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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Just take the bus

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I have noticed that in my country that we have had an increase in rain and temperature. Summers have been have been getting hotter and the amount of rain that we had this year, especially the week of halloween was a lot and hate to see how climate change has done this. with climate change ice bergs have been melting, creating more water in our ocean, leading to more rain and eventually a rise in the ocean levels. A rise in ocean levels has already started happening in countries close to the water. Recently hurricane Melissa had affected Jamaica really significantly and I would hate to see it happen to my country and others around our world. Topics like this get us thinking what can we do to lower our carbon footprint and reflects what we can do to lower our carbon footprint.

climate change can be caused by our carbon footprints and I think it is important to try and lower them. Another factor of climate change is the increase of the human population because as the population of humans increase, the earth gets more populated and the humans increase their carbon footprints. The greenhouse gasses from the carbon footprints warm up the earth which can cause climate change and be harmful to our enviorment.

I very much agree with this statement. Having an exponentially growing population is doing huge amounts of harm to our environment. Organisms other than humans are incredibly important to our ecosystems, and if we don't lower our carbon footprint as a whole, animals and plants are at risk. The more humans on earth, ex: the more gas we need to fill our cars. causing more oil to have to be found in the forest or ocean which takes away many homes and resources for species that are essential to us. The amount at which we hurt our environment, we will be hurt back. the more humans, the more harm done.

Climate change is almost entirely because of our carbon footprints. Before human industrialization, the earths carbon cycle was balanced. There was about an equal amount of Carbon dioxide going in to the atmosphere as the Carbon coming out. Humans carbon footprints are the cause of ice melting in the arctic, and the extinction of animals. I think that we have to do anything we can to lower our carbon footprints. Such as eating less meat, buying more second-hand clothing, avoiding excess packaging, and turning the lights off when we leave a room.

I think one of the main issues when it comes to coming up with ways to improve carbon emissions is the cost of it. Although purchasing organic food is better and less harmful to the environment, it is not an accessible option for many. Organic food tends to be way more expensive than processed food, which happens to be a much cheaper option. What people should do if purchasing organic food isn’t affordable is start setting up gardens in their home so their food is healthier and cheaper.

I agree with this, people should start setting up gardens.

I think it would be an amazing idea to start growing our own gardens. It would be affordable instead of having to spend a lot of money in stores to get produce and, If you have any left over produce you can donate it to people in need or you could also make a profit out of it as well.

I truly agree with you that food waste can be very harmful for the environment. It causes lots of food waste, and plastic not being thrown out properly. I also totally agree that a greater effort needs to be made into recycling food waste from restaurants since it is becoming a must that needs to be done.

I agree with your statement. Although not all people have access to outside areas to grow food. Depending on the setup, community gardens could also be an option.

a major setback for lot of people is prices. often, organic and whole foods are much more expensive then heavily processed factory foods that come in bulk. however, if grocery stores could gather all the local and organic foods that don't come from large factories, and put them in a section with clear prices, that could greatly help. often times, people lack motivation to look for more environmentally friendly options, so if all those options were easy to find with comparable prices, that would be great.

I agree with your statement as well. Organic food is also harder to maintain, as it does not have preservatives and other chemicals to make it last longer. it is also common for humans to use substances to increase the growth of crops and vegetables. Meanwhile organic food takes much more time and care to nurture and grow. This is why if everyone starts a home garden, organic food will be more abundant and easier to access overall.

I agree. This also shows why garden clubs at schools are so important because it allows students to eat healthy, organic food while helping with climate change, and learning a skill that can be used forever. Since there are so many of us (students) to feed, it also ensures that these crops are not wasted. By growing organic food, we can take some carbon out of the air, and feed ourselves as well. Since schools also have a bigger area on where we can grow crops, it is much more efficient. As you said, it takes a long time for these foods to grow, and we might only be able to grow a few crops at home, meanwhile at school, we could grow five times or more, than we usually would at home.

I agree with you, organic food is usually more expensive than non organic food making most people reach for the non organic/cheaper option. I do also agree that people should grow at least a bit of their food but one thing to think about is that with city populations going up more apartment buildings and condos are going up. With people who live in apartments usually don't have enough space for everyone in them or even most people to have gardens. Even if each building had a communal garden not everyone would benefit from it. though its a good place to start and if you have your own property starting a small garden is a great idea.

Florida is confronting critical threats from rising sea levels that inundate low-lying coastal cities like Miami and Tampa, alongside increasingly severe hurricanes and storms that escalate insurance costs and damage essential infrastructure. Additionally, warmer air and ocean temperatures intensify environmental crises such as red tide and coral bleaching, jeopardizing our vital tourism and fishing industries. These escalating physical and economic challenges underscore an urgent call to action—both for comprehensive adaptation measures and for bold initiatives to cut greenhouse gas emissions, primarily driven by major corporations. It is imperative that we act decisively to safeguard Florida’s future.

Hello Marina, I agree with you so much here. So many huge cities located on the coasts all over the world are being put at risk due to global warming and climate change like New York, Japan and Florida like you mentioned. Our governments need to do better and warn the people about risks happening. Our homes will disappear! We have to act fast and get our governments and corporates to enforce rules or laws that help prevent the oceans from rising. As students, we can't do too much and don't have a lot of power in changing what goes on with laws. This is a huge crisis that needs to be solved. I heard Tuvalu has disappeared due to sea levels rising so high and had to evacuate, this big problem needs to be fixed before we have nowhere to go.

Solar panels are a wonderful invention that have the capability to reduce the carbon footprint of entire cities by more than thousands of pounds. It is a great source of energy that can reduce the amount of fossil fuels used to power a household. Implemented at large amount around the world it could help lower the carbon emissions even if it is by a small amount.

I agree to this, and I also think that solar panels are an amazing invention. I think that if we were able to implement solar panels in most of the world, it would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by a lot. The main problem with solar panels are most of the world can't see the good solar panels can do, and they're expensive to build, and many countries are struggling with their economy. However, I think that if we get some of the most influential countries to invest in solar panels, it would make a big difference in convincing other countries to follow their footsteps.

I also agree with this statement as well. although this would definitely cost a lot for cities to install, the long-term effects outweigh the cost. Firstly, this would greatly impact climate change and drastically slow down its effects. This would also benefit the city. Electrical power plants could be shut down and thus save the city money from maintaining and operating them. Citizens would also be happier, as there would be no more electrical taxes and energy is practically free. Lastly, this change can improve the air quality of cities. This will improve respiratory problems and get rid of plenty of pollutants and smog.

My carbon emissions for my household are much larger than other people worldwide. This is because one of my houses uses gas for everything. Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can reduce the carbon emissions in general while living at home?

