AI isn’t just smart. It’s hungry. And what it craves most is power. Not the world-domination kind, but real electricity. Just training one large AI model can use as much energy as 100 American homes use in a year. That’s just the training part. After that, AI models run in huge data centers—buildings packed with servers that never sleep.

By 2027, AI could use up to 3.5% of the world’s electricity, according to experts. That’s more than many countries use. And where does that energy come from? Mostly fossil fuels. So every AI chatbot or image generator might be quietly warming up the planet.

Scared yet? You should be. If we keep feeding AI like this, we’re looking at more pollution, more power outages, and a world where machines are draining our planet faster than we can fix it.

But we’re not helpless. We can steer things the right way.

Here are 5 smart ways to stop an AI power crisis:

Build greener data centers – Use solar and wind to power AI, not coal.

Smaller models, smarter use – Don’t use giant AI for every small task.

Stronger rules – Governments must set limits on how much power AI can use.

Teach people – Everyone should know how AI works and what it costs.

Use staff augmentation companies – They let you hire AI experts without wasting resources. Partnering with a staff augmentation company [/https://epicx.co.uk/] is cost-savvy, efficient, and keeps AI in human hands.

AI is a tool. Let’s treat it like one—not like a god. Want to explore how smart hiring can help keep AI in check? Try staff augmentation, green tech options, or AI energy stats.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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/

Ocean acidification is no joke. So many different sea animals are going extinct, many of these are keystone species. For example coral reefs are a big concern because they are going through mass extinction, this is because of the carbon getting into the ocean and heating it up. This happens because the carbon is reducing the ph levels and making the ocean more acidic which corals react very poorly to because the water is so warm, the coral will expel the algae that lives in their tissues and the coral will turn white, if the algae doesn’t come back the coral will die. This can happen in 4 weeks if the water goes up by 1 degree celsius, if this keeps happening we will have no coral in the future and coral reefs are a keystone ecosystem for so many species.

I completely agree with this. Ocean acidification needs to be talked about more so that a difference can be made. The longer we wait, the harder it would be to come back from our mistakes. Keystone species are a crucial part to our ecosystems and many more species will die if we keep doing what we are doing. Our planet is warming at such an alarming rate, organisms don't have time to evolve and adapt to these new circumstances. The last time the earth's climate changed this much there was a mass extinction. We need to worry about our carbon emissions now, so that in the future coral still exists.

I agree with what you are saying nora. The oceans have never been this warm and I don’t think they will ever go back down. Even if the feature we reduce the amount of carbon we produce we can’t bring the coral back to life. We have to take action now if we want to save our oceans. I’m fortunate enough to have gone snorkelling before and see how beautiful the coral is. I and assume everyone else wants to be able to go snorkelling with their own kids, and not have to tell them about them like we talk about dinosaurs today.

I agree with everything that u guys are saying. There is absolutely no way we can fight a problem most people don’t even know is happening. Most people hear about oceans being polluted by micro plastics but not how the fundamental chemistry of our oceans are being changed. And un like most climate issues where there are a hole bunch of different causes we know that this is being caused by an increased amounts of carbon in the atmosphere. Which causes the ocean to heat up. People say it’s hard to fight for something you can’t feel or see happening. This is why the worming of the planet is being so strongly fought for but you can see the impacts of worming oceans. When you see the news that says we are in a mass extinction event and you go back to your favourite scuba diving or fishing spot and there are no fish and the coral Reeves are bleached. Or u dip you feet in the ocean and don’t feel that familiar numbing cold. Our every impact is shown all around us and if we are going to solve this problem you can’t look away.

I as well agree with what your saying about ocean acidification. It's really sad and disappointing to see how much ocean life is going extinct and is in danger because of it. Coral reefs are very important and its honestly scary that they can die so fast just from the water changing its temperatures. They help and benefit many sea creatures and if this continues it will change the future of of our ocean life. We really need to stop polluting and try to protect our oceans before it gets to late.

After I completed the I2Sea carbon footprint calculator, I became more aware of the things I mindlessly do daily that really impact it. For the most part my carbon footprint was lower than the average in my area, but my transportation levels were a prominent outlier. I didn't expect them to be that high, but it makes sense since I recently took a big trip to Japan and Korea over my spring break that included a 11 hour plane ride one way. If it not were for that trip, I think the levels would have been lower. My home, food and purchase levels were drastically lower than the average. However, my purchases were ten times lower than the average calculations. So I think this calculator is pretty accurate since it separates the carbon footprint levels into sections or certain parts in our lives, but at the same time one thing like my trip can kinda throw it all off.

Ocean Acidification is when the ocean becomes more acidic due to too much carbon dioxide in the air. The ocean absorbs this and it then mixes with the water which forms an acid. This acid can be harmful towards sea life like clams, oysters, and coral because it makes it harder for them to build their shells. Many sea animals like fish, depend on coral reefs for a place to live and to have shelter. If we continue to pollute the air, ocean acidification can become even more harmful not only to us but to ocean life as well.

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?

Ocean acidification is a worldwide environmental issue mainly resulting from the increase in carbon dioxide (CO₂) levels in the atmosphere due to human activities such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation. When the ocean takes up too much CO₂, it dissolves into seawater to form carbonic acid, which lowers pH and reduces the amount of carbonate ions—a crucial ingredient for sea animals that build shells and skeletons, including corals, mollusks, and some plankton. This chemical process makes it more difficult for these animals to survive, breed, and maintain healthy populations, and threatening entire ocean food webs. The sources of ocean acidification have a lot to do with industrialization and continued reliance on carbon-releasing energy sources. The sea is projected to absorb about 30% of atmospheric CO₂ emissions, buffering global warming but accelerating acidification. Impacts are extensive, penetrating biodiversity, fishery, and marine-based coastal communities relying on the sea for livelihood and food. Coral reefs, which support around 25% of marine life overall, are particularly vulnerable and face increased threats of bleaching and erosion. Ocean acidification also effects the ocean's ability to store carbon, potentially reducing its potential to buffer climate change in the long term. This can be addressed through international cooperation to reduce carbon emissions, advance sustainable development, and tailor efforts to affected communities and ecosystems.

Thanks for sharing this! Ocean acidification is something I didn’t know much about until recently, and your post really helped break it down. It's wild how something like CO₂—something we can't even see—can have such a big impact on sea life.I didn’t realize coral reefs support that much marine life. That really puts into perspective how serious this is, especially for people who rely on fishing or live near the coast. It's kind of scary, but I like how you mentioned that there are solutions, like working together internationally and focusing on sustainability.
I’ve been trying to be more mindful about energy use, like unplugging stuff I’m not using and choosing more eco-friendly products. It feels small, but I think every little bit helps. Thanks again—your post was super informative and made me think more about how connected everything really is. ?

Over the past few years climate change has accelerated with the average temperature today being 1.1 Celsius higher then what it was in 1880. This may not seem like a lot but the more we continue, the worse it gets. One leading cause to this problem is us, In 2023 37 billion metric tons of carbon was produced and over time that number will grow. My carbon footprint exudes the average of the person which is why I should take an effort to take action now. I also personally believe that grabbing the attention of people is the most important part of this process because the more people that are involved, the better of an impact we have. There are also thousands of other solutions to this problem like stopping the burning of fossil fuels as they contribute to 89% of CO2 emissions which is the biggest leading cause to climate change and why It's time for action.

You brought up some really strong points about climate change. That 1.1°C temperature rise doesn’t sound huge at first, but like you said, it makes a big difference over time. The carbon emissions number from 2023 is honestly kind of shocking.

I also agree with you about how important it is to get people’s attention. A lot of folks don’t realize how serious this is or think their actions won’t matter. But if more of us talk about it and actually make changes, we can have a bigger impact together. ?

I’ve been trying to cut back on driving and use public transport more when I can. It’s a small thing, but I think if everyone does something, it adds up. Thanks for sharing – your post definitely made me think more about what else I could do!

