Reducing Carbon Dioxide Emissions

How does carbon dioxide affect our environment? Too much carbon dioxide in the atmosphere supercharges the natural greenhouse effect. The natural greenhouse effect is when greenhouse gases trap heat under the Earth’s surface. An increase in the greenhouse effect raises problems such as global warming, climate change, changing ocean temperatures, rising sea levels, declining human health, danger to wildlife, and so much more. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas. Humans significantly contribute to increasing carbon dioxide levels by using vehicles too much, cutting down plants, and more. I have loved animals and nature for as long as I can remember. The beauty the world outside holds is like none other. Knowing that our animals are struggling to find a home and are slowly going extinct pains me to think about it. Because of this growing problem, I wanted to make an impact in any way I could to save our beautiful Earth. This is how I established my goal of reducing my contribution to increasing carbon dioxide levels. In this blog, I would like to share my experiences and hopefully inspire someone else to help contribute to saving our environment. 

The first act of sustainability I demonstrated was walking to all nearby places. Most days, my friends and I like to meet up at a nearby outdoor shopping mall and hang out. Although it is only a few minutes away, we would usually have someone drive us there. Vehicles emit carbon dioxide, so I started walking to the mall, even if it was only a tiny distance. The walk was around twenty to thirty minutes. I experienced challenges such as feeling hot and sweating and my feet slightly hurting. I wasn’t enthusiastic about these challenges I faced, but the view made it much better. The trail I walk on to reach the mall is filled with trees and vibrant colors. I would also get to see vibrant colored birds along with beautiful sunsets. The walk was so relaxing. Eventually, it became the best part of my day. I could listen to music as I walk, which would be my way of releasing the day’s stress. All the challenges I faced at the beginning slowly faded as the days passed. My stamina grew, and I slept better each night. I felt relaxed and happy as I was getting exercise. I also got enough sun exposure each day, so I got more vitamin D. I drank more water because of the long walk. The combination of more water and vitamin D made me feel much healthier, and I started noticing positive skin changes. For example, my skin was clear and glowing. I was so happy with the results that I started encouraging my friends and family to begin walking to nearby places instead of driving there. Eventually, my friends started walking with me when we would hang out. They also enjoyed it, and a benefit was that we got to talk more and use the time we had together each day. If you are hesitant to walk, do not even think about it and just do it. The benefits easily outweigh the negatives, no doubt.

The second act of sustainability I demonstrated was riding the bus in the mornings and afternoons on school days. I usually like to be a car rider since my bus arrives early in the morning. I would always avoid the bus in the morning as much as possible, especially since I am not a morning person. I would sleep all day if I could! Although I hated riding the bus in the mornings at first, I quickly got used to it, and now I plan on riding the bus for the rest of the year. I faced challenges I was not very fond of, such as waking up earlier and feeling cramped and uncomfortable since so many people were on the bus. Waking up earlier made me feel tired, so I started to go to bed earlier. This improved my sleep schedule and made me feel better in the mornings. I also felt much more accomplished at the end of the day since I would get more sleep. The feeling of being cramped is still uncomfortable sometimes. Still, it doesn’t matter anymore because I get to talk to my friends more. During the bus ride, I sit with my friends, and we talk and spend time together. I always value spending time with the people I love, so using this time meant a lot to me. Along with seeing my friends more, I also felt great knowing that I could reduce the release of carbon dioxide. The drive to my school is around 9 miles or 15 minutes. This is around 3,600 grams of carbon dioxide emitted. If around 200 people from my school were car riders each morning, well over 30,000 grams of carbon dioxide would be emitted daily depending on the distance between their house and the school. If we all rode the bus or used public transportation whenever we could, we would make an impact and reduce carbon dioxide emissions. 

The third act of sustainability I demonstrated was planting. My goal for this challenge is to reduce my contribution to rising carbon dioxide levels and inspire others to do so. Plants take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen. Approximately 15.3 billion trees are cut down each year. Humans have already destroyed around 46% of the trees on Earth. We are killing a natural resource that absorbs carbon dioxide.

This is another way we are increasing carbon dioxide levels. I decided to grow some plants in my backyard. I faced the challenge of wild rabbits eating parts of plants. I decided to do some research and learned that rosemary has a scent that rabbits tend to avoid. Soon after finding this out, my dad and I bought rosemary at a local plant nursery. After observing for a week, I noticed that the rosemary did keep away the wild rabbits, and my plants were thriving. Along with growing plants, we also found a non-profit organization where we could donate money, and they would plant trees. The name of the non-profit organization is Arbor Day Foundation. Although a few plants cannot make up for around 15.3 billion trees gone yearly, I am happy to know I did my part. If everyone did their part and planted around five plants in their yard each year, we could have around 12 billion new plants yearly! Now, that would make a difference! 

This sustainability challenge has led to a journey that has opened my eyes in many ways, for which I am beyond grateful. I have no regrets about this challenge and am delighted with the results. I feel accomplished every day knowing that I played my part and had a role in reducing carbon dioxide emissions in ways I could whenever I could. I hope to have inspired some of you to be sustainable however you can, even if it isn’t anything significant. This challenge has made me feel healthier, accomplished, and eye-opened. I have come to realize that small acts make a huge difference. This whole challenge was worthwhile and precious. I learned and discovered things that I never would have if it wasn’t for this challenge. Thank you for reading my blog, and I hope you learned something or are inspired to make a difference in your own way.

By Anupa Damarla