The world might burn up in twenty years, but there are plenty of ways to prevent that from happening.
First and foremost, our diets have the biggest effect on the world everyday. The agriculture industry produces the largest amount of greenhouse gases than any other thing on the planet, including vehicle emissions.
Cows and other livestock produce a very high amount of carbon dioxide gas from farting that gets trapped in our atmosphere. Normally, the gas produced from animals in the wild, or even on a small scale, would not harm the environment significantly. However, different companies and people produce and raise livestock in large masses for meat, dairy and other products.
In addition to this, the process of making and distributing meat, dairy and eggs uses extreme amounts of water. Growing the food, raising the animal, and production and packaging of the final product are all factors in calculating how much water is used for different products. One pound of beef takes more than 2,000 gallons of water, but one pound of wheat takes only 25 gallons of water. Livestock also eat a majority of the crops grown in the US, and these crops could be going directly to people, instead of to animals, which people then eat.
Limiting the amount of meat and dairy in your diet is the best way to be nicer to the world. Completely cutting out meat or dairy can be hard and seem intimidating, so instead cut out red meat or only eat meat once a day. After you make initial cuts in your diet, you can transition into a full vegetarian or vegan diet by cutting out more and more meat and dairy.
The dining services on campus provide an okay amount of vegan and vegetarian options. On the dining page of SXU’s main website, the vegan option of the day in the diner is always listed, in addition, there is almost always a vegan or vegetarian soup option, and veggie burgers available at the grill. Opting to not put cheese or meat on a meal is also very easy, because most things are made to order.
SXU’s diner is not the most accommodating, and uses a lot of single use plastics. However, there are some options for residents which allows people to do what they can.
Another easy step to being better to our planet is to utilize public transportation. While it is not always the quickest option, it is definitely the kindest option for the earth. Public transportation saves gas and limits the amount of pollutants going into the air. Not to mention, it is usually cheaper than gas, and if you’re not the one driving you can read, or call someone, or work on knitting.
Turning of lights and limiting the amount of energy you use on a day to day basis can add up and help to heal the earth, and as an extra incentive, is nicer to whoever is paying your electricity bill. Some simple ways to reduce the energy you use are to turn off lights and the TV when you leave a room, take shorter showers at a lower temperature, and using natural lighting during the day.
Single use plastics have been the topic of many conversations lately because of how damaging they are to the planet. Single use plastics are exactly what it sounds like- anything made of plastic that is only used once, such as plastic bags, to-go containers, and packaging. Limiting how much single use plastics you buy, use, and throw away, adds up quickly.
Some companies and stores have slowly been shifting to eliminating single use plastics in packaging, and opting for more cardboard packaging, or encouraging consumers to bring their own bags.
This is effective to an extent, but can be problematic because not everyone has the means to provide their own bags, or shop at stores that are more conscious about this issue.
To make the biggest impact, we all have to do everything that we can. Meaning, if you have the means to skip on plastic straws, bring your own bags, shop at bulk stores, or make your own food, you should do what you can.
The average person in the US produces 4 pounds of waste every single day, and plastics and food waste are a huge percentage of waste. Composting is not a widely available option, but it is a great alternative for food waste. Making sure to not get too much food, or saving the food you don’t eat for another day, and cutting back on the amount of plastics we use can reduce waste that goes into landfill tremendously.
We all know the three R’s, but environmentalists have been trying to get everyone comfortable with a fourth and most important R: refuse. Refusing items limits the waste and products used everyday. If you need an item, try to reduce how often and how much of that thing you use. Then try to reuse those items, and finally, when you are done with an item, recycle it.
The Green Movement is a new student organization on campus that hopes to encourage all students, staff, and faculty on campus to incorporate greener habits into everyday life. If you sign up on The Den, you will get weekly challenges and newsletters that suggest habits, places to support, and gives you resources to learn more about current issues.
One of the most important things to remember is that not everyone has the means and ways to do all of these things or do things in the same way the next person might do it. What matters is that each person takes the steps they can to keep Earth happy and healthy for the generations to come.
Emma Farina
Opinions Columnist