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

Environmental justice is a critical movement that seeks to address the disproportionate impact of environmental hazards on marginalized communities. Often, low-income neighborhoods and communities of color bear the brunt of pollution, hazardous waste, and climate change effects, while lacking adequate resources to combat these issues. This inequity stems from historical injustices and systemic racism, where decision-making processes often exclude the voices of those most affected. Advocating for environmental justice involves promoting equitable access to clean air, water, and green spaces, as well as empowering communities to participate in environmental policymaking. By addressing these disparities, we can foster healthier environments and create a more just and sustainable future for all, ensuring that every individual has the right to live in a safe and thriving ecosystem.

I completely agree, and I believe that this is a very important issue surrounding both environmental issues, and social justice ones. Your point about advocating for equitable access to water, clean air, and green spaces is a very good one, but I would also like to note how much more expensive those are too keep up. Where I grew up, there was a huge difference between the nicer places, with cleaner air, and green grass because they could afford the water bill, and places that they couldn't. Also it is the same with buying from more sustainable sources, such as local farms, and other organic food sources. I was also wondering what way do you think we should work to address these concerns and work towards a more equitable and safe environment.

Throwing away old clothes is a wasteful problem many people participate in. All those old, used, even new clothes that people throw out, get incinerated and used as fuel that pollutes the environment and hurts the earth. I read an article from NLST and RTS all relating to recycling clothes, and it mentioned how 85% of people toss away old clothes to be burned and to eventually damage the environment, when there are many more simpler and resourceful solutions. Rather than throwing away clothes, people can donate them or sell them to other people. The main solution of recycling clothes is giving them to thrift stores so they can resell it and it can make someone else happy. In the articles I read, 15% of people reuse/recycle their clothes either giving them away to people, stores or reusing them to make new and trendy clothes. My mom and I always donate my old clothes to charity or clothing drives to help other families that need clothes. We used to give them to my cousins but they have outgrown them so we donate them and see other families happy and safer with new clothes. It gives them a chance to be cared for, warm, and stylish.

Throwing away old clothes is a wasteful problem many people participate in. All those old, used, even new clothes that people throw out, get incinerated and used as fuel that pollutes the environment and hurts the earth. I read an article from NLST and RTS all relating to recycling clothes, and it mentioned how 85% of people toss away old clothes to be burned and to eventually damage the environment, when there are many more simpler and resourceful solutions. Rather than throwing away clothes, people can donate them or sell them to other people. The main solution of recycling clothes is giving them to thrift stores so they can resell it and it can make someone else happy. In the articles I read, 15% of people reuse/recycle their clothes either giving them away to people, stores or reusing them to make new and trendy clothes. My mom and I always donate my old clothes to charity or clothing drives to help other families that need clothes. We used to give them to my cousins but they have outgrown them so we donate them and see other families happy and safer with new clothes. It gives them a chance to be cared for, warm, and stylish.

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

Something that I personally feel is off the table for me is getting rid of my electronic usage. While I recognize the negative effects of electronic usage, I personally feel that it is a necessity for me. Some reasons I use electronics are for schoolwork, communicating with my parents about where I need to be picked up, talking with friends, and even just for entertainment. While I do not believe in completely stop using it I do believe that cutting down my screen time would also be beneficial. Overall, I cannot promise to not use electronics, because I need them for daily tasks like homework, keeping up with friends, etc. I feel that while it may not be the best it is too big of a component of my life to completely get rid of.

I agree, it would definitely be very difficult for me to reduce my electronic usage since it is such a big aspect of my day to day life. I especially use my computer a lot for school work, and unfortunately it requires a lot of charging which takes up lots of energy. This is off the table because in modern society there is more advanced technology that has led to the manufacturing of more energy consuming devices that we all use. While my electrical usage took up a lot of my carbon footprint, it would be very difficult for me to reduce this, as its such a vital aspect of school life. I also use my devices a lot for entertainment and contacting my friends and family so it would be hard to give that up. However, I do think that I can try to reduce my screentime slightly in order to limit the amount of battery usage I have, so that way I'm not constantly using energy to charge my device.

I completely agree with this. It is so difficult to put aside electronics, especially because they are such a large part of everyday life now. Having to charge a computer, phone, and possibly other electronics take up a lot of energy, but reducing it is so hard because they are so necessary. I think for this reason getting rid of the electronics would be off the table, even though they do take up such a large part of my carbon footprint. However, I do think I can limit general phone usage and keep devices on low power mode when in use, so they won't need to be charged as often. Along with this, I can use the full extent of my device, only charging when necessary and not keeping things plugged in over night.

Product shipping and delivery is a significant contributor to climate change. Although freight shipping accounts for 3% of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions, the numbers could rise dramatically in the next couple of decades. Additionally, not only does international shipping and delivery result in the burning of fossil fuels for transporting goods long distances, but it also oftentimes result in a lot of excess packaging and plastic waste. The alternative to this is shopping in-stores or supporting local businesses to reduce the amount of fossil fuels being burned for transportation and the amount of plastic waste from excess packaging. Unless it's imperative to buy something online or internationally, it's overall more environmentally friendly to buy local in order to reduce your carbon footprint from shipping.

Hunger is a big problem in the world today. Millions of people don’t have enough food, even though there’s enough to go around. I learned on the i2sea site that small actions can help big issues like this. For example, food drives at schools or donating to local food banks can really make a difference. One time, my family helped pack food at a local shelter. It felt good to know that we were helping others. I think if more people helped out in their communities, we could fight hunger together. We can all do something, even if it’s small.

Having the latest technology is definitely a want, not a need. I've been using the same iPhone 12 since sixth grade and the same HP computer since fifth grade, and they still function perfectly well for everything I need. I’ve felt the urge to upgrade just because a newer version came out, but constantly buying the latest phones, headphones, or computers contributes to environmental harm, since the production and disposal of electronics generate a significant amount of waste and pollution. Most of the time, the upgrades are minor and don’t justify the environmental cost. Breaking the habit of always needing the newest tech starts with being more mindful and asking whether you truly need a new device or just want it. Educating yourself about the environmental impact can help shift your mindset toward using what you have for as long as possible.

Fast fashion is when companies make cheap clothes at a low quality to keep up with the latest trends. It contributes to waste and pollution in the environment, especially in countries where the clothing is being made. According to an article from National Geographic called "Talking to kids about fast fashion and the environment", the fashion industry is responsible for over 20% of global wastewater and 10% carbon emissions! This poses as a huge environmental justice problem because of how much harm it causes toward communities who suffer from the pollution. One way we can help combat these high emission rates is by thrifting! Thrifting helps to reduce waste as it gives clothes a second chance at being used/purchased instead of being sent to a landfill right away. I enjoy thrifting in Oakland because it's fun, cheap, and more sustainable for the planet. More teenagers should join me in thrifting instead of buying fast fashion.

Many people often buy lots of clothing that they don't need and they also do not wear. Lots of the time people buy a expensive and they will wear it only a few times. People buy the pieces of clothing from brands that do not make clothing with sustainability or the environment in consideration. The fast fashion brands are made for people who impulsive buy lots of clothing. The chain of people buying and throwing the clothing back in the closet is very very bad for the environment and your wallet. Since lots of people are repeatedly doing the process of wasting clothing the fast fashion brands keep on creating new products. Lots of energy and earth resources are being wasted all while the thing that powers this process is polluting the earth. A experience that i can relate to is one time i had bought something from a fast fashion place and i noticed that after i wore it like seven times the material started to deteriorate. That shows how these brands know that people buying aren't going to wear the items for that long. Instead you could buy from brands that have better quality so that the item lasts or you could buy second hand to reuse and stop buying into fast fashion.

