By The United Nations’ report issued on Oct. 1, surrounds the greenhouse emissions was an unshocking revelation, considering that we’ve blatantly ignored the negative changes to our environment for the past 50 years.
According to NASA, greenhouse gasses, which are vapors caused by the usage of fossil fuels, are the cause of rising temperatures. Emissions will continue to increase 2.7 degrees each year by 2040.
At this rate, the emissions will be difficult to fix and humanity will be unable to adapt to the new weather and continue life as temperatures continue to rise.
In the report, it is mentioned that greenhouse pollution must go down 45 percent from the 2010 level to 100 percent by 2040.
Rather than wait for the government to react, students should take action now by recycling bottles, clothing and paper to eliminate waste and reducing plastic usage. The campus has made efforts by encouraging reusable plates in the dorms and using hydration stations around campus to refill old water bottles instead of buying a new one.
In the end, addressing these issues will benefit future generations, improve lifestyles and maintain a healthy planet. Scientists have not found another planet like Earth, so it’s imperative that we keep the Earth alive.
The United States is the second largest country that emits greenhouse gasses. According to Sweden’s website, the country has lowered its fossil fuel by reducing its carbon footprint, which can be done by using solar panels and has increased investment in renewable energy. In 1960, Sweden was at 74.9 percent on fossil fuel consumption; in 2015 Sweden was at 26.84 percent.
If we are seen as a “leading country” in the development and improvement of life, then we should follow Sweden, maybe then more countries will take the same initiative in saving Earth.
One thing the U.S. should try is implementing new rules in regulating the use of cars. In Mexico, cars that have a letter on its license plate are allowed to drive on specific days and those who have a number are able to drive the other days. In America, everyone needs to have a car or a mode of transportation, driving cars every day is one of the main reasons why fossil fuel consumption will continue to rise.
It seems as though the U.S. is moving backward, as President Trump has decided to opt out of the Paris Climate Agreement. This was an agreement that all nations would unite to fix the threat of climate change and not allow the temperature to increase 1.5 degrees.
Without the regulations set by the Paris Agreement, there are no limits on the number of emissions that can be released by companies. Big businesses can continue to pollute the Earth without consequence.
There are so many things that can be changed, but the government needs to address how dire the situation is and people need to be willing to make some sacrifices. Until then, try taking the bus to school or work, carpooling with a friend, riding a bike or simply putting a plastic bottle in the correct bin. The longer that people wait to make these small changes in their lives, the harder it will be to make an impact on our environment.
