The world we live in is a beautiful place filled with so many different forms of life.
It’s a sad reality that the time for them to thrive may be ending sooner rather than later.
We have until the year 2030 to reverse the damage done to the planet; after that it’ll become irreversible. If it sounds scary, that’s because it is. What makes it even worse is that there’s nobody to blame but people of the past and especially the present.
We have 11 years to clean up the mess that society has created. There are things that we can do now that may seem small but can make a big impact in the future. To start off, stop using plastic bags. They’re an extremely harmful waste product that damages the whole planet. Marine life is dying each year from getting tangled up in or ingesting all the plastic waste in the ocean. Reusable bags aren’t hard to come across, and they’re cheap, so what’s the harm in getting a couple? Certain stores have already stopped using plastic bags, but after July 1 plastic checkout bags will no longer be available at P.E.I. business locations (not just grocery stores). It’s a big step in the right direction.
Thrifting is a better alternative than buying everything new. It makes for less waste in landfills from all the plastic tags and packaging that comes from buying new items. Even the factories that make the product contribute to air pollution and consume plenty of water. Since the product requires many dyes, synthetic materials and oil-like petroleum to make, it releases gas into the air.
Shopping second-hand encourages recycling, which is something that’s been pushed on people since elementary school. Not only can recycling save on less production value, it can also save people and wildlife. If garbage isn’t properly recycled it could end up in rivers and on shorelines which could end up polluting the water, and causing other harmful situations to marine life. Besides mistaking it for food, they could cut themselves on the sharp edges of open cans.
Another small contribution everyone could make is to stop buying plastic water bottles. If everyone had a reusable water bottle instead of using plastic ones that end up being thrown in the trash, it would save the earth of so much waste.
There are so many little things people can do that could end up making a big difference, like picking up trash off the ground and properly sorting it into the right trash can. Or if you’re within walking distance of your destination, save your gas and don’t bother driving.
If everyone makes even a small contribution, it could impact the planet a great amount. The earth has been our home for billions of years and if everyone does their fair share of helping, it will be for a billion more.
Ellen Robbins is a Grade 11 students at Charlottetown Rural High School who is completing her co-op placement at The Guardian.