I agree with your opinion on how fast fashion can become very expensive and leads to overconsumption. The goal of the fast fashion brand tis to sell as much clothing as possible and with as little money as possible into producing it. These trending brands' idea is to sell trendy low quality clothing at an amazingly low price so it will sell instantly. Then after wearing it once or twice it will rip, then you'll have to go back to the store to replace it. The cycle goes on. For example Shein produces over 6,000 new styles every day at prices of only a few dollars. The price makes you think at that point well why wouldn't I buy it. The mass production of new trends every day makes people like they need to keep up to say in line with the most current trending clothes.

The average person worldwide produces about 4 tons of CO2 yearly, while the average American produces 16 tons. At this rate, global temperature will rise by approximately 2.5°C by the year 2040. This would increase the risk of extreme heat waves, droughts, floods, sea level rise, and the overall ecosystem collapse. In today's modern world, producing carbon is inevitable, but reducing carbon release will go a long way. Most carbon emissions come from households, and simple ways to reduce emissions are by switching to LED light bulbs, unplugging inactive devices, air drying wet clothes, washing clothes with cold water, and using ceiling fans during warm seasons. High carbon emissions also come from transportation. This can simply be reduced by carpooling and using public transportation. Working from home is another recommendation, if possible, to decrease the necessity for transport. Food is another significant factor in high carbon rates. Eating less meat and dairy, buying locally grown food, and composting food scraps decrease carbon production. Finally, what a person buys impacts the environment and ecosystem via carbon emissions. Producing more products for human use releases CO2 into the air. A simple way to help is by buying only what you need, repairing rather than replacing, and using recycled materials.

Although CO2 emissions can come from many different sources, the largest contributors to CO2 emissions come from the burning of fossil fuels by method of transportation. Although individually we can do our part by driving less, or walking to places instead of driving, it is not entirely up to us. We must urge manufacturers and engineers, as well as public transportation officials to turn to a more sustainable solution to transportation and travel. Some changes have already been made, and there are more and more electric vehicles on the street. However, these vehicles are expensive and not many can afford them. We as a community should work towards encouraging companies to make more sustainable and affordable vehicles. By making sustainable travel and vehicles more affordable, this can encourage more and more people to travel sustainably. From my personal experience, most people turn to gas powered vehicles instead of electric ones not because they don't care about the environment, but simply because they cannot afford to purchase an electric vehicle. Those who cannot afford electric vehicles or even cars often turn to public transportation as well, and by making public transportation more sustainable, it will reduce carbon emissions even more.

We can promote environmental awareness by creating vehicles that are powered by electricity rather than gas. Similar to the electric car, we should copy this plan for 2035 for all forms of transportation to eventually move towards being powered by an alternative energy source. This could heavily decrease global warming's impact, as some CO2 is released into our atmosphere as a byproduct of gas-powered machinery. In addition the electric forms of transportation I speak of can also stop air pollution from causes health effects later in one's life.

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

I believe that traveling is a great way to make connections and experience cultures all over the world. However, traveling is often bad for the environment, especially when done a lot. I propose that people should try to make the switch to electric vehicles instead of gasoline vehicles and they should try to be mindful of the environment when traveling.

Individuals should not be able to own private planes because carbon emissions from that are the highest and I don't want to discourage people from traveling because it is a good thing for culture but people could watch what they do in other countries and how they treat the environment

I learned that rising ocean temperatures are making coral reefs bleach and die. Coral reefs are really important because they give shelter and food to tons of sea animals. I read that climate change and pollution are the main causes of this problem. I think we should all try to help the planet by using less plastic and saving energy.\

Since no one is to do it,we could add a monetary incentive for people to collect garbage and trash off the environment

I like this idea and am very curious how you would implement such an idea. I know it is very expensive to recycle which is counter to how it should be, so giving people an incentive through recycling or collecting trash is a good idea. You could even allow a reward for those that are unhoused to collect trash and bring it to a location so they can recieve some sort of monetary reward.

That inspired me to want to tell my city council about this because not only will this help the cities look great it would get the people going because who doesn't like money, most people do so this is a great idea.

I really like the idea of cleaning up our world. Whenever I see a piece of trash I pick it up and put it away in the trash or wherever it belongs. If we all do this, this will lead to a nicer and just better world.

I agree that it is very important to clean up after the Earth, as it is the home to all of us and we ultimately depend on it. When I drive from my house to school in the mornings, I see trash dumped on the side of the roads which I find very sad because of the many negative impacts it has on the environment. According to the reading "Planet or Plastic?" by National Geographic, "Plastic waste kills up to a million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals each year." This is a prime example of how littering harms the wildlife and the environment as a whole, and should be taken into account before choosing to carelessly discard your trash. Furthermore, the article, "How Does Littering Affect the Environment?' by Green Paper Products, states that "When litter breaks down, it releases harmful chemicals and microplastics. For example, polystyrene breaks into tiny pieces that pollute soil and waterways, disrupting natural habitats and food chains." This is just another aspect that should be thought about before preforming these acts, as although it may not seem like a big deal, or won't have a large affect, it truly damages ecosystems that depend on a healthy environment to survive.

I agree that we, as residents of this Earth, must clean up our environment, as no one benefits from littering and pollution. However, people are often unbothered to clean their messes up or place their trash in the proper bins, thus leaving those who wish to leave the world a better place in a difficult position, where we must work more. The disruption of our environment due to pollution, has caused many tragedies to happen both to mankind and animals.

I agree with this. Plastic pollution is becoming a bigger problem than ever before; microplastics are appearing in food, marine life is suffering, and plastic waste is pervasive. As seen in National Geographic's article on the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, "For many people, the idea of a 'garbage patch' conjures up images of an island of trash floating on the ocean. In reality, these patches are almost entirely made up of tiny bits of plastic, called microplastics... The microplastics of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch can simply make the water look like a cloudy soup. This soup is intermixed with larger items, such as fishing gear and shoes." This example re-defines how we think about our waste. Plastics are often present even when not visible to the naked eye. This presents a new problem, an invisible enemy in which our oceans and waterways are polluted with. We need to find solutions to either getting rid of microplastics or stop them from being created in the first place.

To me these two words are often merged into one word which is not right. Sometimes wants are even mistaken as needs. As a conservative person, it confuses me when people seem to buy things they want when it is really a waste of money. This belief that wants are a need are even fueling causes of climate change like fast fashion where people want to and buy the cheaply made products. If these clothes were really a need then we would go to places like thrift stores more often because they would sell the clothes we needed for much cheaper.

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.

Instead of transportation we need to create communites that are more encourging to walking and biking. Though electric cars can solve part of the problem the main problem is how our communites are built to revolve around cars. My highest contributer to my carbon footprint was the transportation section this is since everyone relys on cars so much since not all communies have stores close to their communtiy so they need cars to drive to get basic nesesistys. A community centerd towards walking and biking would have all the nesary stores and food very close to or within the town. This would encourage peopel to walk since it would not be an imense amount of effort. As well as helping our planet biking and walking helps people loose weight inturn leading to a more healthy society.

use more public transport  and increase car sharing.

I agree, but I suggest walking or biking instead of driving because burning fossil fuels release a large amount of carbon dioxide (CO2). If you're going somewhere far, then that's when it is suggested taking public transportation and carpooling. If you're planning on buying a car, then consider buying an electric one with cheaper models. Even though electric cars run on electricity produced from fossil fuels, they reduce the amount of air pollution as well as causing fewer greenhouse gas emissions.

I agree with both statements. I have seen that transportation is a big aspect of lots of peoples live. Now are walk and biking better then driving yes but so many people have to commute so far or there not safer paths for pedestrian to walk safely and that makes it hard to do those things. But we help by making public transportation but for many other and personal a lot of people don’t have public transportation access nearby. If there was a bus to my school that came even close to my house I would ride the bus but there is not. I think that as you continue to try and grow for a better sustainable city we can make a difference by making public transportation more accessible as a start.