Hey there Eric. There are so many ways to cut down on carbon emissions while living at home. Some ideas I have are taking shorter showers (around 7 minutes max) will reduce a lot since we use a lot of water when showering. (approximately 17-20 gallons of water) You can also remember to turn off running water when brushing your teeth because treated water uses carbon and basically if you leave the water running, you are wasting water and creating excessive carbon use! If your washer and dryer are powered by gas, try only doing laundry loads when your machine becomes full or try air drying your clothes without a dryer. Another thing that can help is instead of using heating systems, you can try layering more clothes on and encourage others living with you to do the same instead of turning the heating on. Hope this helped Eric!

Hi Eric, Another thing you could do is to make sure that all the lightbulbs in your house are LEDs. LEDs are  a lot more energy efficient, than floresents or incandesces. They are more energy efficient, converting way more energy into light, and  not heat. They also save money because they last longer and you would have to replace them less often. You could also try to walk, ride your bike  or take public transportation to work or school depending on where you live. All these things emit significantly less carbon than driving. Lastly, you could try and change your diet if you are okay with that, to more plant based alternatives.

the climatic conditions are getting worse and worse, today we should reduce the consumption of non renewable sources, reduce pollution, stop deforestation, recycle, and use renewable sources.

I agree that we should do this, but it's not that easy. most of the things in the world run on non-renewable resources and it would take much longer to convert all of these into renewable sources. I think we should focus on putting are money into things like carbon scrubbers that take the carbon out of the atmosphere so that we have more time to convert to clean energy. we should also implement a mandatory carbon tax to help fund this well also making harder for people to continue using fossil fuels etc...

I notice that the internet is a  huge factor to the reason why people are such impulsive shoppers online, and thus leading many to purchase things that they don’t need at all.  Social media, such as tiktok, instagram  and other apps promotes new random gadget or new clothes to users that'll be forgotten about in a few weeks max. A study done by Earth Institute’s Research Program says that, "And in fact, across its life cycle, the average product results in carbon emissions of 6.3 times its own weight",not only meaning that these products are simply useless but that it causes harm to the environment. Not to  mention that the quality of these items promoted on these apps  are extremely cheap  and short-lasting  so much so that they really aren't worth your money.

I fully agree. The influence of social media is causing so many people to buy things that they don’t need. For example, new clothes, beauty products, electronics, etc… When we buy these things and realize we don’t need them, not only did we waste our money but also just created more garbage. When we decide to donate or trash the cheap products, it ends up polluting our environment. This is not good! Everyone needs to start thinking about the outcome of buying these useless products and where they are going to end up!

I completely agree. the large impact of influencers has totally forced us into buying way too many products leading to unnecessary amounts of waste. this is a huge problem in the way that we are always being told we need more but with that also comes the carbon footprint .

This is so true. Social media has become such a big part of our daily lives that we don't notice how much impact it has on our actions. We tend to buy anything we see online, just because it's trending or it looks cool, not noticing that in 2 months, you won't even remember that you bought it. A lot of these products on your for you page are visibly appealing, and its made for you to buy it because its aesthetic, or because everybody has it. Labubu's are a big example on this. People only bought them once it became a trend to have one, but nobody thinks of what they will do with it after it goes out of trend. When we think about it, they're just pieces of plastic that's pretty useless (sorry). Since the sales of Labubus significantly increased, the company started producing more and more, just creating even more waste.

An effective way to prevent food waste is to store food properly and freeze food to extend its freshness. When you freeze food and store it properly it extends how long it will stay fresh. Also storing it properly ensures the food doesn't spoil too early.

Yes I totally agree.Storing food in the freezer can save you from wasting a lot of food. You can freeze Vegetables,Fruits, any other foods. Freezing fruits and Vegetables and really help a lot because they go bad quickly.

Yes, I totally agree that this technique will indeed stop food waste. Freezing food prevents it from going bad quickly, and it can lower the chance of food being wasted more often.

I really agree with your answer.

I agree with this. my family has a large freezer that we keep in the garage to store excess produce, meat, and food that we make and purchase. due to this we have almost never let food go to waste and are able to unfreeze meals that we make beforehand rather than spend time cooking.

I totally agree. Freezing fresh food and produce is such an incredible way to preserve our food. By doing this we are increasing the amount of time it’s consumable. This helps lower families carbon footprint by majorly reducing food waste.

I strongly agree with freezing food. Using a freezer to store leftovers, meats, deserts, and frozen foods definitely help prevent food waste. From experience, my family and I have saved  money, time, and food in general. It helps preserve the food from going bad, which allows us to have many meals that still taste and feel fresh.

I agree that freezing food is good. I agree because freezing food is a way to stop wasting food, and to make the food still be safe to eat. this is good because it lowers carbon footprints. freezing food is also good because you don't need to get more food, and the frozen food keeps it safe to eat.

These days, corporations would do anything for money like harming the enviornment. For example, Elon Musk's rocket debris had been spread out all over the Caribbean. This harmed the enviornment but he can never be held accountable because of the power and money he has. This can also to many other corporations that work in other fields that other related to space. AI companies recycles water that is dangerous for the enviornment if it is ever put in the open. This is just one of many examples. I believe that there should be laws to keep corporation responsible for their actions.

I agree with you. Corporations need to be responsible for their actions, especially when they affect so many people worldwide. Things like mining operations come into somewhere, mine everything valuable, then leave with the profits.  They are leaving the people who live there to deal with the negative environmental effects like water pollution, unbalanced ecosystems. Also, oftentimes the people who live in places full of resources or land  are people who usually don't have the recourses to deal with the problem. Big corporations already have lots of money and power, so if they are held accountable, they could use that money to do something.

I highly agree! Corporate interests contribute tremendously to the carbon in our atmosphere. These people in positions of higher power benefit directly from fossil fuel companies, which furthers their drive for money. Many politicians and climate-change deniers are able to sway the public's opinion on our world's current state, exploiting their voters' partisan identities and tailoring their messages to directly resonate more with their supporters. By doing so, fossil fuel corporations are held in even higher power. This perpetuates the cycle of misinformation, and delays action to be done about climate change because so many people are in doubt of whether climate change is even real.

I think that using plastic water bottles for just one time, and then throwing them out is really bad for the environment and contributes to climate change. This is because all of the trash in the landfills contribute to pollution, which hurts the growth of trees, and the trees help prevent climate change by producing oxygen. I think that instead of wasting and throwing away plastic bottles after one use, they can be used many times in the future, like normal reusable water bottles.

