Do 3 Small Things to Save the Earth

We probably all know that our planet is in trouble. Sadly, humans have hurt the Earth with huge amounts of pollution, the destruction of vast areas of nature, and the resulting increase in temperatures called climate change. Climate change is beginning to cause major problems, like bigger storms, worse wildfires, and rising sea levels. It may seem like with all of these changes, one person can’t do much.

But that’s not the case. We got into this situation because of individual choices, and we can get out of it with many individual choices. Young people have a particularly powerful voice here, because you will inherit the planet in the condition that adults left it. Maybe that’s why youth leaders like Greta Thunberg, who went on a school strike at age 15 to protest climate change, have become so famous and made such an impact already. 

So how do you get started?

Getting Started:

1. Find Your Options. There are literally thousands of small choices that you can make, or can convince your family of friends to make, to help the Earth. This might be about saving water or electricity, not burning fuel which creates pollution, or reusing instead of buying new things, since that would cause more pollution and use resources. Try googling “things kids can do to save the Earth,” and check out some of these websites:

   41 Ways Kids Can Help Save the Planet in 5 Minutes or Less: With suggestions like using rechargeable batteries in game controllers, getting a better lunch box that doesn’t cause waste, or swapping out plastic water bottles for bamboo or aluminum.
   No Waste Challenge: Did you know that stopping your family’s junk mail can reduce a lot of pollution? This article has tips on that and other ways to reduce waste.

   9 Ways Kids Can Protect the Planet
   

2. Choose 3 to Start. Make sure to choose some that you can do now, so that you can build some momentum right away. You can always do more once you get going!
   

3. Share your experience to inspire others. It gets really amazing when you imagine not only doing 3 things yourself, but inspiring one other person to do 3, and if they inspire someone, and on and on. The ripples from your choice can add up to huge changes.