People all over the world don't realize that jeans that you buy take 1000 Gallons of water to make one pair of jeans. As humans, we drink 1/2 a gallon a day. One pair of jeans is the equivalent to 2000 people having enough water to drink for the day. When we throw away jeans, we waste that good denim material that we can use for future use. For example, in the article "Denim Insulation Review: Comparison Guide and Pros and Cons", I learned that if we use jeans that we throw away as insulation, we can save so much material on making the insulation that is commonly used, it's terrible for the environment! It can add up to 26 million Tons of CO2 emissions a year! If we started reusing jeans that we buy, we would help the environment a lot. I used this in my daily life after we remade our garage, we thrifted old jeans and used the denim from the jeans to insulate our walls and keep us warm throughout the winter. Cutting waste in material needs to be focused on more.

Many people don’t realize that throwing away food also means wasting all the energy it took to grow, ship, and store it. When food ends up in landfills, it rots and releases methane—a gas that’s way worse for the environment than carbon dioxide. In the Article" Food Waste and Climate Footprint," I learned that if food waste were a country, it would be the third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases after the U.S. and China. I started focusing on this in my everyday life, while doing this I learned that “best by” dates aren’t always accurate, so I don’t throw stuff out just because the label says so. Cutting food waste isn't a hard problem to fix it just means we have to be more aware.

After finishing the carbon footprint survey, I saw that my home living causes a large amount of carbon emissions. Things I wasn't aware of were brought to my attention, and I could see that I need to make some changes. The amount of heat and cooling I use throughout the year is large, and the food I eat isn't always environmentally friendly due to packaging and other factors. Doing small things like adding a compost bin or solar panels can make a difference.

Did  you know 28% of the U.S co2 emmisons come from transportation. Alot of people abuse their ablity to drive somewhere because it's more convient, and can get us from place to place faster, but as we know the earth is dying due to us. We learned in an edpuzzle in class that if we put the earth existents in a 24hour spectrum we've only been on the  earth for 4 seconds, and we've already caused thousands of animal to go exist, and ecosystems to be destroyed. The Industrial Revolution, became the power house to rise in greenhouse emmsions. and ever since the average global amount of co2 has increased drastically in the past 40 years. so instead getting car to go to the park, maybe you should run or ride bike, to save the eath step by step.

People never seem to think about what their purchases could do to the environment or will they even use them at all. People should actually think if they need something when at the check out line. All people should get to get items that they enjoy but that should not come at the cost of Earth.

I agree, people do not think about the consequences to their actions.

I agree with this, people are not thinking about what they're buying and how that will impact other people and organisms. I think treating yourself to something unnecessary once in a while is a good thing, like a treat if you pass a test or a reward for doing something difficult. As a society, we can struggle to think about how our actions that we are taking now are going to affect others in future generations. If you want to buy something just because it's cheap, think about if you are actually going to use for a long time. Otherwise it would end up adding to our landfills.

I think you're right, I don't really think that some bag or shirt is worth it. We should really need to consider about second-hand shops instead od making huge amounts of clothes. Making our own clothes from old ones or from other kinds of fabric is really good way to recycle and refresh our wardrobe and it's good for environment.

I fully agree with you. Impulsive shopping has been normalized to the point where it's concerning, especially online. People just add stuff to their cart without a second thought. They don't even check the sites they order from and how much Carbon emits into the atmosphere by the shipping and transport of their order, aside from the production itself. We are absolutely allowed to buy things we want and like, not just necessities, but there is a clear line between a few funky purchases and full-on overconsupmtion and shopping addiction.

I completely agree with you. Many people don't realize the harm they are doing to our planet by buying industrially made food. I think that we should grow more food ourselves, and that way, we can take care of our planet and enjoy a delicious meal. Regarding the clothes we wear, I agree that we should shop more from second-hand shops because there are a lot of great clothes, so you can look good and reduce your carbon footprint.

You're right. Not a lot of people know just how harmful their purchases can be, whether it be food, clothes, or electronics. I think thrifting is one of the best ways to help with this problem. Me and my sister regularly to go thrift stores near us for a small electronic we want or new clothes.

I agree that although shopping can be a fun day outing we constantly overlook the destructive impacts it has on our planet. I myself love to shop, and it is a good stress reliever for me but I think shopping has normalized a culture of overlooking morality. One of the most popular stores for teenage girls to shop at is Brandy Melville, a brand that has openly presenting a fat-shaming environment fueled by it's one size fits all clothing. Fast fashion companies such as SHEIN and Temu release excess fossil fuels and carbon dioxide into the environment and exploit their workers. Nevertheless, million still flock to these stores to buy the newest trending items or for the best price. I feel like the fact that we as a society know these issues exist and still choose to shop and over-consume goods attributes to why climate change/global warming has gotten so bad today.

I agree that people buy things just for themselves, and they don't think about how if affects anything or anybody else. When most people buy things (for example clothes), they get that initial joy. But once this temporary high goes away, the object is still there and it litters the environment. People should buy things with meaning and not just to satisfy their compulsive buying habits. That's why I think thrifting is so special. Different get to enjoy the same piece of clothing, and at the same time, they get it for cheaper and higher quality.

Growing my own persimmons has shown me that home-grown food is better than store bought ones. Unlike often flavorless ones from the store, the persimmons from my persimmon tree often turn out very ripe and have large amounts of sweet flavor. Along with that, knowing they have no pesticides helps add peace of mind since there are no harmful chemicals. This experience has taught me how homegrown produce is often more fresh, higher quality, healthier, and cheap compared to store bought produce along with showing the value of connecting closely to our food source.

After finishing the carbon footprint survey, I had noticed that for food, I produced twice the normal amount of carbon. This was likely the case probably due to the fact that my diet was based around meat and lacked a healthy amount of vegetables. However, if you lack a healthy amount of meat, our energy will severely decrease causing us to feel tired and nauseous. Realizing that this is a problem, I wonder what would be a better alternative than just going vegetarian? After some time I had learned that tofu and beans produces less carbon then meat and have about the same amount of protein as meat. If enough people reduce their diet to beans and and tofu, the earths carbon can drastically go down by 25%. Although, are diets do not need to be restricted to only tofu and beans, we can have meat on certain occasions, but we should not have it every day if we want to reduce our carbon footprint.

Transportation plays a large role in our CO2 emissions. It's something many of us can't avoid and use daily, whether it's for school, work, extracurricular activities, or other purposes. So, how can we reduce the amount of CO2 being produced without just staying home and not going anywhere? As a society, we could try having more electric cars on the road, which can be an expensive option as it may require purchasing a vehicle. Some other less expensive ideas would include trying to carpool more, for example, when taking kids to school, or activities, for example, at the end of swim practice, picking up friends and taking them home, rather than their parents picking them up in another (less necessary) car. We could also start using public transportation, like the many Bishop O'Dowd students who take the AC transit and BART. Lastly, we could ask the city to implement more bike lanes, so that people feel more space when riding their bike from place to place.

For centuries now, we as human beings have been destroying our planet. Though our actions might not seem that big, every single one has a gigantic impact of the environment. By choosing to drive somewhere instead of walking, biking or even taking public transportation we are emitting more CO2 into the atmosphere than necessary. By wanting mores space for cities, factories and malls, so that we can live in abundance, we cut down forests, eliminating entire ecosystems. This process is called deforestation. Our overconsumption, intemperance and lack of constraint is seen everywhere in society; but somehow our compassion, care and action has been missing for so long. People have known, what we are doing to our earth for centuries, but they did not bother to think and stop. Though our earth is not right, for it is the only earth there is, it is the world that does not belong to anybody, though sometimes humans seem to think it belongs to them and they are the only one son it. They set their priorities straight. Before our home and its beauty, they put profit and comfort. We are stripping the earth of all it has, not caring about the fact that the earth gives us so much. The earth gives us life. Without it, we would not exist.
The novel "Dry" by Neal and Jarrod Shusterman explores a dystopian California, during an extreme drought that they call a "Tap Out". The way the novel is written, the reader can infer that it is set in a very near future. It shows the chaos in society and the struggles of the people. By highlighting all these negative effects, every reader can easily say; "This is not what they want for myself". However, the say these things during a call on the newest phone, while eating a highly processed hamburger and while drinking out of a plastic cup. If they really do not want it for themselves then why is nobody ever doing anything. Everybody wants to care, but not because they believe its right, but because they know they should. Everybody wants to care, but who really does care in a society that is built for everybody to keep consuming, a society that is built for everybody to drive fancy cars, in a society that is not built around the needs of the earth.
By putting profit and comfort before everything else, humans have mindlessly done something to the planet that might soon be irreversible. I guess they have chosen the life they want; living abundantly now and suffering later.

