If we don't change our future now, there won't be anyone else left to save the Earth for us. America is one of the most wasteful countries in the world, and it produces the most CO2 emissions by far. People who live in America have a lot to improve upon, and need to be educated more thoroughly on what a big difference a small change makes. As much as the government has tried to help the environments with small initiatives such as charging ten cents for a plastic bag or creating a "faster" carpool lane for commuters, these changes aren't enough. People thoughtlessly pay the fee for a plastic bag. If we really want to limit the amount of plastic, why do we even allow plastic bags at all? Shouldn't people be forced to bring a reusable bag, or else carry their groceries? I know it seems sort of drastic, but drastic is what our planet requires in order to reverse the damage that has been done. When people cut down trees to make paper products, shouldn't it be a law that they have to plant new ones? Why are new houses being built, when there are 5 times as many homes as there  are homeless? Building new homes is only wasteful and useless when so many will remain empty. It is so easy to save energy. Reducing shower time, unplugging chargers, putting laptops into sleep mode, turing off lights, carpooling, and eating local produce are all small measures that add up, and there are so many more. Yes, the fact that we are making extreme changes to our planet is very concerning, but there is so much that we can do to reduce this change. We cannot go on as we are, because we are only being wasteful and killing our planet as we go along. We're poisoning our water, and damaging the animals within it, we're poisoning our air and releasing fumes, we're warming our planet and melting glaciers and killing off species. There are so many renewable and green energy alternatives that could make such a big difference. We know what we have to do to change the world. So why aren't we doing it?

I completely agree with you mirandas6, we have no resources to waste and I sadly feel very responsible for contributing to the very high CO2 emissions America produces. When I calculated my carbon footprint I was pretty surprised on how much CO2 I produce alone. I am about average for someone living in California but I am not proud to be admitting that much CO2. Ever since learning about how much it is affecting our Earth I have done simple things like: Reduce my shower time, unplugging chargers, putting my laptop in sleep mode, turning off lights, carpooling, and eating local produce like you mentioned above. I am on board with trying to fix some of the damage that we have done to our Earth and I promise to do my part! I encourage you to continue making a difference!!

mirandas6,

Although I agree, it's hard to change the world when so many are either in denial or are uninformed. Reconstructing our modern world is near impossible, unfortunately. It's commonly said that big changes start small, but if we truly want an impacted change, we have to begin rounding up more numbers. Once a greater number of people are educated, there will be a gradual difference towards a cleaner earth. It's crucial that we continue showing others what we've learned from school, home, etc. The more we know, the more we can share, further benefiting our plant.