5 Ways To Help Save The World | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

5 Easy, Meaningful Ways You Can Help Save The World

These hacks will take 5 minutes, and can save the world for 500 years to come.

76
5 Easy, Meaningful Ways You Can Help Save The World
Serena Bernal

In This Article:

My greatest pet peeve is when people use Earth Day as an excuse to just post photos of a vacation they went on years ago. Sure, it's great that you went to Spain that one time three years ago and finally have an excuse to post that VSCO photo of your trip, but don't pretend like you are sharing that photo because you actually care about Earth Day. It is really easy to become a passive consumer of Earth Day, but it is equally as easy to be an active participant in making a change for OUR Earth. So, here are 10 ways you can actually save the earth on Earth Day, and every day.

Don't use plastic bags

We all know how dangerous plastic bags are for our environment. Plastic takes 1,000 (Yes, you heard me: ONE. THOUSAND.) years to decompose, and ultimately just sits in and builds up landfills across the world. Think about that. You use a plastic bag for the convenience of 30 minutes, but that same plastic bag will end up dirtying our planet and hurting animals for 525,600,000 minutes. This doesn't have to be the case, because reusable bags are super convenient and cost-efficient as well. I have found some super cute ones on Amazon, at Whole Foods, and even at Home Goods. All you have to do is keep one or two reusable bags in your car, or maybe one in your backpack to help make an impact in saving the planet.

Turn off your electronics when you leave the room

Think about all the different electronics you have plugged into your outlets at home right now. In my room, I probably have my fan on, my lamp plugged in, and my phone charger stuck in the wall. This, keep in mind, is all while I'm not even in the room. Leaving our electronics plugged in or our lights on while we're not in the room is a ridiculous waste of resources, especially nonrenewable resources that could be better used for other, more beneficial, output. If this isn't reason enough, remember that it is estimated that the electronics you leave on in your room could cost you an additional $230 a year. That's at least 57 coffees that you can't buy because you just left your appliances plugged in for no reason. Think about that!

Turn off your water when you brush your teeth

We've all had the age-old debate regarding whether you should wet your toothbrush before or after you put on toothpaste, but one part that is undebatable is that our faucet should be turned off when we are brushing our teeth. Doing so during your two-minute teeth brushing period can save up to 5 gallons a day, which is such a simple and easy fix.

Be a vegetarian for a day

I'm not going to attempt to coerce you into feeling bad for eating animals, because I by no means am a vegetarian. However, it is an absolute fact that producing a single pound of meat takes 2,500 gallons of water. Considering how quickly the average American consumes hamburgers or chicken, this is a crazy amount of water to waste every single day. Substituting your chicken tenders for lunch for a salad and some rice just once a week could be just as filling for your stomach and much less harmful to our environment. (And in my opinion, the fries and milkshakes at McDonald's are much better than the Big Macs!)

Don't grab a napkin unless you need it

I've watched people do it before, when preparing for a meal you grab three or four napkins, and you end up using one at most. Those extra and unused napkins just get tossed into the garbage and end up manifesting in a landfill that will never efficiently decompose. If we all just used one less napkin a day, we could save a billion pounds of space in landfills and could save our planet. So be smart about what you consume, and be realistic with how much you take.

Being eco-friendly takes little to no effort, and only requires simple fixes in your everyday life. But, every single person needs to partake in these changes, because everyone's part in this process matters. If we continue to just watch the world wither away and hope that someone else will take action, the world will never get better. Each and every person, me and you included, needs to take steps to care for and fix the mess we have made. So if you are going to post on Instagram about your love of the environment, promote how we can change the environment. Use your platform for education and entertainment, because every person matters and every action helps.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Entertainment

15 Times Michael Scott's Life Was Worse Than Your Life

Because have you ever had to endure grilling your foot on a George Foreman?

429
Michael Scott
NBC

Most of the time, the world's (self-proclaimed) greatest boss is just that, the greatest. I mean, come on, he's Michael Freakin' Scott after all! But every once in a while, his life hits a bit of a speed bump. (or he actually hits Meredith...) So if you personally are struggling through a hard time, you know what they say: misery loves company! Here are 15 times Michael Scott's life was worse than your life:

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

12 Midnight NYE: Fun Ideas!

This isn't just for the single Pringles out there either, folks

15374
Friends celebrating the New Years!
StableDiffusion

When the clock strikes twelve midnight on New Year's Eve, do you ever find yourself lost regarding what to do during that big moment? It's a very important moment. It is the first moment of the New Year, doesn't it seem like you should be doing something grand, something meaningful, something spontaneous? Sure, many decide to spend the moment on the lips of another, but what good is that? Take a look at these other suggestions on how to ring in the New Year that are much more spectacular and exciting than a simple little kiss.

Keep Reading...Show less
piano
Digital Trends

I am very serious about the Christmas season. It's one of my favorite things, and I love it all from gift-giving to baking to the decorations, but I especially love Christmas music. Here are 11 songs you should consider adding to your Christmas playlists.

Keep Reading...Show less
campus
CampusExplorer

New year, new semester, not the same old thing. This semester will be a semester to redeem all the mistakes made in the previous five months.

1. I will wake up (sorta) on time for class.

Let's face it, last semester you woke up with enough time to brush your teeth and get to class and even then you were about 10 minutes late and rollin' in with some pretty unfortunate bed head. This semester we will set our alarms, wake up with time to get ready, and get to class on time!

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

The 5 Painfully True Stages Of Camping Out At The Library

For those long nights that turn into mornings when the struggle is real.

3149
woman reading a book while sitting on black leather 3-seat couch
Photo by Seven Shooter on Unsplash

And so it begins.

1. Walk in motivated and ready to rock

Camping out at the library is not for the faint of heart. You need to go in as a warrior. You usually have brought supplies (laptop, chargers, and textbooks) and sustenance (water, snacks, and blanket/sweatpants) since the battle will be for an undetermined length of time. Perhaps it is one assignment or perhaps it's four. You are motivated and prepared; you don’t doubt the assignment(s) will take time, but you know it couldn’t be that long.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments