit they make off of the things they sell, they could drain a place dry and move on to a next place and if they get called out on it they'll pretend they'll stop but just move what they're doing to somewhere new or just change the brands name.

Things that can be used with leftovers include compost, which is great for the soil your plants grow in. Additionally, it reduces the need to use chemical fertilizers, which is beneficial for the planet since they release greenhouse gases into the air.

eating leftovers or using leftovers

Instead of immediately throwing items out, you should take time to reconsider what use to make out of the objects, such as an auto dispenser of water for your plants. If you seriously can’t think of any use for it, at least dispose of the trash in the correct bin. Given the designated category.

I learned that I don't recycle as much as I thought and will try to do a better job at recycling

No you should be gud brochacho

Gaming, as selfish as it sounds, is a big part of my life, and I wouldn't let it go to reduce carbon emissions.

A truck that chops trees for lumber and then immediately replants them as it drives by

Having the latest technology can be a want because we love to be around the media and it is a way to communicate.I don't get a cell phone often. I consider that you can have a long lasting device until you NEED a new one. Breaking ur addiction can be, not depending on your phone and making time for yourself.

To have A sustainable city such as Copenhagen Denmark which city has 55% wind-powered city. This is a big contributor to how sustainable they are. Even with wind power they still use coal which is 17% of the energy they use. Copenhagen has some of the best biking opportunities in the world with 45% of people commuting by bike. One of the corporate goals is to be 100% renewable energy by 2050. What are some ways you can reduce the carbon emissions in your city ( info from https://carbonneutralcities.org/cities/copenhagen/)

Some ways that people can reduce emission in their cities is by using public transportation as the cities in Europe have been shown to use. I personally use my cities public transportation called BART, which is a train that takes me from my house to San Ramon every weekend. If I were to take a car every weekend instead of BART then the emissions that just I would emit would be far greater then if I continued using the train. If everyone in my city used as much public transportation then the emissions would decrease a lot.

something that everyone can do to reduce there carbon footprint is eating less meat. Even though i do realize meat is a crucial part of a lot of people’s diets and not an easy thing to give up, i still think a lot of people aren’t aware of the serious affects meat has on our environment. The 1st thing i have to say about meat is how much land it takes to raise meat that is fully grown, one thing i’m not sure most of you know is that feeding someone who is vegan for a year takes only 1/6th of an acre of land while someone on a meat and dairy diet for a year uses 18 times that amount of land. i think this is a very scary statistic but also a very real one, raising meat does use a lot of land and meat eaters have to realize that. the 2nd thing i have to say about meat is how much methane cows produce. cows produce this methane through there farts, burps or poop, we contribute to this by eating cows. considering how many cows are bred because of the demand we put on them meaning more of the methane that cows produce is going up into the atmosphere. i think it is a really good idea for people to consider eating less meat and dairy meals each week as it is a great way to help save our planet and reduce your carbon footprint.

According to the Food and Agricultural Organization, over 900 million people on Earth don’t have enough food to eat. This is nearly 1 in 7 inhabitants on Earth. Assessing our carbon footprint in correlation with our dietary choices shows that plant-based diets, often vegan or vegetarian, substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions as opposed to meat-heavy diets.

I agree with you, eating less meat is a great way to help the planet. Raising animals uses a lot of land. A vegan diet can cut land use by up to 75% (University of Oxford), which means more space for vegetation and animals. Also, cows release a gas called methane, which traps heat and harms the atmosphere. The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) says methane is over 25 times stronger than carbon dioxide. Even eating a few plant based meals each week can lower your carbon footprint and help the Earth.

I was very surprised by the high carbon levels in America compared to other countries' averages. It got me thinking: why is America so bad at reducing its emissions? I have a couple of solutions to this, starting with producing more naturally produced foods or producing things like meat in a more carbon-efficient way. This could bring down the carbon footprint immensely if people in the US did not eat at fast food restaurants so much and supported more places that sell natural foods. We could also switch things like gas stoves and gas cars for electric stoves and electric cars, which emit less carbon than gas-powered items.

