A Beginner's Guide: How To Be More Sustainable?

We all live in one place, on one planet. Earth. There are currently more than 8 billion people on Earth, and it's increasing every second. When there are too many people in your house, it's inevitable that the house gets dirty. When the case is the Earth, 8 billion people is more than enough to ruin their house, to get it dirty, to change the atmosphere, literally. We are changing, ruining the nature of the Earth for years. Even though we've been hearing the words "climate change" for a long time, with every passing month, and year, it's getting closer. We are getting hotter (and it's not in a good way). Every day, climate change is becoming a bigger threat, but what exactly is climate change, and can we prevent it? Let's take a look at it.

What is Climate Change?

Climate change is exactly what it says on the name, actually. Climate is the average temperature of our planet. It is what it is supposed to be. Climate change is when the average temperature of the Earth changes. But, how does this happen? As the number of people on Earth increases, industrialization also gets bigger. Both with people's individual moves and the huge effect of big factories, we release so much more greenhouse gases (mostly carbondioxide) than the atmosphere can take. Until one point, it is harmless, but after that point, we release so much more CO2 than we take and it piles up in the atmosphere. When the Sun's heat normally needs to just reflect on Earth, then go back, with the piled up CO2 in the atmosphere, the heat gets trapped and it causes the Earth's temperature to increase, which causes global warming, which causes sudden season changes, extreme weather (hot/cold), extreme floods and fires, and the glaciers melting (causing new viruses to break out). The peak point for climate change is 1,5 °C. This means that if the temperature gets 1,5 °C more than the average, global warming will have bigger effects on the climate than we can handle. Currently, the change in the temperature is 1,1°C, so we don't have much time on our hands 'till it goes off the rails. However, it doesn't mean we don't have anything left to do. Both individually and globally, there are still things we can do to be on the side of nature and save the Earth.

Compared to the situation, things we do as a person might look and sound like a drop of water in the ocean, but in the end, what makes the ocean exist are those drops of water. If you do something or speak up, and your friend does the same thing as you, that makes two drops of water. You might be asking "Okay, but what can I do just by myself to save the planet?". I'm here to tell you little sustainable things you can do in your everyday life to be a part of people who care about our home!

5 Sustainable Things For Your Daily Life

For a more sustainable life, the things you can do in your daily life are actually pretty easy. All you need to do is reduce, reuse, and support, but what? Here's what to do!

1. Reduce Energy Usage

This might sound like it requires so much effort but it does not! The more energy you use, the more carbon emissions you produce. To reduce your energy usage at home, at work, and everywhere, it only takes turning unneeded plugs and lights off.

2. Reduce Meat/Diary In Your Diet

Well, I'm not telling you to go vegan (though that would be great) but eating less meat and dairy actually has an effect on climate change. The meat and dairy production industry is one of the biggest reasons for pollution, and the pollution and carbon emission released by this mass usage of energy affects climate change directly.

3. Reduce Plastic

Plastic. In our current world, plastic is the half of our lives. We drink and eat out of plastic, we buy in plastic, we use plastic, and for years, we swim in plastic. The oceans are filled with our plastics. Contrary to the lies we are told, no plastic can be recycled. The plastic package your grandparents threw on the street is either still there or in the stomach of a dead fish. But, we don't have to use it! First, you can start by getting yourself a tote bag. It doesn't have to be a fancy, designer one. Just a plain tote bag, and next time you go grocery shopping, don't rely on plastic bags to put your things in. Secondly, you can get yourself a refillable water bottle. Having a filled bottle with you will help you both reduce your plastic usage and save money by not getting a new bottle of water, in a plastic bottle every time you go out.

4. Reuse

Reusing/using secondhand has become a trend among Gen Z in recent years. With or without realizing it, they help their planet by not buying newly produced clothes often. Every time you reuse the product you have or get a second-hand one, you reduce the energy that would be used for the production of it. The good thing is you don't have to do it for only clothes or accessories, you can also do it for books.

5. Support

Taking action for the world, as I said before, doesn't take much! The least you can do is to support other people who are taking action, to help them to get their voices heard when they speak up. Support small businesses instead of chain factories. Support thrift shops and second-hand bookshops instead of green-washing clothing brands!

If we all do what we can do, it means 8 billion actions. 8 billion drops of water. An ocean.