That is a brilliant point, plastic water bottles and other things that are not reusable can tremendously impact the wildlife and environment. Especially when littered around the streets these things a get washed up by rain into rivers and large bodies of water completely ruining the beauty of nature and when animals mistake these plastics for food can result in a horribly gruesome death. I agree with your idea about using these plastics multiple times an I think talking about these consequences to more people may make reusable water bottles appeal to more people instead of the plastic ones.

Yes, Jigesh. I agree that plastic water bottles should be used multiple times, or should maybe even be discontinued in general. Plastic items take an insane amount of time to break down and take up unecessary space in landfills. They can also end up in oceans where they mess with and even harm the marine wildlife.

I agree with this. Single-use containers, like plastic water bottles, are extremely bad for the environment. Plastic bottles emit greenhouse gasses not only when they are breaking down in landfills, they also emit them when they are being manufactured. This is incredibly bad for the environment.

Hey Jigesh, I also believe that "one time use water bottles" aren't really one time use bottles. They can have so much purpose and potential instead of being used for 20 minutes and being thrown away. Yes, of course, you can always put water in it again but there are other uses, like when I was younger, we used plastic water bottles as plant pots in a way to grow sprouts, helping us garden at home instead of buying vegetables from stores. You can also make a use of the bottle as a watering can poking holes in the cap for gardening instead of buying a new watering can. I also bet you can look online and find so much more uses for old water bottles from TikTok or YouTube. Plastic water bottles are so harmful towards our world so reusing is an amazing thing, or another solution is to buy a reusable later bottle so you can use the same bottle without throwing it out for years!

Afghanistan is facing widespread starvation everyday due to their economy, years of conflict, natural disasters, and the abrupt Taliban takeover. Millions of Afghans are facing malnutrition at extreme levels, particularly among children and women. This has resulted in a humanitarian crisis where families resort to desperate measures to survive, according to this BBC article, written by Yogita Limaye expresses the concern for children in Afghanistan over the struggle of providing food. It's gotten so serious many Afghans wonder if their child is able to survive. If we could provide donations to the people, or create fundraisers for the people being affected by this.

I agree with this because there are people out there that are suffering and some people waste it or throw the food away. There are babies that need food even little 5 yrs old that need food that are suffering from hunger. The parent work really hard for their family to eat food and people out here wasting food instead giving it to those that need the food. This why I agree with SanaK because she is right there should be
a fundraiser and that is going to make the suffering people lives easier.

I also agree with this. Since there is a war going on, it has been even more difficult to deliver food and other essential supplies to those who need it. Its a shame that there are millions of people in the world casually wasting food while millions of others are out there starving, desperate for food and water. I think that even if everyone in the world donated even just one small box of food, there could be billions upon billions of boxes of food for those who need it. However, schools can and already have started hosting fundraiser and food donation drives for organizations and people who need it. Businesses should also have similar promotions for their employees to help support the cause. Thank you for reading this.

I also agree with this. Since there is a war going on, it has been even more difficult to deliver food and other essential supplies to those who need it. Its a shame that there are millions of people in the world casually wasting food while millions of others are out there starving, desperate for food and water. I think that even if everyone in the world donated even just one small box of food, there could be billions upon billions of boxes of food for those who need it. However, schools can and already have started hosting fundraiser and food donation drives for organizations and people who need it. Businesses should also have similar promotions for their employees to help support the cause. Thank you for reading this.

Recently people started to use trash for fun crafts and decoration. Decoration can be expensive but when you make it yourself it’s free! Crafting is a cheap way to make things that can be useful in your home. You can use anything to make useful things, a way to repurpose things is using trash. Parents can use their crafts as DIY toys, making the lives easier.  It is a cheap way to distract their kids for a little while. The trash you are about to throw away could be something you could use for years, so try your best to make the most out of it.

Exactly! This is a great point. There are so many things we recycle and throw away that can be turned into something really useful. I saw earlier someone said they turned an old milk jug into a watering can. Not only does that reuse something that was gonna be recycled, but it also saves money. Same with arts and crafts. I had an awesome time using old popsicle sticks for fun crafts when I was younger, it was one of my favourite things! When we reuse and repurpose items we can almost always get the same outcome of using something brand new.

these are great points! a lot of people will buy new Halloween decorations every year. my family makes Halloween decor out of old cardboard from our recycling bin and makes signs out of scrap paper. often times, it looks even better then store bought because it adds that homemade charm that you can get from just putting work into things. same goes for homemade cards and gifts, i know that i like a nice handmade birthday card from someone, then a generic one from the store. Old scrap paper can look great if we put the work in!

Extreme weather happens year round due to climate change, not just one time of year, and it happens because it is linked to factors like increased greenhouse gas emissions that trap heat. When it happens, heavy rains and cold Weathers occur, but impacts can include flooding, wildfires, more intense storms, and health issues from heat waves.

Yeah, one of the main concerning weather events is probably hurricanes and heat waves, since they are the most common. We have already seen many of these happen around the world and it seems like every time it gets increasingly worse and worse. But even one persons change in perspective and lifestyle can go a long way to helping reduce carbon emissions. However not everyone agrees and some are against these statements which is why we can only do our part in what we can.

I totally agree with you, I feel like the most impactful weather event that affect families greatly is massive floods. Since most of the main cities and countries around the world are mainly located near the water, like Singapore and Tokyo, need to worry about sea levels rising and massive and devastating floods that will level homes and businesses. If we don't act fast, we might see people migrating as our oceans get higher. This is mainly due to the fact that carbon is being trapped inside our atmosphere, heating up our planet. Thus, making our glaciers melt and making more moisture in the air, leading to more heavy rainfall, which overwhelm our sewage and drainage systems causing a flood.

Our items and belongings that we have, clothes, technology and such should be kept if it is able to be used. For example, the clothes that I have are good enough and I do not need or want to buy new ones. There is no need to buy new clothes if the ones that I have are already good, and it would just be a waste of money and it would damage the climate. The fashion industry already makes up 8-10% of the total global carbon emissions, and me buying new clothes would make it go up even more.

you're totally right about this, the fashion industry is insane for carbon emissions. i never realized it was like 8-10% of global emissions until i started researching. honestly keeping the clothes you have is way smarter than constantly buying new stuff. plus most new clothes are fast fashion that fall apart anyway so you end up replacing them more often. if everyone just wore what they already had and took care of it, the fashion industry's carbon footprint would drop so much. it's crazy how simple the solution is but nobody does it.

I completely agree with you on this, I think that it will always be smart to keep your clothes till you absolutely can't fit them any more. I also think that many more people should shop at secondhand places and thrift stores when they need new clothes. Of course for some things you need to get them new but for most things thrift stores work just as well and are usually much cheaper. I knew the carbon admissions because of the fashion industry where high but I didn't know they where that high.