People always say not to buy fast fashion, but why? If the clothes are already there in the store what difference does it make if I buy them? You have probably also heard of supply and demand. When there is high demand for a product, more supply will be made. When you buy clothes, decor, etc. from fast fashion stores you are creating demand. Then, companies create more supply to meet this demand. If we keep up this mindset that what we buy doesn't matter, then companies will keep creating supply, and damaging the earth.

I agree, and I think a way to bring down the demand is for more people to switch to thrift shopping. It is much more environmentally sound, it saves money, and as an added bonus makes you swaggier. The more people who switch to this environmentally sound way to shop, the less demand the stores will recieve, and the less they will produce, ultimaely leading to much less waste from clothing items. Although thrifting is a great way to reduce personal global impact, I believe there also needs to be more laws and regulations in the clothing industry because fast fashion is thriving despite having a continuously bigger impact on the environment. There needs to be a limit on the amount of clothing items that can be produced at once, ensuring the least amount of excess stock.

Do paper straws, that we get in almost every shop whit a drink, actually make a diffrance in the global carbon footprint? I am sceptical because we need to cut down a tree for them and after we use them, we cant reuse them like a plastic straw. Also they usualy come in a plastic pacaging so i dont see the point. At our homes there is a option to use metal straws but i dont like them because they are hard to clean and im not sure if they have better carbon footprint than plastic straws. Please tell me if you know a better alternative to plastic straws.

I know this doesn't seem helpful, but not using straw in general and sipping from a cup is probably the best solution that you'll ever find. One with zero waste and zero down side, unless you count something on your lip when you're drinking something a little more dense. Another solution though that I researched is pasta straws. I found a company named Pasta Life that makes straws made of pasta so you can just eat your straw right after which is also zero waste. The down fall was that you can't use it in hot beverages, but almost all hot beverages are better straight out of the cup anyway.

I was very surprised to see how high my carbon footprint was, especially from the amount of traveling I did. I think, in my general area the carbon footprint was so high because most of the people in my neighborhood leave their lights on in their house before they leave for the day, which usually means they'll be gone for several hours of the day. I also do this sometimes but I should stop to reduce my carbon footprint, I think other people can also stop doing things like leaving the water running and using their cars to travel places that are close to reduce fossil fuel emissions.

Many of us are probably used to eating meat, dairy, eggs and other animal products quite frequently, if not every day. What a lot of us don't know (or choose to ignore) is the horrors that go on inside the meat/animal product industry. The animals in them are subjected to short, tortuous lives, with many living cramped together and in inhumane conditions. In addition to all of that, it is horrible to the environment, with factory farming being one of the leading cause of greenhouse gases worldwide.Eating less meat could help to reduce our carbon emissions as a group effort, and would help the environment and the animals as well.

Air travel is one of the most carbon-intensive activities an individual can engage in. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), commercial aviation accounts for about 2–3% of global CO₂ emissions, but its overall climate impact is higher due to the release of other gases at high altitudes, which amplify warming effects (Lee et al., 2021). Air travel has become an integral part of global connectivity, enabling economic development, cultural exchange, and personal freedom. However, its environmental cost—particularly in terms of carbon emissions, is significant and often underestimated.

Climate change is a very real and is mainly caused by humans, although many people are doubtful this is even occurring. Climate change is the long-term change in Earth’s temperature, weather patterns, and climate systems. According to NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Earth’s average temperature has increased by about 2 degrees Fahrenheit since the late 1800s, and most of that increase has happened since 1975. This is due to the pollution from cars, factories and power plants. However, there have been natural factors that contribute to climate change such as volcanic eruptions or changes in the sun’s energy. While these might not be the main causes, they do speed up the process. Without humans, climate change may occur over many years, but nowhere near as quick or devastating as it is now.

