One of the main things from my carbon footprint that was above average was my travel distance. This is imaginably one of the areas that emits the most carbon into the atmosphere. I travel internationally a lot, and riding on airplanes cant be helped. However, most of my transportation is done in a vehicle. In order to improve the environment, walking or biking is a much greener option than riding in a car. Of course, this will be a challenge, since riding in a car is the most relaxing option. The main reason i ride in my car is because i'm too lazy to walk or bike. I think thats one of the biggest challenges of trying to improve the environment. However, a good alternative for those of us who are too lazy or tired to walk home from school for example, is to take the bus. Finding a bus buddy would be a great encouragement to take the bus more, or finding someone to walk home from school with would be great too. Carpooling is another option to lessen carbon emissions. Personally, i already started trying to take the bus more often, and its not a bad alternative to riding i n a car.

Turning on the light too much or for too long is also an issue of mine that i would like to change. I think for most people, we turn on the lights since it is a much simpler task than opening the blinds. Also it seems that these days, we are all very comfortable with being in a room with just the light turned on, rather than embracing the sunlight or going outside. Instead of walking or biking, we sit in a car. We are all in some ways, neglecting the natural resources that we have, and succumbing to things that are simpler and more convenient. Instead, i want to try using natural resources the most i can. That way, the world can become a much greener place. Something as simple as being reminded by a parent to turn off the lights and open the blinds helps me remember to be green. We may sometimes forget to do things to save energy or lesson carbon emissions, but getting support and reminders from anyone can help us change our ways. If we work to make a better environment together, we can make the world a better place.

Recently, our city has required that all bags are to be 10 cents instead of free to the public. Before, I thought of it as a pain and a greedy way for stores to keep their money, but now that I think about it, it actually is a very good way to keep plastic bags from being thrown in wrong trash bins. People start to use their own reusable bags and I think this is a great way of decreasing carbon emissions. Me and my dad go grocery shopping every week and we used to use tons of bags. Approximately, 5 bags a week. That's 25 bags a month, 1,825 bags a year. And of course, they would go down the trash chute when we dump trash.

This small rule on bags could make a huge difference if it was applied to the whole world. Sure, we would think it a pain, but it would actually help less plastic bags falling into trash chutes. Me and my dad now keep a bag in the car or carry our groceries to the car, and it is pretty funny seeing people struggle to keep their items in their ha nds since they didn't want to pay the dollar to get bags. It may be a bit hard for them, but it should be worth it if it means a better world for us to live in.

Natural resources really are our best friends. You're right, just open the blinds! But what else can we do to help the state of our planet? What are people forgetting? Sadly, people often forget the very thing we're trying to protect - the planet. People who want to help get so caught up in recycling (which is GREAT) that they think they have finished their part. Once they've recycled some papers, they go to Starbucks and play on their phone and think everything is on the right track again. A bit of an exaggeration, this example, I'll admit. But the message is this: put away your phone, your iPod,your precious iPads and Facebook. Climb a tree, or read an old book. Find an eco-friendly hobby that helps you realize what it is we need to save.

This post caught me off guard because of its veracity. I agree with you 100% that we neglect our natural resources and do not take advantage of what we already have. Although I am also too lazy to open my blinds or ride my bike to nearby places, this made me want to question why I don’t carpool or open my blinds. Adding on to the “bus” and “bike” idea, people could also carpool with friends to school and after school.
HOWEVER:
Cost also comes into play. Many schools do not offer a bus so some people must pay for one to come to their house individually which could increase the burning of fossil fuels leading to pollution.