In my own day-to-day life, I would consider my lifestyle to be relatively sustainable. Recently, however, in ENVT 200, we conducted a survey throughout the class to see how many Earths would be necessary to sustain all life if everyone made the same choices I did. Needless to say, I was blown away by the result, finding that over THREE Earths would be needed for everyone to live the way I do. As a college student, I am limited in the amount of things I can change about my personal routine if I want to lessen my eco-footprint; however, that does not mean that change is not possible. I tried a few things out for a while like emphasizing recycling between me and my roommates, constantly drinking out of a reusable bottle, etc. But, nothing made me feel like I was getting change that meant something, and could improve my own life aside from making me feel a little less guilty about using so many resources. Then, I thought about my utilities. Many people do not realize how lessening the amount of utilities they use can actually help; on top of it, so much money is saved and the changes one makes are not too noticeable. For a month, I actively shut lights off around the house when unnecessary, I shut the air off in the house when no one was home, and I was more conscious about my showers. These changes sound like things that should be a given, but if they are not actively being thought of, then they fall by the wayside. After a month, my utilities were almost cut in half, and I could have been saving all of this money/using so much less energy if I was more aware. I brought this to attention of my fraternity and my friends, and they have been reporting back similar results. I think that people are not aware of how easy and effective it is to save money and use less, but once it is thought of in a tangible and rewarding way, like saving money, more people get on board!
Maybe people my age are forgetful, but I think that the reason my peers seem to be unaware of the simplicity in helping the planet is the idea that, “an individual is ineffective in saving the planet.” The line of thinking is shared by many people, and it could not be further from the truth. I have a tangible experience in my life that puts me at ease when thinking about my eco-footprint on this planet, and I saved money/improved my life in the process. All that was necessary was to wear a couple extra layers when living in the house during the day time, and taking a little extra time to make sure the lights/water is not being wasted. I think when people hear about what a difference that experience made for me, it makes them want to have similar change in their lives.
Hey, I thought this was really cool to read!! I agree with you on how some people do not change because they feel like an an individual they won’t make a difference when in fact everyone changing adds up to make a big difference! Also, now being more conscious of your utilities is super important and I also try to do the same as the little things do count!!
I think it’s really great that you found ways to reduce your ecological footprint! These instances may be little things to other people but after learning about our carbon footprint, it’s important to also do these little things that collectively have big impacts on the environment. I applaud you for teaching others about conserving energy because, like you said, some people are skeptical of the impacts of these small energy-saving tasks. However, I think your influence and persistent gradual teaching is enough to allow them to make their own decisions on conserving energy. Also, back home, I remember my parents were so adamant about shutting off the lights and the air whenever it wasn’t being used and now I know why. Like you said, it saves tons of money and is very beneficial for the environment. In the future, when owning a house, maybe you can further reduce your ecological footprint by installing solar panels, energy efficient appliances & windows, and a smart-thermostat.