If our school is required to teach us this, what do they actually do? Do they buy locally sourced materials and what do they do with the recycled materials? They never show us how to do it or lead by example, if not most people don’t know what their school does in order to help the environment.

I agree I think as a way to help this; student could have a day of every month where you have to go outside and clean up garbage with your class then bring it to a recycling depot where the teachers could show how they recycle stuff from the school. Or the student council could bring this topic up to the school and get them to start implementing more climate friendly actions into the school system.

Growing food at home is very cost efficient and uses less resources and is less wasteful, and also compost can be used as fertilizer and to grow you're a homegrown food, which reduces waste and causes the compost to be used for something resourceful.

I agree. Growing your own food reduces the use of vehicles that release carbon to transport the food from the farm to the grocery store and from the grocery store to your home. Additionally, I also agree that using compost as fertilizer can reduce the use of new materials that have to be made.

I agree.  Growing food at home is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint. This will help smaller businesses who grow local and organically and reduce the sales of large  companies that use preservatives and other toxic substances. By growing food at home ypu are also benefitting your fertilizer which can help your garden and plants thrive!

I think climate change is a big factor in our weather. It happens when we have a lot of carbon dioxide  and waste we punch a hole in the O zone layer.

While Carbon dioxide is the main reason to climate change we also have to think about any fossil fuels. Fossil Fuels can destroy a lot of mother nature itself. Now To the ozone layer. Studies shown that over the years the Ozone Layer has been healing every year and now studies say the Ozone layer is on track to heal in our lifetime. So carbon emissions have been getting lowered and if we keep on doing this climate change can continuously become a smaller problem. 
Heres a link:
https://news.mit.edu/2025/study-healing … -cfcs-0305

Not only will climate change will have big effects in our weather it will also have big effects on humans as a whole. Mainly since most of the worlds population lives in cities close to the water having extreme weather such as a very high tide or a tsunami could greatly impact the lively hood of many of these people. Also having extreme droughts for people further inland who grow food could greatly impact how much food and the quality of food they produce effecting everyone who relies on them for food. Since the Ozone layer is said to be healing these changes in weather should hopefully be less and less common as the years go on.

while growing your own fresh produce is a great way to be more energy efficient, there are some downsides. For instance, the cost of watering your garden every day can add up, from initial energy bills, to buying the correct equipment like a watering can or hose. Gardening also requires a lot of time and energy, which is great if thats what you're looking for, but if you're a very busy person this isn't always suitable. Sometimes it's just easier to buy locally grown foods, this way you can support a local business, and empower "not-overseas" shipping methods.

I totally agree with your statement, I think that a solution could be the government paying and providing more money and space for more home grown gardens. This way financial stability would not be such a big deal and people can grow whatever they want, without all the pollution and shipment fees. People would also be living a healthier lifestyle discovering more organic and whole foods. In Vancouver we also have something called community gardens, this way your community can help to maintain, cover some costs of your garden fees, and provide the space. This is a great "Program" and I think that it would be great if other places could also do something similar.

After dinner, it's easy to just scrape what's left on your plate into the trash can. However, there are more sustainable solutions than simply wasting that excess food. Many families have a green waste compost bin in their house to put leftover food into in order not to just throw it away. Giving that food back to the environment is much more sustainable and beneficial than tossing it into the trash. Another thing you can do with extra food in the fridge is donate it! Homeless shelters and food banks can never have too much food. Even a small contribution is meaningful. Think before you waste.

I 100% agree with this. It is so good to compost our foods scraps instead of throwing them out! Another thing is feeding other organisms. At my grandparents house when we have leftover greens, we always feed them to their chickens. That way, both us and the chickens and full and fed with good food. Plus there is a lot less waste than if we threw it in the garbage!

Deforestation leads to the loss of biodiversity and contributes to climate change. Many plants and animals will lose their natural habitat. Trees stabilizes soil and regulating water cycles. Removing it raises the risk of flooding. Deforestation is caused by agricultural expansion, urban expansion and infrastructure development. To prevent this from happening the government can create strict laws to protect forests.
Sources:https://forestry.com/environmental-impact/climate-change/devastating-effects-of-deforestation-on-our-environment/

I completely agree, the government needs to act now if we want to prevent the environmental crisis from getting any worse. Governments around the world could implement laws in order to protect the forests. These could include: Making all parks open to the public and unavailable for big corporations to purchase. Banning all open fires during the dry season and not allowing anything that could combust in the area. And putting regulations on how much land each company can own.

"Influences" online are paid to make ads promoting unnecessary products. This influence hurts not only the wallets of those who purchase such products, but also the environment. Many of these products have plastic packaging, this packaging will likely end up in landfills or waterways.

*influencers

I disagree. Sometimes the influencer might not be well educated on the product and might just think of it as a harmless ad for some quick free cash. They also might not be aware of how the product may be packaged. It is mostly the companys fault for plastic packaging so we shouldn't blame the influencer. I see where you are coming from though, as the influencer should've done some research on the product before advertising, but we can't blame the influencer for everything right?

to add onto ethanhe's comment, i agree that some influencers aren't aware of the products that they are advertising are harmful for the environment .however, instead of using their platform to influence buying random restocks and opening pr, they could use it to de-influence you. if there was a way to let people know that we don't need new iPhones every year, and that Shein produces mass amounts of pollution, i think that would really help the climate. these people who appear on your fyp, are very influential, they have the power to get a whole giant group of people, to do what they want. we need influencers who will tell their fans about climate change, and how to help.

I know eating meat and animal products are horrible for the environment, but it isn't really something I think I could give up. As an athlete, I think animal products are one of the best protein wise and for building muscle, but for example: it takes 3,000 litres of water to make a single burger. This is really bad for the environment and is definitely not sustainable, but personally think plant alternatives and beyond meat just cant really replace it.

Many people can relate to this. Meat is something that is just hard to stay away from. It serves its purpose at every meal. However, I think one should try to limit their intake on animal products to just what they need. Despite these efforts, it is still very difficult to figure out how to stay away from it. When considering the effects of consuming meat, it emits, mostly, the greenhouse gas methane. On top of this, there are more problems eating meat bring to the environment. What people can do is limit the amount of meat they can consume to something more reasonable and try to opt for something else when given the opportunity.

I agree that many people relate to not giving up meat. Even though I think people should try to limit their animal intake to what they need, and most people do. However, it still contributes to their carbon footprint, and sometimes consuming meat can't be avoided, as it's many people's main source of protein. I like the idea of trying to eat something else when given the option, or switching to animals that produce less methane, like chicken, as an alternative.

Since eating meat is such a big part in many peoples diet it makes sense that staying away from meat can be hard. Especialy since meat has a lot of protein in it not getting the protein you need from meat can be very bad while growing. Also since many people grew up eating meat its hard to break out of the habit of eating meat. I know eating meat is very bad for the environment but not beef alternatives still have a long way to go before they fully replace meet.