I want to mention, that though in a lot of parts of this response I say none, nobody and everybody I know that there really is people out there who try to help. This extreme words were just used to highlight how extreme the situation is, and though people to care, those people are normally not those in power. If the people in powerful positions started working for the environment, then we might be able to make a bigger hange.

One easy and cost effective way to reduce your carbon footprint is by using reusable shopping bags instead of plastic ones. Plastic bags are made from petroleum, and they take hundreds of years to break down in landfills. The Environmental Protection Agency (2021) reports that Americans use around 100 billion plastic bags every year, and less than 10% are recycled. By switching to reusable bags, you can reduce waste and help lower the demand for plastic production. Consumers are the source, when we stop buying there is no demand, which means no market for plastic bags. Me and my family started using reusable bags when we go shopping, and it’s such an easy change, all we do is leave the reusable bags in the trunk so if we need them they are handy and putting them away is easy. Not only does it help the environment, but it also saves money because some stores even charge extra for plastic bags. Once you change to reusable bags, it't something that is just a small change that can make a huge difference in our carbon footprint, something that doing it for a week will feel like an unconcious act

One large contributor to co2 emissions is fast fashion. These clothes are marketed as cheap and trendy, but they don't last and are harmful to the environment. Many people ignore this because they are attracted to the low cost of these clothes. Another way to find clothing at a low cost is thrifting. Thrifting is a good way to get clothing for cheaper without taking a large toll on the environment. We already have more clothes than we need in our world, so we don't need to be adding to that by buying low-quality clothing just because of it's price. Instead we can thrift used clothing that is higher quality and in many cases will last longer.

After finishing taking the carbon footprint questionnaire, I thought the category contributing the highest amount of carbon would be transportation or food. Although, when I found out that my home carbon level was the issue, I started to think of ways to lower it. I thought of things such as using more natural lighting and reducing my water usage. Another idea was to open windows or doors instead of using air conditioning. The other categories with high carbon levels was food and then transportation. I thought that walking, biking, or taking public transportation more often could help lower the level but how can I lower my food level? If I rarely to almost never eat plant-based meals and do not grow my own produce how can I lower my food carbon levels?

Consumers are always obsessed with the latest fashion trends and newest clothing items, but most of the time fail to realize what goes into creating the items they wear and own. People do not take into consideration the production of the good and how damaging the manufacturing process is to the environment.For example, clothing production use excessive amounts of water. Additionally, once trends fade and the hottest clothing style isn't as relevant anymore, these clothes get thrown away, contributing to large landfill dumps. The materials used in these clothing items take hundreds of years to biodegrade and are extremely damaging. Popular fast fashion brands (ex: Shein, Zara, H&M), produce clothes faster than consumers can buy, causing more than half of the clothes to end up in the dumps. Often times, purchasing new clothes is not even a NEED it is a WANT. If a person has clothes in their closet that fit them, there is really no need to go out and buy new clothing items, just for them to be worn once and then thrown away. Overall, Fast Fashion and Overconsumption negatively impact the environment.

I believe it comes down to want and needs at the end of the day, because we need minimal things to survive, yet what we want is so much more. For example, we only need 10-15 minute showers, but what we want is a long 30-minute shower. In addition, all we need is just some simple warm clothes, but we want 20 to 30 dollar new clothes from a new brand. If one day we learn to separate our wants and our needs and only take what we need we might just be able to make a real difference in our world. I have many things that I think I need or just want, and if I learn to cut that out of my life I could live more resourcefully and build a more sustainable environment.

Environmental justice is about fairness--making sure no group carries more of the environmental burden than others. But, in practice, it’s often the same communities, usually poor and marginalized, who face the worst climate impacts. They live near polluted areas, deal with rising heat, and have fewer resources to adapt.

It reminds me of the way injustice shows up in literature--like in Of Mice and Men or The Grapes of Wrath, where people at the bottom are hit hardest by forces they can’t control. Climate change works the same way. It’s not just about the environment--it’s about power, inequality, and who has the ability to recover.

When we talk about climate action, we should also be talking about justice. That means listening to the people most affected and making sure they’re part of the solution. Without that, any “solution” leaves someone behind.

With fast fashion brands becoming more apparent in the last decade, carbon emissions from clothing have significantly increased. Not only have more clothes been thrown in the landfill, but the higher demand for clothing to fit a specific trend has led to much higher carbon emissions. The increase in social media has promoted trends and fast fashion more than ever. Also, the process of making clothes and shipping them all around the world affects fashion companies' carbon footprints. According to the UN Environment Programme in a 2019 report, "the fashion industry is responsible for about 10% of global carbon emissions." This statistic highlights how the fashion industry is becoming a problem and has a very strong impact on the world's carbon footprint. Fast Fashion has added to the problem of the world's carbon footprint.

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

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

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

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

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

I had never heard of this phrase until recently, but it is one of the many effects of climate change. So, what is it? Basically, ocean acidification in the phrase used to describe the increasing acidity of the ocean. This is due to the ocean absorbing massive amounts of carbon dioxide from human activities. The more carbon dioxide that is put out into the atmosphere from activities like burning coal for power, the more the ocean absorbs. When that happens, it raises the acidity of the water. While it may not harm humans, it causes lots of harm to the ocean life. For example, the increasing acidity of the water has been harming coral reefs. Because they are unable to adapt quick enough to withstand the sudden changes, the coral die off. This leaves many aquatic species without protection from predators. While this is only one species that is suffering, soon enough all ocean life will be killed off by the raising acidity. This could spell disaster for many societies that rely on ocean life to feed themselves or to keep them employed. That is why it is so important to take climate change seriously, and to start working as a society to reverse the effects of climate change.

https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/aci … atmosphere.

I recently learned about ocean acidification, and it really opened my eyes to another dangerous effect of climate change. Ocean acidification happens when the oceans absorb too much carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, mostly due to human activities like burning fossil fuels. This makes the water more acidic and harms marine life.
I think it’s important for all of us to be aware of this issue and support actions that reduce CO₂ emissions. Even small steps can make a difference when done together.

I had a similar experience, recently I learned more about ocean acidification. I had heard of it before but never fully knew what it is until last month during a science research trip to Belize where we read about ocean acidification and the effects of global warming on the ocean's ecosystems. I learned that when the ocean absorbs excess carbon dioxide it lowers the water's pH levels causing the water to become more acidic. This is happening because humans are producing Co2 faster than nature and the ocean can absorb it. Like the previous posts mentioned it is really sad how this is happening. The affects of ocean acidification are tragic for sea corals and animals as it results in a lot of habitat loss.

i’ve noticed recently that the weather where i live is changing at a rapid rate due to climate change. i think this is really noticeable because it has been flooding when it rains and the summers have been longer with more frequent heat waves and hotter weather. vancouver’s changing climate has also meant that it’s been snowing later and later every year as global warming has gotten worse. these weather effects have really put in perspective how serious climate change is and how badly it can affect the earths environment.

Yeah, in my town (actually, inmy country) I have noticed that summers last much longer than it's expected. Also, the winters are getting warmer and last shorter than previous years. I think that's the result of so much personal cars, because in every family there is at least 1 car per parent. Big amount of clothes (because we are living in consumers society) is also a problem because of a fast fashion. Those are just 2 carbon- problems, but I belive there are many more problems and causes.

