Cl ck is Ticking

By: Lissette Perez Staff Writer

Climate change is real and it is becoming a bigger issue every day and people are doing nothing to change the outcome. As I am writing this article, it is currently February 21, 2023, and according to the Climate Clock, there is six years and one hundred fifty days until we hit the point of no return. What does no return mean? It means that we have about six years left until climate change gets so bad that it doesn’t matter what we try, we won’t be able to save the earth. So, let’s start doing our part and make a change.

Plastic is everywhere, so it is important to recycle and instead of using plastic bags, buy reusable ones. Cut down on plastic water bottles by buying a reusable one and refill it as needed! In fact, you can buy more reusable items instead of disposables ones, saving the planet and money.

According to USA Today, “The waste landfills are bulked up with consumer product packaging. Containers and packaging made up the largest portion of municipal waste at almost 78 million tons, or nearly 30%.” Don’t buy products that over package their items. Even though most of the packaging is recyclable, it still ends up in landfills.

Donate items or clothes to your local thrift shops that you don’t need any more instead of throwing them away. And who knows? Maybe you’ll find something for yourself. You can also thrift online by using apps like eBay and Craigslist to buy secondhand items and reduce product consumption.

Recycle your older electronics. Believe it or not, a lot of the materials used in older electronics are still used in the newer versions. Switching your lightbulbs to LED lights gets the same outcome as an incandescent one, while using less energy and lasting longer. Just because you switch your light bulbs to an eco-friendlier one doesn’t mean you should keep them on all the time, however. Turn off your light every time you leave the room, that way you can lower your carbon footprint and electricity bill. While you’re at it, unplug all electronics that are not being used that way, they’re not using stand by power.

There are so many sustainable alternatives that we can be doing to help save the planet. It’s the “making it a habit” part that most people have a problem with and I get it; change is hard. But, in this case, it’s necessary.

By the time you are reading this, it will be March and the Climate Clock will still be counting down the days. Check how many days are left till we reach the point of no return and start your change today.