I can relate to this topic. Meat is just something that is too important to just get rid of. But, we can limit the amount of meat we consume. Like substituting chicken for beef. As cattle use more than 60% of the worlds agricultural land. Cows also produce methane, a gas that is equivalent to 12 carbon molecules. It's always best to choose a better alternative. We don't need to go full on vegetarian is what I'm saying. Just limiting our consumption of meat or switching to a better alternative like chicken as I stated earlier, will greatly lower the amount of carbon produced.

Food production around the world uses up 70% of fresh water and yet 17% of all food produced for human consumption is wasted. In Canada alone the value of rescuable food is $49.46 billion. A charity in Vancouver is trying to stop this. The Vancouver Food Runners is a company that takes food from restaurants grocery stores and caterers That would otherwise be thrown out and gives that food to non-profit organizations. I think this is a great way to combat food waste.

ocean acidification is something that has to do with carbon dioxide going into the ocean. Its when green house gases rises into the atmosphere but a portion gets sucks up by the ocean.there is a website that you can learn more about just search up ocean acidification. But this is bad for the environment because of the sea life like mostly coral so people who are making all of this carbon dioxide is hurting the ocean and that's why we need to stop making so much.

I wholeheartedly agree with your statement. Ocean acidification is the decrease of the PH level in our oceans, which is caused primarily by the process of carbon dioxide diffusing into the water. This process reduces the availability of carbonate ions, which many shellfish species rely on to form their shells. Shells of organisms like mollusks and other invertebrates will dissolve because of how purely acidic the ocean waters are. This causes widespread negative impacts on the entire food chain- over 3 billion humans rely on seafood as a food source. We as residents of this planet must absolutely strive to lower our collective carbon footprint, because our day-to-day actions and reliance on fossil fuels is highly harming oceans and all beings that call oceans their home.

One of the biggest contributors to food being wasted is the fast food industry. Excessive wrapping that never makes it to being recycled, and 40% of all food waste comes from restaurants. A greater effort needs to be made into recycling food waste from restaurants, and reducing the amount of waste.
https://shapiroe.com/blog/junk-food-waste/

I truly agree with you that fast food waste can be very harmful for the environment. It causes lots of food waste, and plastic not being thrown out properly. I also totally agree that a greater effort needs to be made into recycling food waste from restaurants since it is becoming a must that needs to be done.

I really agree with you that fast food waste can be very harmful to the environment. I totally agree that more effort should be put into recycling restaurant food waste as it is becoming a necessity.

I agree with your answer

I 100% percent agree. I had an idea that could help with this. for me, a Canadian, the government could create reusable cups and make them very cheap or free and encourage local fast food places to use them. it would work where basically you would buy a drink and then would be given one of these cups, then you could return them to any of your local fast food places next time you go. this could also work for containers. The only problem is that this system is pretty inconvenient, many people would rather do it the easy way than the environmental way. I also have a solution for this. where I live they have stopped handing out plastic bags for groceries and instead you have to buy a cotton bag. Now, because of this people bring their own reusable bags way more often. This system I proposed could be a backup to bringing your own container. bringing your own could also have a much more reduced price to further encourage people. I think if we want to stop climate change, we need to make big change now.

Climate change is real and also primarily caused by human activities. Scientific evidence from many sources, like ice cores and satellite data, can show that the Earth is warming at a faster rate due to human activity and the expansion of the greenhouse effect. The main factor of this would be the burning of fossil fuels like coal and oil, which has significantly increased the amount of heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere.

I agree climate change is a problem we can no longer side line. Although there are scientists working on this issue right now there is not nearly enough. Climate change as a problem is being completely underestimated. Human activity and expansion has caused more harm than good for the very environment we live in. The greenhouse gas problem has gotten completely out of hand. Even though, there are solar panels and some sources of green energy it is not nearly enough. I am confident that with enough attention and resources we could effectively find a better source of green energy or refine the things we have already.

I would agree with you on the point that climate change is real and human accelerated. Also, I think that it is very frightening that many people don't believe this. Finally, I would like to applaud you for your use of citing the scientific evidence of ice cores and satellite data.

I agree with this. Climate change is very real, and very much human accelerated. The earth's temperature is about 1.42 Celsius warmer than it was before the industrial revolution, when we started burning fossil fuels. Human actions are the reason that the earths surface is warming and for many animals going extinct. By 2050 it is estimated that during the summer, we will be able to sail across the arctic.

Almost everything in our daily lives affect our carbon footprint, sometimes in a good way and sometimes in a not so good way. Some might say that our carbon footprint doesn’t matter but if we all have that mindset then it does matter because we are all affecting our environment and its climate. So some simple ways to lower your carbon footprint are as follows; start using a bike to travel shorter distances, eat less meat or eat pasture-based meat, or even changing the light bulbs in your house into LED’s.

Hi there. You have some really great points about how to cut down on carbon. Along with biking to travel short distance, you can also take public transportation around your city. (city bus, sky train, subways or even city boat) Public transit is amazing since it's basically carpooling with a whole bunch of people. Since I don't live near my school, I bus to school and back home every day and I am proud of how much carbon emissions I am emitting compared to if I got driven to school every day. I would like to say LED lights are amazing, in my house, I have a lot of lights (more than 100) but more than 95 % are LED's, they are around 90 % more fuel efficient than normal fluorescent lights so I really encourage everyone to make the change since LED lights are really great especially if you are trying to cut down on the amount of carbon you emit!

I have recently learned about how bad eating meat is for the environment. Now I'm trying to reduce my meat consumption but the problem is that in my family we heavily rely on chicken as a protein source. I think that my family makes it a lot because it's quick, easy, and healthy. We do usually have vegetarian meals 2-3 times a week but mostly chicken for dinner. I'm wondering if there is any other protein sources that are better for the environment then chicken but is also high in protein.

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.

This is an extremely important argument, and I completely agree with it. Yes, the main problems from the meat industry are the absurd amounts of land usage and high methane emissions. The statistic about a meat and dairy diet requiring 18 times the land of a vegan diet is a powerful way to show the scale of the issue. I also agree that the solution does not have to be veganism or vegetarianism, which definitely won't suit everyone; a compromise is! Two to three meatless meals a week will make a big difference!

Reducing meat in our diets or even eliminating meat in our diets can indeed reduce a carbon footprint. However this is a rather difficult task, considering the fact that meat is an excellent source of nutrients and protein in our diets. Removing it could cause issues in your daily activities (if you’re active) and a loss of energy, however it is possible, considering that 22% of the global population does not consume meat.It is a great way to reduce our carbon footprints and help contribute to the better of our atmosphere.