I completely agree with you. It’s really scary how quickly the climate is changing, even in places like Vancouver that used to have more predictable weather. Flooding and longer, hotter summers are becoming more common in many parts of the world. Where I live, we’ve also noticed strange weather patterns—like sudden storms and very mild winters.

I have noticed the same big swings in weather where I live. Summers weather has been lasting much longer than it should, and we have extremely warm heat waves during October when it's supposed to be fall and cooling down. I agree with the fact that weather is a very clear indicator of climate change. It's so easy to see the effects our actions have on the climate and global temperatures. I also think it's crazy that there are people who see this extreme shift in weather and still deny climate change and how our actions impact the environment.

I have also noticed increased temperatures throughout more of the year in my hometown, as well as worsening disasters that cause more and more damage every year.

I think corporate responsibility means that companies should care about how their actions affect people and the environment. It’s not just about making money, they should also do what’s right. Sometimes, big companies make choices that hurt communities, and that’s not fair. We’ve learned that justice means thinking about the common good, and that should apply to businesses too. I believe companies should try to make a positive difference.

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.

Fast fashion is one of the issues in our society that isn't addressed properly. By buying fast fashion and following micro-trends, we not only further encourage child labor and such, but we also contribute to an extremely large portion of the world's Carbon production. Not only are the clothes from fast fashion stores and brands made of poor quality materials, but they have also been proven to contain lots of extremely harmful chemicals. On top of all that, fast fashion is intended to change quickly to fit the new trends - hence the name - which is why a concerning amount of clothes (probably worn only like 5 times) end up in landfill after they're no longer trendy, only further polluting the planet.

A few ways to stay as far away from fast fashion culture that have worked the best for me are second-hand shopping and DIY (Do It Yourself). Half of my closet consists of my relatives' old clothing items, a lot of them waiting for summer to get customized and repurposed, while my own old clothes have already found their new owners (actual people, not the trash!).
Personally, I adore DIY. The possibilities are endless, regardless of skill or experience - all you need is a vision. I've made band t-shirts, bracelets, necklaces, cuffs and other accessories completely from scratch, and I can guarantee you that there is no better feeling than wearing something you made yourself.

So, I encourage more people to try out more sustainable fashion sources: go to thrift stores, alter and customize your old clothes. Reuse, recycle, repurpose!

I completely agree with your points about fast fashion! It’s a serious issue that often gets overlooked, especially with the rise of trends. I’ve also started shopping second-hand and repurposing old clothes, and it’s been a rewarding shift. In addition, I enjoy giving my used clothing to thrift stores and Goodwill’s because not only is it a relief for me, it has the opportunity to help a lot of people. It feels good to know i’m reducing waste as well. Making or customizing your own clothes adds so much personal value. Like you said, there’s nothing like wearing something you made yourself. I definitely think that more people need to realize that fashion can be both creative and sustainable, and by encouraging creativity, I believe that more people will be captivated to give reusing clothing a try! I have been thinking about this pretty consistently, and it has made me wonder how drastic of a change we can make by incorporating DIY and repurposing fashion into our everyday lives? It would be very interesting to observe, and even more to experiment with.

A nature.com article reads that "it's estimated that a search driven by generative AI uses four to five times the energy of a conventional web search" (Crawford, 2024). Using ChatGPT, even for just a simple prompt, uses water and energy, which affects its carbon footprint. Generative AI like ChatGPT has a massive carbon footprint because it goes through energy at an alarming rate, and this is often not renewable or environmentally-friendly energy due to cost factors. Many people, especially teenagers, use ChatGPT for just about everything, from doing their homework to looking up simple questions--two tasks that can easily be accomplished other ways (such as doing their homework themselves or using Google as a search engine). This is why the question of whether or not Gen-AI like ChatGPT is a want or a need is so relevant today. AI usage has never been so common, and it's important to remember the huge carbon footprint you are leaving behind when you use Gen-AIs to look something up or complete a task.

Source:
Nature.com Article

Throughout this questionnaire, I have answered questions about what my actions do to the environment. I thought that my biggest carbon emission would be due to transport, but it was not. The food emission was the biggest contribution, with the amount of 3,465 kgs. This makes me think about how much I eat, but also what I do with my food afterward. I saw that someone also had the same outcome. My one question is, if I need food as a student athlete, what can I do to lower my food emissions?

We don't all have the resources to do big things to save our planet, like spending money on electric cars, or buying expensive heating systems that use electricity instead of gas. And that is totally fine because there is so many more different ways we can help our planet, for example: recycling and composting, when you recycle it reduces the amount of garbage that would have been sent to the landfills. Or just putting your left over scraps in a bin thats only for compostable things, that reduces so much waste that we would mix with garbage and put and put in our landfill. Other simple things we can do are: Talking to people about this topic, turning off lights when leaving rooms, taking more transit or carpooling, bringing reusable bags to the grocery store. And all those small things can help reduce the affect us humans have on the climate.

I completely agree. Nobody's forcing you to change your home's heating or invest in new cars, but so many easy things can reduce our carbon footprints. One example is taking shorter showers. Instead of taking your time and using the water for 20 minutes, you can easily reduce down to 10 minutes by going at a normal pace and using the water for a small amount of time. Another thing is powering down your laptop. If it goes into sleep mode, it's still using battery and it's technically still on. Constantly leaving it on can also cause it to have a shorter life. These are two examples of things that don't require you to spend money or make huge changes in your daily life. I think everybody needs to consider opportunities like this to lower our carbon footprints.

I really appreciate both of your points – especially how you emphasize that even small changes in our daily habits can make a big difference. I completely agree with the idea that we don’t need to make expensive lifestyle changes to help the environment. I also liked the example about taking shorter showers – that’s something I’ve started doing too, and it really made me more aware of how much water I was using before. Another simple action I’d add is washing clothes in cold water. Experts say that about 90% of the energy used by washing machines goes toward heating the water, so switching to cold water saves energy and lowers emissions. It's a small change, but if many people did it, the impact could be huge. These everyday actions might seem minor on their own, but together they can build a more sustainable lifestyle.

I agree with the idea that we don’t all need a lot of money to help the planet. It’s true that small things like recycling, composting, or turning off lights can make a big difference if everyone does them. It’s good that the text points out that you don’t need to buy expensive things like electric cars. People often think they have to do something huge, so they end up doing nothing. That’s why it’s important to talk about small steps that everyone can take. I think messages like this should be shared more often in schools and communities.

I also think that making even small changes can have an effect. I personally have thought before that i'm one person and the things I do cant make a difference. But if everyone thinks this way then we make no changes. One persons decision to make a change can be followed by other eventually creating an impact.

It's very true how small actions can make a big difference, especially when not everyone can afford expensive solutions. I agree that composting, recycling, and turning off lights are all great ways to help. One thing I would add is the impact of water use, such as cutting down on how much water we waste. Things like by taking shorter showers or fixing leaks also helps the environment out. As you mentioned, starting conversations can lead to bigger community changes and it's important to continue doing so in the future.

I like how you are emphasizing that the little things do matter. I agree, and I think that sometimes people get discouraged because they don't have the time, money, or resources to change their lifestyle in a large way. Some things I do to help are reusing containers from things like skincare or hair products, I always turn off the lights when I leave a room, and I carpool almost everywhere I go. Although these things may seem like they are making minimal impact, if everyone did this bare minimum, our world would be much better off.

I agree with you that everything matters. Many use the fact that they don't have power or money to excuse them not attempting to help, but even one person can make a difference. We all need to be advocating and raising awareness for this because we are, unfortunately, all contributing to this. I also like all the suggestions you made like composting and using reusable items. Anyone can do this and if we all did it the world might not consider this such a big problem. The reality is whether or not we have power or money, we are all responsible for doing our part.