Every time you buy a jar of Nutella, a Hershey's chocolate bar or a bottle of Pepsi, your contributing to the killing of orangutangs and Co2 being emitted. Palm oil is an extremely versatile product and is very common in the US, especially in processed foods. During  the manufacturing, countries such as, Indonesia or Malaysia's rainforests are being chopped down in order to create room for palm or plantations. This is a problem since trees are a carbon sink so they help absorb the Earth's CO2. When there cut down, all the Co2 which was once stored is now emitted. According to Gregory P. Asner at the Carnegie Institution for Science, "Tropical deforestation contributes to about 20 percent of annual greenhouse gas emissions." Not only is this issue contributing to climate change, animals specifically orangutangs are dying in the process from loss of habitat. According to Orangutang Foundation International, 1,000 to 5,000 orangutangs die each year in Palm Oil concessions. This is significant as there's only 55,000 to 65,000 orangutangs in the wild. Palm oil is a major issue which isn't talked frequently enough. One way to help is by boycotting brands such as, Pepsi, Nutella and Hershey's for using palm oil. By doing so we can lessen the demand needing less palm oil being manufactured. How can we further lessen this issue?

As a student who has lots of activities to do in and outside of school, I can’t always use public transportation. This is one of my personal reasons for my high carbon footprint, as I’m sure it is for many other students. A way for our cities to combat this is by making it more accessible. Instead of me having to walk a mile to the correct bus stop and then walking two more to get to where I need to be, it is majorly inconvenient. Also, when I have used public transportation to get to where I need to go, I am often late. If cities can implement a way to make more specific public transport, that would help this issue. I understand that this wouldn't be easy and is risky if people don’t end up using it, but with a good amount of promotion, it can work.

These days a lot of people buy useless clothes that they never wear. I don't think that these people realize the harm they are doing to our planet by doing that. Until I joined this project I didn't even realize that just simple shopping can endanger our planet. So, next time you shop. Make sure that you buy only the most necessary things or shop in second hand shops. That way you can save money and our planet.

I agree with this completely. More recently I've found myself feeling similar wanting to buy less but for a different reason, I wanted to not buy clothes to have sitting in my wardrobe that I don't wear. Feeling bad due to the number of these clothes I have. But now this website has enforced my intuition and now puts into perspective the role that I have even when shopping. Also I do love to indulge in second hand shopping due to finding cool, old, and not ridiculously priced, makes me thrift frequently. I sort out clothes while shopping personally by thinking do I really need it? Then another way to help the clothing cycle is selling, or donating your clothes thus helping buyers not purchase new for no reason when you can get it cheaper, and saving people from throwing away there old clothes.

You are right about how buying too many clothes can harm the planet. A lot of people don't realize that buying clothes that they are never gonna wear is gonna take up space in their closet, and it contributes to massive amounts of waste and pollution, as the fashion industry is one of the top global polluters. I had a similar realization when I watched a documentary on fast fashion and saw how much water is used just to produce a single T-shirt. Since then, I’ve started shopping more intentionally, focusing on quality over quantity and choosing second-hand stores when possible. Your point about saving both money and the planet is important and practical—it’s a small step that can make a big difference if more people adopt it.

I agree that lots of people today buy clothes just to buy them and never end up wearing them. I think trends contribute to that because people like to buy what's popular now. The bad thing is that trends change quickly, and the more people buy into trends and buy unnecessary things, the more it harms our planet. For me, I try to limit myself when going shopping, and if I see clothing I like, I always ask myself, "Would I actually wear this frequently?" I find this limits me from buying more and spending more. I hope more people come to the realization that we are harming our planet, and this will have a massive impact on the future, or even now. If you're going to buy clothes, be honest with yourself about whether or not you are going to wear them or toss them after a few months, and it ends up in a dump.

Environmental pollution is a very negative thing that affects the entire planet sooner or later, for example animals, humans, landscapes, forests.
If we do not end them in the future we would not be able to live on our planet due to so much pollution.