I definitely agree with these points; cutting back on meat consumption is among the most efficient ways a person can lessen their carbon footprint greatly. Methane emissions from cows are a significant contributor to climate change, and raising animals for meat also requires a vast amount of land and resources, as several others have noted. Making even minor adjustments, such as eating two or three meatless meals a week, can have a big positive impact on the environment. The advantages for the environment also go beyond greenhouse emissions, I would like to add. By reserving land for natural habitats rather than livestock, a shift to plant-based diets can help conserve many resources, including water. This will also help prevent deforestation and promote biodiversity. Eating less meat or purchasing meat locally can help local communities and advance healthier food systems. One of the best strategies to fight climate change may involve combining systematic changes in the way food is produced, along with small lifestyle adjustments. According to a study titled "Solving Climate Change Requires Changing Our Food Systems", agriculture and food systems are responsible for approximately 34% of all global GHG emissions annually. This highlights how diet and food production practices are intertwined with climate change. In the end, I believe it comes down to balance, cutting back on meat when one can, and considering how dietary choices affect the environment around us. This self-reflection will help people make better choices.

I totally agree. Cutting back on meat is such a great way to reduce carbon footprints. Easy ways to do this are replacing things like chicken and beef with plant proteins like tofu. Eating a plant based diet can also help reduce things like deforestation to increase biodiversity. Sometimes making small lifestyle changes we can have such a posting impact on our planet.

According to Carbonliteracy.com the fashion industry is the second largest contributor to pollution (about 10% of global pollution). We in this generation spend around 5-6 hours a day on our phones, and more “doom scrolling” through TikTok, this is where companies thrive off of by paying your favorite influencers to promote their products, making them 2x as desirable just for them to lose “hype” after a few months; examples being clothes, water bottles, make up, etc. . All of these products that are being mass produced for every month long trends go to waste, as of 2019 H&M was known for having over 4.2 billion dollars worth of unsold clothing; according to Carbonliteracy.com 1.2 billion tonnes of carbon emissions come from the fashion industry alone.

Exactly, companies make fast fashion items which get popular for a certain amount of time only to go to waste when it goes out of trend.

This is smart to notice, because people often buy things that are trendy and stop wearing them or throw them out when they are not in style/trend anymore.

I agree with your statement as well. Organic food is also harder to maintain, as it does not have preservatives and other chemicals to make it last longer. it is also common for humans to use substances to increase the growth of crops and vegetables. Meanwhile organic food takes much more time and care to nurture and grow. This is why if everyone starts a home garden, organic food will be more abundant and easier to access overall.

Most of my family lives far away so when we need to see them we have to take a plane. Though recently we couldn't because of the war, a couple years back my family went to Ukraine via plane. The flight was very long and probably left a big carbon footprint.

This is wise to notice, and we should not take flights when it is not necessary (Like when we can drive somewhere but the flight saves time)

I took flights kinda often this year for example going to LA, Cabo, Mexico, Washington, and D.C wich most of them weren't to far from California. I think I could reduce my carbon footprint by trying to limit the flights I take to places near me and this would also help the enviorment more.

I think it's better to travel by plane than car because, if you're traveling far your going to be using a lot of gas in a car and you'd be driving for hours, but in a plane you can travel faster and not leave as much carbon footprint.

I agree

I do agree that it is a lot easier and more convenient with how far your traveling. all though I do think that people should consider driving a lot more to places in driving range. for example where I live in Canada, you can maybe drive to the U.S if your going their, especially because it is in driving range. and also the idea that flying gives a lot towards your carbon footprint.

Meat is my primary source of protein, and even though I know it greatly affects my carbon footprint. it would also effect my muscle development if I stopped eating it because I eat it to get most of my protein. It would also take more vegetarian items to get as much protein in a meal as chicken and rice.

Ocean acidification threatens people that rely on a sea food diet, as ocean acidification the nutrition of fish, clams and more and ocean acidification causes health risks from increased marine toxins. 1 in 7 people on the earth rely on seafood for their diet and eventually when our ocean becomes too toxic with many risks of eating sea food, they will no longer have a food source avaliable to them that is crucial to them. This is an important topic, reflecting on why we should be more careful with our actions in our day to day life.

I try my best to keep my carbon footprint as low as possible but I genuinely don't think I could live without going to any natural Springs in Florida. It replenishes my soul and makes me feel good, takes away all the stress out of my life and in general just brings me joy. The nearest one is just around an hour away, but luckily my new car has an Eco mode so hopefully that takes away some of the pollution I am causing. My goal is to live closer to some springs when I can afford it but in the meantime I'll have to stick to driving.

If it's only an hour away I think you could just bike, but if you don't have a bike or can't it'll be cheaper to learn or buy one. You also don't need the Florida hot springs you just want them, so just take a bath.

Depending on where you live, there may be some electric trains or buses you can take to get to the springs .If not, you could carpool with other people or friends that may want to go as well to save some gas and reduce carbon emissions. Another idea could be to rent a small hotel or something and stay near the springs for a few days to save time and gas. Its honestly up to you depending on what you feel like.

Reducing waste can be a good action to save oceans. The waste humans make and when they litter, all of it finds its way towards the ocean eventually. This can have a bad affect on the creatures living in the ocean leading to as high as making some go instinct. Recycling and picking up our trash can prevent all of this by making our oceans clean and a good environment for all the creatures on earth.

I agree to this. Bring a reusable bag when you go shopping is a easy way to reduce the use of single use bags; lowering the amount of waste that you produce. Another way that you can reduce waste is trying not to use a new ziplock bag everytime you pack a sandwich or snack. You can use the same Ziplock bag by washing it after you use it. This reduces the amount of plastic you use.

Fast fashion is cheap, poor quality, disposable clothing that is produced quickly and sold at low prices. It is not something completely new and it has been around for a long time. You don't even know it but most of your favorite stores like Zara, H&M, Primark, Forever 21 and Shein that have lately been very popular are considered fast fashion brands. This has always been a big problem and today even more because fast fashion is responsible for 10% of global carbon dioxide emission. So, next time you want to shop in one of these stores think twice.

I agree that these popular brands are a big contributor global emissions. Unfortunately, with the rise of social media and trends, fast fashion has become something that is popular. Brands are often quick to jump on these trends and as a result they mass produce clothing that will become unpopular and irrelevant. These companies emit carbon dioxide during production and waste these clothing that remain unsold.

Yes, I totally agree that's fast fashion has increased carbon footprints. This is also a waste of money because a while later it will just go out of fashion and then you don't want to wear it and then you buy another one. Instead you should just stick to one and use it as long as its useable.