I completely agree, especially your point about how we don't need to make big sacrifices to save our planet; instead, small, everyday actions can make a big impact. I try to do small things every day, such as turning off my lights when I leave my room and using a reusable water bottle rather than plastic ones. I also bring reusable shopping bags for groceries when I go shopping. I believe these small actions can lead to the best results in protecting our Earth, and if each of us does just one small thing every day, we will see a better future for our world.

It has become a shock to me how much the effects of having pesticides used on your lawn care can negatively affect the environment around you. Especially, if your home or business is near a body of water because the pesticides used on your lot will eventually end up in that water which can cause a huge problem like algae or other environmental issues. The website I have provided in this post can give you excellent information of the dangers and pros of pesticides on your lawn care.

https://www.epa.gov/safepestcontrol/law … den#safely

It shocked me as well, we need to find better ways to take care of our lawns that do not affect the environment in such harmful ways. We really need to start being more cautious especially when it comes to our water sources since our Earth is mainly made up of water.

Thanks for this info i never really thought about how lawn care products can affect the local environment I will think about what we use in our yards next time

I agree, it’s surprising the impact pesticides have on the environment. Lots of them use phosphorus, and when it goes into water it causes algae to grow from lots of nutrients which can lead to hypoxia, which is when the water has low oxygen. That means that the stuff inside can die and it’s bad for the environment. An environmental article states, “Using fewer fertilizers and adjusting the timing of fertilizer applications to limit runoff of excess nutrients from farmland” (Bruckner, n.d.). So I feel like it’s our duty to use fertilizers with precaution, away from water and doing it at times where water doesn't wash it into places it can harm the environment. Thanks for posting this because it got me to think about how we can use fertilizers but try and avoid the downsides they have on the environment.

While most of us can choose when and what to eat, millions of people around the world wonder if they’ll even have anything to eat at all. Huge amounts of food are thrown away every day, often because we prepare portions that are too large to finish. It’s time to become more aware of our habits. We should cook only as much as we really need, without excess. That way, we not only reduce food waste, but also show responsibility and respect for those who don’t even have the basics.

I agree. It's truly shocking to see how much food is truly wasted throughout the world. It's difficult for me to even comprehend that the United States wastes about 30-40% of what is grown. Furthermore, I am truly disappointed when I find uneaten meals simply in the trash, knowing that there are others who don't even know where they will get their next meal. I also feel that sharing and teaching others is a great idea! I believe teachers should educate the reduction of food waste to their students, and encourage the composting of raw foods.

I totally agree. I think worldwide food waste has become a major problem, especially in the U.S. I think many Americans have been taking food for granted. The Recycle Track System states that America wastes, “nearly 60 million tons — 120 billion pounds — every year”. We need to start cooking smaller portions of food because the food industry has normalized giant portions of food that the average person shouldn’t be able to finish. I think if America adjusts to making smaller portions of food and normalizing finishing what is on your plate, then Americans could reduce their food waste. I also think that restaurants typically throw away all their leftover food after a day. So instead of throwing away leftovers right away they could hand that food out to people who need it, like the homeless. That way, restaurants could reduce their amount of food waste and give food to those who are in dire need.

I completely agree with your argument. Especially in first-world countries, food waste has become such a big problem that has yet to be dealt with because it is not considered as big of a contribution to global warming as other things such as manufacturing and overconsumption are. My aunt works in the food waste industry, therefore I have grown up around a family that really considers the inappropriate use of food, and I still believe that it has been taken for granted. Food waste has become normalized in daily life, and many people don’t realize the environmental impact it has. Your post brings attention to an issue that is often ignored, and I think more awareness and responsibility are needed to create real change. One possible solution is implementing stronger food education programs in schools and communities to teach people how to shop, store, and consume food more sustainably.

Looking deeper into the cause of my carbon footprint revealed how much the location of one’s community can affect their carbon usage. For example, living in the U.S. means long distance travel is extremely common as things are so far apart from one another. Flying for week long trips or even for single day trips happens with regularity all throughout the U.S., immensely increasing the country’s global footprint. Unlike some other nations, we don’t have a long distance travel alternative like a train, so people resort to flying, one of the highest producers of carbon in all technology. On a local level, simple things like being walking distance from your school can have a huge impact on your carbon footprint. Driving for your daily commute adds up, eventually making a big impact on carbon emissions into the atmosphere, so being smart with short distance transportation such as walking or biking, makes a big difference in the long run.

Homegrown food has many benefits. I will say two of many. First of all, it's better for our planet. It cuts packaging waste, uses fewer chemicals, supports biodiversity, and encourages sustainable eating. Second of all, it taste so much better. It is fresher and grown without long storage or transport that can dull flavor. I can confirm that because most of the vegetables I eat is grown in my garden and it taste amazing. What do you think? Can you come up with other benefits?

I agree with this take, as I think the benefits of homegrown food completely out weigh the parts to buying and consuming packaged foods. I also think another benefit of homegrown food is that it is most likely healthier than packaged and store bought foods. It provides human with better nutritional benefits than store foods, and as I can recall, when I was a child I used to eat a lot of homegrown foods, which always left me energized and left me feeling good in terms of my body, but with store bought foods it would sometimes cause me to be tired and to even be less focused during school. Another benefit I would add is that it can save people money as they can spend less to grow food on their own instead of buying it straight up from a store. Any other benefits anyone can think of?

Personally  I don’t think i could truly live without electronics.For school work is has become such a necessary about half of my assignments are on the computer. Also for communication I use my phone to communicate with my parents when i'm away from them. When i need to talk to my teacher about something,but I don't have enough time to see them i use my computer and email them. I was raised being able to go on the internet and look up stuff if i didn't know it. Having electronics has kind of been a thing for me and I think adjusting to not having them would be almost impossible.

Hi Bella,

I completely agree with you. While it is disappointing, using electronics has become a integral part of almost everyones lives. In addition, in today's world there is really no way to get around using technology as a teenager, we use it for school work, talking to friends and family, and for so many more important things. This is why it is also an off the table for me, however I still would like to think about ways in which I could decrease the amount of screens I use per day. According to the CDC, "During July 2021 through December 2023, one-half of teenagers ages 12–17 had 4 hours or more of daily screen time (50.4%)" (Zablotsky). This statistic is so sad as using screens is not only bad for the enviorment but as well for our brains. While TV usage does not have quite as big of an environmental impact as many other activities, with about 21 million teenagers just in the US using over 4 hours a day of screen time, that energy consumption really adds up. I hope to be able to limit my screen time use going forward both for myself and for the enviorment. Is that something you would be interested in?

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.

I agree with you. Climate change is 100% human caused. But I think one of the main issues is that it’s hard for humans to change their whole life styles. Since climate change is such a big and important issue, it does take immediate action but humans are hesitant to be the change and try and combat climate change. I agree that everyone should do their part in helping fight climate change, and I liked the ideas that you suggested. Some more possible ideas of specific actions you could take are planting a garden to grow your vegetables so that they won’t need to be imported from other countries and grown with harmful chemicals. Like you said, people should try and eat less meat, as the meat industry, specifically cow agriculture, is one of the leading causes to climate change. Of course it is hard to get people to change their diets, but in order to combat climate change I do think that it is necessary.

Hey there!

I agree with the most of the arguments. However, climatic change has happened in the past, such as during the ice age.  The current climate change is definitely caused by human society. As it was pointed out, it would be hard for everyone to change their lifestyle in order to reduce carbon dioxide pollution. Companies that produce a lot of products tend to be reluctant to reduce CO₂ emissions. Since the filters and other elements they would need are actually expensive. Fast food companies, for instance McDonald's, in the USA produce lots of CO₂ due to their cow stock.

I agree. Climate change is most likely caused by humans because in the past, mostly natural gasses were going into the atmosphere which allowed for them to be naturally broken down over time. When humans came into the equation, we began to cut down trees which made it so the CO2 we breathed wasn't able to be consumed and we released fossil fuels from underground that wouldn't be going into the atmosphere as quickly without us manually doing it.