I agree with you, but I think that there are more details that you can bring to the surface. Humans are the main cause of environmental pollution. Our everyday tasks and everyday routines pollute the environment. Some examples of this are, bonfires, eating not organic meats, phone usage, and clothes that we wear that are produced in factories. But, we can do better with these things in the future. Some things that we can do to reduce environmental pollution are eating more vegetation foods, turning off lights when we don't need them on, trying our best to conserve energy, and not buying things from huge industries. Those are only some of the things we can do to make environmental justice, save animals, landscapes, and forests from what we are doing to ourselves.

I agree. If we don't stop polluting, there will be no future or a future with little to no resources for us humans to depend on. Yet, there are still many factories, vehicles, and whatever else is causing pollution that is still causing pollution. I think people should take action and think about what we can do to lower our pollution rates.

I agree with you! Firstly, it directly impacts our health. Air pollution, for instance, can lead to respiratory issues, heart disease, and even cancer. When we’re inhaling toxic chemicals or toxic matter, it’s like we’re inviting a host of health issues into our lives. Pollution disrupts natural habitats and endangers wildlife. When species struggle to survive, it throws off entire ecosystems.Healthy ecosystems provide essential services, like clean air and water, pollination of crops, and climate regulation.

I agree with you fully! Pollution does really harm many things on Earth and it starts with human's irresponsibility and stuborness on the subject. I think more people need to recognize how serious of a problem this is and not wait to change until it is too late. If we don't act now, there will be damage that cannot be undone.

I agree with you 100%! We really need to lower our pollution rates as a species and get thiis under control. If we continue at the rate we are going, things will not end well for us and our time and the time of the other species on this Earth.

Environmental pollution harms people, animals, and ecosystems around the world. If it continues to get worse with no limits, the planet may become unlivable for the generations of all species to become. The United Nations and other organizations have linked pollution to rising global temperatures and worsening climate conditions. It's easy to see the effects in everyday things, like the amount of trash and bad air quality. We need global promis to protect our environment and make sure our home stays healthy.

I agree with you! Environmental pollution is a big thing in our environment. It harms human health, damages ecosystems, and contributes to climate change. It is a serious global issue that affects the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the land we live on. My experience is that I have traveled to countries that have loads of trash in there rivers and the air there can sometimes be thick. If we don't do something now it might be to late for the next generation to have a clean environment. To prevent this we must come together and protect our environment.

I agree that environmental pollution needs to be addressed. I think that there are many different ways to approach this issue, but I think the one that should be focused on it water and air pollution. Both of these things are global issues that affect almost everyone everyday. To stop this, we need to come together to collaborate and think about the ways that we could help decrease this pollution. One way could be like talking to major corporations and help stop they from polluting the environment.

Environmental pollution is a serious issue because it affects people, animals, and the planet. When I calculated my carbon footprint, my home energy use was the highest. That showed how much electricity impacts the environment. To reduce pollution, I can turn off unused light and use less heating.

I also agree, environmental pollution needs to be correctly addressed so that it doesn't keep negatively impacting the world. Environmental pollution is the dumping of unwanted mass into Earth's natural resources. Exposure leads to disease, especially respiratory, infections and disorders. Pollution can also cause ground-level ozone, damaging crops and agriculture as well as bringing harsh weather phenomena. If not addressed, environmental pollution will lead to Earth becoming inhabitable.

I agree with you that pollution has impacts on humans, animals, and the environment. Air and water pollution contribute to serious health issues and damage ecosystems. Pollution also initiates climate change, leading to extreme weather and habitat loss. To address this problem, we need a combination of stronger environmental policies, focus in clean technologies, and greater public awareness.

I agree because pollution hurts all living things. Dirty air makes us sick, kills animals and covers our skies with bad air. Trash in rivers and oceans harms fish and birds and can end up in our food. Poison in the soil stops plants and crops from growing well. If we keep polluting, the earth wont give us clean water and all the other materials that we need.

