Protect our planet

keep our wildlife safe and respect animals habitats.

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.

Anybody have any ideas to reduce trash other than burning them or recycling?

We should start making all natural grocery stores that dont use plastic containers

That's a good idea. Maybe instead of plastic maybe some non-plastic mesh bags? Kind of like the ones at Michaels, you know what I mean?

Or like brown paper bag type of thing? I don't think that would cause that much of a cost difference and it would be SO MUCH BETTER for the environment. There are so many places that use plastic paper bags. I looked it up- 1-5 TRILLION plastic bags are used per year. That's so sad. Humans need to do better.

we should use compostable items or reusable items. i use reusable bags instead of plastic or paper.

Use reusable water bottles instead of plastic ones.

Look up what your city's mayors email is and it should be there, then email them that YOU do care about our climate.

Why is plastic bad for the environment

Plastic doesn't decompose for a very long time.

Plastic is awesome i love what it does for the enivironment and how it decomposes. I personally drive a car with 5 mpg and have set two forest fires in my state. I love climate change

Plastic is really bad for to environment. It takes thousands of years to decompose and ends up as litter on land and in our oceans.

I don't get why the world works so hard on destroying the people that could be working together to help heal the world they destroyed like the wars destroy a lot of greenery and kill A LOT of people but those same people could work together and heal the world so that it would be so healthy that there would be no need to fight for land.

I agree, why are people so focused on creating another world war when we could be saving the planet?!

We should definently focus more on saving this planet because we only get one.

i think we should focus on the planet and not the other things that are wanted and not needed which is causing climate change.

We should focus on what is needed not wanted. Otherwise there will be no way to save the planet.

Honestly I think that part of countries focusing on war and machines that will actively make people's lives worse is a "mutually assured destruction" mindset (like if everybody else has something powerful and harmful, then we've got to have it too, just in case). I think the United States is one of the biggest contributors to that problem--we have the most per-person carbon emissions in the world, and one of the largest militaries in the world.
Another big factor is that world leaders and grown up citizens aren't going to necessarily feel the side effects of their negative behavior, because they're the older generation. If they don't do much to fix the climate or they just deny that it's changing altogether, big deal, it'll be the next generation's issue, when it's even worse. That kind of short-term thinking is super toxic and it avoids the problem, which only makes it bigger.

Ya'll got any creative solutions?! I must know.

Imagine a in real life Hunger Games were to "solve the issue". But I feel this would be a last resort. And honestly it's something I fear happening.

I wish that we could work together more to not have more drastic measures come into play.

If this even makes sense.

Pls no hate gang.

I wish that more people cared about this topic.

Mr.Ryan was trying to defend his property but Sasol wasn't putting up with it and bought him out.

Also he was trying his hardest but his health was getting the best of him and he couldn't even use his payment money to get his son away from that town he used it on medical bills.

My class recently watched a video on Mossville and the highest earth polluting company known to man! Sasol is stopping many lives from being happy, and living the American dream, and ending many lives too! Mossville is a old community which thrived before sasol gave them the bum's rush, something has to be done, even if it means bringing them down. >:(

I noticed the more c02 you use the more the footprint goes up

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 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

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

I think this could be a great solution. Fossil Fuels are one of the main contributors to global warming, and gas-powered cars are some of the main fossil fuel consumers. Every time we drive, we burn gasoline and release carbon dioxide into the air, which traps heat and makes climate change worse. Switching to cleaner options—like electric cars, buses, trains, biking, or even walking—would cut down the amount of emissions we produce every day. If more people chose these alternatives, we could lower pollution, improve air quality, and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels altogether.

Who gets to live in a safe, healthy neighborhood and who doesn't? Environmental justice research shows that low-income and minority communities often have less access to clean water, clean air, nutritious food, safe housing, and green spaces because of past discriminatory policies like redlining and underinvestment. According to the USDA Forest Service, formerly redlined areas now have much lower tree canopy cover (around 21%) compared to green-rated areas (around 40%), which means redlined communities miss out on tree-related environmental benefits like reduced heat and air pollution. Another news report by the American Heart Association links redlining to limited access to healthy food, which in turn correlates with higher rates of heart disease, diabetes, and obesity in those neighborhoods. Environmental justice focuses on making sure all communities have equal access to environmental resources, but the research shows long-term inequalities. This means these communities receive fewer environmental benefits and more environmental burdens, proving that access to basic environmental resources is still unequal—a core issue in environmental justice.

In September of this year, President Xi Jinping of China announced to the U.N. climate conference that China had set goals of reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 7%-10% by 2035. As a part of the 2015 Paris Agreement on Climate, countries are required to redefine their climate goals or “Nationally Determined Contributions” every five years, and while China and other European Union countries have renewed their pledges to the Paris Agreement by declaring their updated climate change goals, President Trump subsequently ordered a withdrawal from the treaty by the U.S. Congress. While climate change experts are critical of Xi Jinping's 7% to 10% figure and exclaim that China would need to cut their emissions by around 30% to meet the Paris goals for climate change, China had not previously renewed their carbon dioxide emissions pledge and in addition to the carbon dioxide emission pledges, Xi Jinping also set China’s 2035 climate change targets to include raising the non-fossil fuel energy production from 20% to 30% and expanding its emissions target to include all greenhouse gases, noting that “green and low-carbon transformations is the trend of our times”(Reuters). In response to China and the European Union’s action renewals, President Trump referred to climate change as a “con job” in his U.N. General Assembly Speech and lambasted climate change scientists as stupid. President Xi Jinping had called for a stronger climate initiative by developed countries, and while not naming the U.S., he made references to President Trump’s stance. Do you think that the U.S. will leave the Paris Agreement and how do you think that the U.S.-China climate change disagreement will be resolved?

The U.S.'s commitment to the Paris Agreement is currently uncertain, with past withdrawal under President Trump but recent re-engagement under President Biden. China, while setting emissions reduction goals, faces criticism for not meeting the necessary targets. U.S.-China climate disagreements are complicated by broader geopolitical tensions, with differing views on responsibility and action. Potential resolutions include diplomatic engagement, shared goals like clean energy, and international pressure.

If you really want to tackle climate change, we have to face up to global inequity. These vulnerable countries get hit the hardest, even though they’ve contributed the least. For example, between 1990 and 2015, the richest 1% emitted twice as much carbon as the poorest 50%(Oxfam). Wealthy nations haven’t just polluted more, they’ve also fallen short on their promises, like the $100 billion climate finance goal, which hinders developing nations' capacity for adaptation. There are also huge gaps in how much people consume around the world. If we want real progress, we need to share the responsibility equally to achieve global cooperation and sustainability.

We should reduce the amount of mass production in fast fashion and lower over consumption which has been normalized in countries (especially the United States) to help each other in climate change.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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