Personally, the most that I contribute to climate change is by taking flights and going on vacation. I wonder if there's any way to create electric planes that are able to travel long distances so that it would be more sustainable for the environment.

I agree with you 85%. Climate Change is mostly caused by humans, with our factories and carbon emissions contributing a lot. However, natural weather is also a small factor when it comes to Climate Change. Natural disasters such as wildfires are caused by high winds, which we have no control over. The burning involves a chemical reaction where the carbon in the wood combines with oxygen, forming CO2. Overall, I think that Climate Change is caused by humans, but some natural causes contribute to the change.

Yes I do think Climate Change is mostly human caused. Climate Change is caused by the rising amount of greenhouse gases that are in the atmosphere which causes heat from the sun to be trapped in the atmosphere instead of going back out into space. This is making the heat to rise or, global warming. To answer this question fully you must understand that Climate Change and global warming are two different things. Climate Change refers to the change in climate while global warming refers to the rising temperatures of the Earth. Global warming is part of Climate Change so they are relational. Although, Climate Change is not completely human caused, natural things happen on Earth that cause Climate Change as well. Overall, I'd say Climate Change is 90% percent human's fault and 10% natural cause.

One thing that Is "off the table" for me Is my phone I always listen to music when I'm doing my work like I am right now and I need It to find out If I am getting picked up after school or walking. I also to let my parents know where I'm at when I go hang with friends. And sometimes when I don't have my laptop for school I use my phone to turn In assignments that are due or to look something up. But I have to have to charge It a lot I also have a portable charger i keep with me because my phone die's fast but It also charges fast and It take my whole lunch brake for It to get to 40% witch is pretty good.

I agree with you as I also am not willing to let go of electronics. They help me with many in my daily life in so many ways like communication with friends and family, listening to music, learning new topics, and more.

I also agree! Using electronics can be really helpful as learning and communication tools, but I, and a lot of other people, are also very guilty of having them as our main source of entertainment.As I'm getting into sustainability and the effects of our carbon footprints, I believe this is something I need to change. So while cutting electronics out entirely is off the table, I think I should at least limit how much I use them.

I for one agree that us as a population should limit our screen times so we can lower the power that goes to not life dependent appliances like showering and cooking but I also understand that using your phone can have heaps of great benefits for you like learning new things about how to be as eco-friendly as possible so there's pros and cons but I think its a good idea to be more mindful about how our screen time can affect the environment that is around us

I mostly agree with you because i need my phone for school and communication with parents or friends. However, i think i could be on my phone less. There are times when i loose track of time watching mindless videos on TikTok or other time wasting apps. I’m not saying to never go on your phone or not go on those apps at all, i don’t think they are bad i just think as a society we don’t need to be spending as much time on them. Treat those apps as down time not an all the time thing.

I agree that phone use is mostly off the table for example i need my phone to contact my parents sometimes and i think that phones are off the table for safety issues. But at the same time i think we can minimize our screen time and thus properly balance our own safety and minimizing carbon emissions. something personally off the table for me is driving, i wish i could change my driving significantly as it is a my main carbon emission source. But since my dad lives far away from my school it is necessary for me to drive a long way to get to school and other places too.

I agree because having a phone is very important if you are in an emergency or a disaster. Also, just for chilling at home, if you have nothing to do, you could learn information or build connections by texting friends. Having a phone can sometimes decrease depression or anxiety because of the number of options you have for doing stuff on your phone. Some examples of this could be watching sports games or doing the daily Wordle. Another good example of when you need your phone is if you are maybe lost in a forest, and you need to get back home, you could call someone or use GPS to find your way back. In conclusion, even though your phone is bad for the environment, it can be good to have for fun or emergencies.

Its hard to think big and try to help the world with just two hands! That's why taking small steps and making small actions are easier. There are many things you can do on your own too! For example you can, recycle, walk and bike, donate to environmentally friendly organizations, take shorter showers, turn lights off, or go thrifting! When I calculated my carbon footprint i noticed that a big percentage of my purchases number was from buying new most of the time. Buying used items is a great way to reduce our plastic waste and the amount of money we are spending. But it is also a great way to reduce the amount of transportation needed to import items from far away. Most of us don't pay attention to the shipping when buying things online, but some items can come from across the world, needing a boat or airplane to ship. And even fewer people pay attention to shipping when inside a physical store. For some items, like clothing, all it takes is to look at the tag to see where it was made. With larger and more popular stores and brands, most of their items will be shipped from other countries, especially if the store originates somewhere else. So thats why when you shop local, you have a higher chance of finding items that have not been shipped or at least not from far away. So why pay for carbon to be released atmosphere when you can spend your money on an item with better quality that is made either locally, or has already been used!

I think you make so many good points. What caught my eye in your post is the title and the idea that small actions are easier, because I think that it is so true and so few people think about it that. Climate change and our carbon emissions are this huge problem and so people are scared to try and take it on because it is so hard to see that there are smaller pictures in the larger one. And that if each of us take smaller actions that will create a larger action and that will get the ball rolling. But it is really hard to see where the best place to start is and if that information was more widespread and shared better than more people would begin to take action. For me, when I was calculating my carbon footprint a big percentage came from transportation. And in the US that is a really big contributor to carbon emissions because there is not a lot of easy access to public transportation and people have such hectic schedules that it is really hard to stop and think about carpooling. So for a small action that I think would be good to take is carpooling more. I carpool to and from my sport, and I ride a public bus to school, but there is still so much driving that I do. And it is really hard to change how much we need to drive because there are not a lot of options but if more people just started to carpool that could make a big difference.

I totally agree with what you said and I hope people eventually realize that we all have complete power over our everyday choices when it comes to helping the environment. After calculating my carbon footprint I realized that every decision I make adds up, because other people around the globe are doing the same, without even realizing. Your observation about buying locally is super important especially because most people ignore it. While online shopping, most people do not pay attention to where their items might be shipping from, but the journey it takes to get here; whether through a boat, a truck, an airplane, etc, all takes a tremendous amount of energy. Additionally, these large businesses that are selling you their products are only in it for the profit. They are not being held accountable for the fossil fuels they are releasing into the environment, nor are they putting a lot of care into their products. Converting to buying locally helps keep those selling closer to home, reducing the amount of greenhouse gas emissions needed to produce their product. Shopping locally also almost guarantees you are making a good purchase, knowing that these businesses truly care about its customers. If we start to understand that we can make a change with just our “two hands”, we can truly help the environment, which is what really matters.

There are  profound ways in which students can adopt the following to help to reduce their carbon footprint. One of the ways of converting it is through the transformation of physical resources to digital resources for academic work. For instance: Instead of re-printing out numerous drafts of a potential dissertation students can use online platforms and services. Instructors who require assistance to complete their work can easily look for services and get quality services while remaining environmentally friendly. Students also save trees when they use computers as they replaced the drain of energy and cutting down trees during the writing process.

I greatly agree with this statement. replacing physical resources to digital resources really could make a difference with reducing our carbon footprint by not using certain physical sources, like papers and such. Considering paper is more cheap than digital devices, do you think money could be a roadblock to this carbon footprint solution, considering some countries may not have the money to provide these digital resources? as stated in many sources, some countries do not provide money for education, like Comoros, where education spending is around 2.4% of the total GDP. In addition, At my old school, we could not afford enough computers for every class, resulting to most of our work being done on paper. Your idea displayed can definitely help many schools and students around the world reduce their carbon footprints, but I do think money could be a big factor between whether certain schools and students can or cannot switch to this decision.

source: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/25-count … otal%20GDP.

I agree, I notice that a majority of paper in classrooms comes from the mandate of notebooks, rather than online documents. I wonder how much of a difference using technology would make? I understand that it can be difficult to implement this in classrooms, because technology comes with distraction. I am curious as to how this might be solved. Technology can have a negative impact itself, and as stated above is quite costly. Is there a way to make technology more accessible, and more carbon and hydrogen efficient?