I agree. Fast fashion is harmful to environment. It produces lots of carbon emissions and waste.  It also takes up a lot of water and energy. Millions of clothing end up in landfills every year. Textile processing contributes to 20% of global water pollution.

I agree, many clothing brands contribute to the carbon dioxide emissions. but I never knew that it was so high and harmful. I will definitely rethink about all the clothes I buy to help the earth, rather than destroy it.

Since actually accepting the issues is the first step towards reaching change, it's really cool and encouraging to see how many of us are aware of the negative effects of fast fashion has on the environment. It is also cool to see how many of us rethink our initial perspectives and change our purchases to help the environment. Making these more deliberate purchases by selecting items carefully that we'll use for a long time is something we all can do. Little things like repairing clothing instead of replacing it can also have a significant impact leading to businessses themselves being more pressured to implement better practices if more people collectively change their habits.

I wholeheartedly agree. I think an easy and affordable way to decrease the footprint of fast fashion is to look at secondhand shops first. If you want or need the same styles, or price, you can look to sites like ThreadUp. This is an online thrift store on which you can sell the clothes you no longer need and buy the clothes you want.This is a good and eco-friendly way to shop.

I totally agree with you. Fast fashion is so harmful and slowly destroying our world. The industry is harmful in so many ways; it creates so much carbon emissions and also their ways of making clothes is unethical in the way they treat their workers. I know fast fashion is so tempting since in this economy it's hard to buy new, non-fast fashion clothes since clothes are expensive and so many stores are part of fast fashion but under disguise like I bet you didn't know that Aritzia, Urban Outfitters, Gap and Zara are fast fashion stores. There are more ethical things to do such as going to your local thrift stores which some also benefit charities, do more research in which brands are fast fashion or not, reuse your clothes, or even taking hand me downs from families and friends. I hope more big sustainable brands come to popularity so this climate change dilemma doesn't keep destroying our world as fast as it is.

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

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

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

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

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

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

I  agree with you for the most part.My carbon footprint was either average or below slightly above average in all the categories except for transportation. Transportation made up just about half of my carbon footprint.However, flying is really important to my family, and is one of my family's core values. Because this, I have been to so many cool places, but I now recognize that comes at a cost of really high carbon emissions. However, when I am older, and have more control over my life, I will try to explore some local places in and around my province  or Canada that require less flying.

For me eating meat is something that I can't find myself giving up to cut down on carbon admissions. I eat meat a lot and its a huge part of my diet. I would try to eat more vegetarian options for meals but unfortunately I am allergic to many things that are used as a substitute like tofu and peas. One thing I can do is to make sure that most, if not all, of the meat I eat comes locally so that there's less carbon released to get the meat to me

Carbon dioxide emissions affect not only our atmosphere, but also the Ocean and the organisms that call it home. We have already realized what plastic pollution does to the ocean, but the impact greenhouse gases on this aquatic environment seem to have been overlooked. This is another reason why we must make better choices for the environment.

I agree with this. Plastic pollution has a huge negative impact on our environment and if we don't act fast our oceans will get even more acidic.Our oceans have already taken the negative impact of CO2 emissions and it has caused coral bleaching. Coral bleaching is a coral's response to stressful conditions, such as the ocean acidification. This topic is a good reason to make better choices in our day to day life.

I agree with this statement. Since the impact that greenhouse gases have on the ocean doesnt only effect the beings that live in the ocean but also everyone else who relies on the ocean. Since more than 3 billion people rely on the ocean for their main food source greenhouse gases effecting this aquatic environment could greatly impact their lively hood. Also if we do not try to spread awareness to this issue and the effects it can cause the majority of people will not try to change their ways to try and stop this issue before the damage becomes unchangeable.

My name is Àlvaro, i have 16 years old and i'm form Spain.
My total carbon footprint is 6,545 per year ,compared to an average of 6,968 kgs for Spain, and 3791 kg (= 8358 lb) worldwide. I have to improve many things like reducing the amount use of plastic bags from stores, supermarkets etc.I will also try to reduce shower time, which influences in water waste.
What other things can I do to improve this carbon footprints results ?

Another thing you can do is cut down on the amount of electricity you use. Whether it’s turning off lights when you leave the room or un plugging things when you are no longer using them. You can also start to walk or bike to school instead of drive. When you stop driving it helps lower the usage of gas and emissions of greenhouse gasses. You can also start buying locally grown and organic food products!

I do not struggle with this topic personally, as I have been a vegetarian for over two years. I have done this partially because of meat's impact on the environment. I know this decision is not as easy for others as it has been for me, as many cultures have meat as a key component in their diet. This could be reduced by substitutions of food, like using tofu for a protein source.

I've improved my meat consumption for the environment and reduce animal suffering by eating less pork and beef which are the least efficient meat sources, substituting meat with beyond burger, and hunting for some of my diet.

To reduce emissions, my family has switched to a car that is capable of running on E80 instead of an electric vehicle. Electricity is still mainly produced using coal and other fossil fuels which are less efficient than burning it directly in a gas powered car or a hybrid vehicle. Even more, these fuels such as coal and oil are non renewable whereas E80 produces less CO2 than pure gasoline and is mostly made of ethanol which is renewable.

planned obsolescence is a business practice that involves making products break or become obsolete prematurely, this causes consumers to have to spend money to replace items more often than needed. for example, apple and other mobile device companies releases new phones annually and people are socially pressured to buy the newest model. due to this, people buy a new phone every year instead of when their old one breaks. this overconsumption causes more greenhouse gasses to be emitted because companies produce more phones per year.

an international climate program established under the Kyoto Protocol that allowed industrialized countries to invest in emission-reduction projects in developing countries and receive credit for these reductions.

Why is plastic bad for the environment

My family's Carbon footprint is 16,841kg. Some people have near the average carbon footprint. Others have a very high Carbon footprint because maybe they have a big family or they have a small family and they have bad habits in their usage. But others sometimes have low carbon footprints because they pay attention if they are starting to have a bad habit and stop it.

California had the hottest summer in 2024 so hot. The wildfire had occurred in increased sickness for a lot of people and even dead. The wildfires in Los Angeles burned down thousands of acres destroying lots of houses and buildings. Next is storms, the latest storm in Southern California is possibly record breaking while heavy rain is causing flood and even causes the most powerful atmospheric river flood in Los Angeles. The heavy rain, Los Angeles hits fire ravaged areas and possibly causing rockslides.

yes

I think prepping meals for a week or maybe even up to months would be really helpful and here is why. It saves a lot of time and when you cook everything at once all you have to do is store it properly and warm it up when you want instead of having to turn on the stove many times a week and it saves electricity.

