As the doomsday clock approaches 90 seconds left, it’s important that humanity tries its best to reset the clock.
It can be easy to feel hopeless and like there’s nothing you can do to offset climate change. However, there are little things everyone can do to help out.
This week I tried living eco-friendly for one day to see how easy it would be. Here is how it went:
When I first got up, I got ready using natural light from the window. The fluorescent lights in my room are not energy efficient. On top of that, they contain mercury and need to be disposed of carefully or else they can cause damage to the environment.
This was a little odd, but it wasn’t difficult. This could have been avoided if I had LED lightbulbs but as a college student living on campus, I cannot change out the lights in my room.
Next, I used my reusable water bottle which I use every day.
I always use reusable bottles over plastic bottles so there was no issue. Also, buying a water bottle that is reusable and filling it up in the water fountains is more cost-efficient than buying plastic water bottles.
Then, I walked to all of my classes. I do this every day as well, so it wasn’t any different than what I usually do.
I know that this walking isn’t possible for every student, especially students who live far off campus. However, to reduce the carbon footprint from driving everywhere, consider carpooling with a friend who lives near you and has a similar schedule.
After my morning classes, I went to lunch at the 459. According to lsu.edu, LSU Campus Sustainability turns the food scraps from the 459 into an organic compost.
For those on campus, this is a great option to give back to the environment. And, if you chose foods that take less energy to produce than you further reduce your carbon footprint.
I then walked to the rest of my classes for the day. I had a meeting for the music fraternity I am in that evening and since it is not safe to walk at night on campus by yourself, I asked one of my friends to give me a ride.
This way I could still try and be environmentally conscious by carpooling while still being safe. If it’s impossible to be both environmentally conscious and safe, I think it’s okay to make a decision that may not be as eco-friendly to ensure your safety.
To end the day, I used cold water in my shower. Using cold water is better than using hot water because it uses less energy and according to weather.com, those who take cold showers are also likely to shower for a shorter amount of time and use less water.
Overall, it was not hard for me to be more eco-friendly. Even though this will not instantly fix every single issue causing global warming, it can help reduce the effects bit by bit.
If everyone did their part and lived just a little more environmentally conscious, together we can aid in setting the doomsday clock back as much as possible and ensure the Earth stays around for future generations.