Earth's temperature is warming up at an alarming rate due to how big our carbon footprint is. The global average carbon footprint per person is 4.8 metric tons. Due to how much CO2 we are releasing sea levels are rising and our ecosystem is collapsing. Most of CO2 comes from our households due to how much energy they hold. A way to reduce how much CO2 your producing is using a renewable energy source. An example of this is implementing solar panels. Additionally, you can use fans instead of air conditions. Another method you can use to lower your carbon footprint is unplugging your devices when your not using them or installing low-flow showerheads since they are proven to reduce water consumption and the energy needed to heat water. The final method I recommend is following the RRR rules. Reduce, reuse and recycling minimize waste and gives items a second chance. Most people throw items after one use since it has become normalized in society. But small changes like the ones I just recommended add up to a big step towards lowering your carbon footprint.

The fact that the carbon footprint survey asked us where we live got me thinking. Where should our actions and next steps be focused? Nobody can really help where they live, and I doubt that anyone is going to uproot their lives just to reduce their carbon footprint. And while humans leave a very large carbon footprint, I think reduction efforts should be focused in places that can implement those changes. It wouldn't make sense for us to focus our efforts in a rural countryside where everyone already lives frugally, but it also wouldn't make sense to pour all of the effort into a place like New York City that is already super industrialized. If we did that, we would be putting in a lot of effort without a lot of reward. Instead, if we focus on more suburban neighborhoods and towns, that amount of effort could really change things. I learned through my survey that most of my carbon footprint comes from transportation. I can't exactly help transportation because I can't drive and live in a big city, but for people who CAN help it, they should, not by completely cutting all individual transportation, but by giving a friend a ride to work, or taking the subway on Fridays. Stop focusing on the big picture. If you do that, you'll get tunnel vision. Focus on the little ways you can help and do everything you can. Not doing so is the same philosophy as saying "Oh, darn, I only have 45 minutes to work out today instead of an hour. I guess I'm better off just not working out at all." It's always better to do something, even if it's half-assed, because half-assing something is still doing it. So, focus on the little ways to reduce carbon footprint, and know that every little thing done has the potential to make a big difference.

The design of cities is highly correlated with the carbon output of its residents. aside form obvious causes like the power grid and whereof it draws its energy, street design and urban sprawl create a mandate for personal vehicles to get on with daily life. In towns and cities in Europe which were originally built when there were no cars, it was expected that everyone would walk everywhere. As such the distribution of houses, shops, and institutions was condensed such that it was possible for an individual to reach them on foot. These cities retain, even now with automobiles, the relevance of walking. With narrow streets designed for walking it can often be cumbersome to drive, lowering the otherwise resulting emissions. In modern cities this is a stark opposite to the urban sprawl and normalization of driving everywhere.

cite:
https://www.statista.com/statistics/129 … y-country/

Hello Hilo,

You bring up an amazing point about how historical design shapes current sustainability. I also would add that cities with walkable infrastructure also benefit from reduced emissions. Not just due to less driving, but because dense urban living often means smaller living spaces, which consuming less energy overall. However, in our wonderful country the United States, many newer developments prioritize wide roads over narrow and start to enforce zoning laws that separate residential from commercial areas, making cars almost necessary. So if we start to reimagine urban design around mixed-use zoning and transit-oriented development, it could definitely help reverse some of the effects of urban sprawl.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "compact, mixed-use development helps reduce emissions and promotes healthier lifestyles."

Transportation makes up a large part of both personal and national carbon emissions and is definitely a problem that needs to be addressed, especially in the United States. Public transportation has been underfunded for years in the U.S. and it is very difficult to live in most cities without a car, but in many European cities people can rely solely on walking and public transportation. European citizens on average have much lower carbon emissions, too, though likely from a combination of things. Better train systems in the United States would also lower the number of domestic and intrastate flights taken, which right now is a number in the tens of thousands per day range and affects greenhouse gas emissions greatly. The government needs to focus on providing safer and more widely accessible transportation options and U.S. citizens need to commit to choosing them over personal vehicles when possible.
https://www.sei.org/publications/consum … itigation/
https://www.nature.org/en-us/get-involv … alculator/