I've noticed that the carbon footprints around the world are different and on average are higher in more populated areas like America and lower in smaller places that use less technology every day. over time the carbon footprints of humans have increased because of technology and the population growing. The human population has grown because of reasons like medical advances and evolution, and technology which has also increased out carbon footprints and could be harmful to our enviorment.

My carbon footprint was 87,085 kgs which is a lot compared to the average of 9,727 kgs in California and is over 7 times the average carbon footprint. I think I might have calculated something wrong but I would still like to lower my carbon footprint by doing things like recycling stuff and using some of it for another purpose, turning off my bass and guitar amps when I'm not playing, walking more to places near me, or turning off the lights when im not in the room.

My Family's carbon foot print is 7,711 lbs, so this topic made me think about how much we contribute I agree that small habits like using less electricity (Ex: turning off our lights when we leave the house or a room)  and recycling (Ex: I use a lot of cardboard to make animals  mostly sharks to hang up on my wall) and can really lower our footprint over time .It helped me understand that even simple changes big or small at home can make a big difference.

my carbon footprint is 87,085 kgs which is a lot compared to the average of 9,727 kgs in California. I might have calculated it wrong, but I would also like to lower it by turning lights off when I'm not using them, turning off my bass and guitar amps when I'm not playing, or walking more.

Climate change is one of the reasons our weather is worsening. climate change is leading to more drastic tempurature changes, and with more drastic tempurature changes come more drastic weather changes. We can prevent this by lessening carbon emissions, and lowering your overall carbon footptrint.

Great discussion to climate change. But Carbon Emissions are not only the main cause. There are various reasons on why our world is having so many changes, yes our carbon footprint is one reason, but plastic, gum, gasoline, AC units, deforesting, and throwing waste out of cities are all the main cause to why we have such bad weather patterns now it has gotten so bad that we can always/sometimes predict future weather patterns. Overall not everything is going to be the same.

In 2025, Sacramento has experienced very weird weather. From Jan-Mar we experienced normal weather patterns. Then, from April-June is where rain randomly came mid may then everything is normal but gets cold instantly in the night and really hot in the days. July-Sep has been confusing it was averaging through 80-95F and was a little fresh in the nights which were refreshing. Oct-Nov has been probably the weirdest part of the year. First week it was in the 70s then three days with 90 degree weather then went back to 70, it gets lower then higher in temperature. Early November-Now it has been cooling down since but its going up again then going down later. This has been the year for the weirdest weather. Any clue why our weather has been weird?

Food waste has increased significantly over the past couple decades. Recycle Track Systems states that America throws about 60 million tons of food yearly which is approximately 40% of the total food supply in America. The food waste is taken to dumpsters leading to pollution. The increase of food waste also means the increase in pollution levels. Most importantly, the decomposition process of food causes the release of methane, a greenhouse gas, into the atmosphere.  Because CO2 emissions directly correlate to the release of greenhouse gases, there will be an increase in CO2 emissions. It is incredibly important to note how food waste can contribute to CO2 emissions. People need be more aware of the dangers that lie around food waste because it has a strong negative impact on the environment.

I agree with your post, especially the part the part about how food waste releases methane when it decomposes .Methane is extremely harmful because it traps more heat that Co2 which makes climate change worse, its shocking that so much food ends up in landfills when it could be reduced, reused or donated your point about people needing to be aware is very true small changes like buying only what you need or composting can also really lower pollution from food waste

My Family's carbon foot print is 7,711 lbs, so this topic made me think about how much we contribute in our world ,I agree that small habits like using less electricity (Ex: turning off the lights of your house anytime you leave the room) and recycling (Ex: I use a lot of carboard to make animals to hang on my wall ) and can really lower our footprint over time .It helped me understand that even simple changes big or small at home can make a HUGE difference.

I think we should start taking care of our planet by not throwing our trash on the floor and start recycling for a healthier environment.

I completely agree with this idea. People need to be more educated on the dangers of trash and pollution because, the CO2 emissions rates increase because of this simple cause. If people were to be more mindful on what they leave out into the environment, we as a community would be much closer to our goal of a healthier environment. I also think this concept directly aligns with the effects of food waste on pollution. It is dangerous how food decomposes down and releases methane. These two ideas share a common theme that people need to be careful of what they are leaving behind.

I agree with you. you are right we have to start cleaning the trash from the floor.we should clean the dirty places and make earth clean.for ourselves

My family's carbon footprint is around 5,000kg, this may seem low because its less than the average california residents, but in my eyes this is quite high. The reason our footprint is this high is because of our bad habits like leaving the water running for too long, leaving electronics on when we're not using them, leaving lights on when leaving the room, not recycling everything we can, etc. You and I can lower our footprint just by making small changes to your routine; being mindful about water usage, turning off electronics and lights, and recycling as much as possible.

My Family carbon is 16,841kg and my family is very strict on doing keeping stuff on or running and wasting money. It is bad habits to do all of that. The average carbon footprint is around 9,000kg. I wouldn’t necessarily disagree how your carbon footprint is high considering that others can have double or triple than 5,000kg. But i do agree on how we can change our carbon footprint by having better use on our water usage or electricity usage too.

The planet, due to the over production in fast food chains is being immensely impacted, and cannot sustain the amount of carbon that is being released into the earth's atmosphere by these chains. I propose that we, as a society, change how we live our lives, and start going to local food shops, or farmers markets, so we can change the lives of the future generations, and our own now.

I completely agree with your statement. Fast food chains contribute massively to carbon emissions and environmental degradation. Supporting local food shops and farmers markets promotes sustainability, reduces transportation pollution, and encourages healthier eating habits. By making conscious choices now, we protect the planet’s resources and ensure a cleaner, healthier future for coming generations.

I agree, many grocery stores don't accept any produce that may look unappealing to customers even if they are still edible and just as good as normal ones; this could be determined by shape, size, and smell alone. What usually happens to these foods is that they don’t get sold and are wasted. Buying from food markets instead of large corporations could positively affect the food waste ratio.

I agree, food waste is a pretty big contributor to our carbon footprints because it is something that we have for everyday life. Most foods get thrown away just by how they are shaped or if they aren't appealing enough as you said, Which takes away A resort or food that someone else could've had.

If you want the facts on climate change, NASA’s website is a solid place to start. They break down what’s happening to our planet and why, using real data from their satellites. Basically, NASA points to rising greenhouse gases—especially carbon dioxide—as the main reason Earth keeps getting hotter. That extra heat is melting ice, fueling more intense wildfires, and pushing sea levels up. The site doesn’t just throw numbers at you, either. Their visuals and charts actually help you get what’s going on. Whether you’re a student, a teacher, or just curious, it’s easy to see how the climate’s changing, and why it’s something everyone should care about.