Every day we make decisions as consumers that affect the local, regional, and even worldwide ecosystem. Growing up, it is easy to think that you are just a kid in high school, or in college, so there is nothing you can really do to impact what we see around us, but that just isn’t true. Looking at statistics about waste and pollution can be overwhelming, such as plastic contributes to over 250,000 tons of trash to the ocean (Gourmelon), but every revolution starts as small. It is easy to think that you “living green” but there is always room for improvement, and it’s never too late to start. There are many small life style changes you can make that have a meaningful impact into helping the environment, even if you are living low-budget. And it all starts with a dialogue
America in general has an obsession with fast food. And while I’m not asking you to eliminate it, I am asking you to think about what you are consuming. The beef in your McDonalds hamburger, has one of the highest carbon footprints of any meat product, because it is a ruminant. This means that it produces methane, a highly potent greenhouse gas, while the cow digests (Carrington). But the carbon footprint doesn’t stop there. As soon as your cow is killed to be ground up or otherwise processed, it must be kept at a very cold temperature to prevent any contamination and slow the spread of potentially harmful bacteria. This high level of refrigeration must be kept up for the entire duration of your ground beefs life – right up until it is cooked.
So, instead of going to McDonalds for your hamburger fix, why not hit up your local burger joint instead? Ask your favorite mom and pop shop where they get their meat. While you’re there, also ask if they have considered not serving straws any longer. Single use plastic straws are the single largest contributor to plastic in our oceans (Gourmelon), and they are completely unnecessary. As an added bonus, their restaurant can save money from not buying any.
Just by asking your local restaurants to stop using plastic straws, or ask them where they get their beef from, is contributing to change. Education is the key to revolution, and approaching people in a positive and polite manner can have a huge impact.
Other low budget options for college students could be as easy as switching their peanut butter type. Did you know that palm oil on of the leadings causes of deforestation in tropical rain forests (Rainforest Rescue)? Most people don’t. Helping this fight is as easy as checking your food products labels to see if they contain palm oil or any derivative, and switching to one that doesn’t include it. If you are say a coffee enthusiast, why not look into where your product comes from? Coffee is also grown in the tropics, and is naturally grown in the shade. Being grown in the shade, instead of a genetically modified monoculture out in the sun, acts as a corridor for migratory birds to rest in (Smithsonian Global). A simple, quick google search can show you any number of small and easy ways to reduce your carbon footprint and give back to the environment.
Leaving the local grocery store with your new rainforest friendly peanut butter and migratory bird friendly coffee, do you grab a plastic bag? The average use of a plastic bag is around 20 minutes (Greener Ideal). Used for just 20 minutes, and then where does it go? For over half of plastic bags used – it’s straight to landfills or our oceans. 20 minutes of use, followed by over a thousand years of polluting decay. All of this could be changed with a 1-2$ investment into a reusable bag.
Overall, there are many small switches anyone could make in their everyday life to live more sustainably – if only they knew. And that is why living cleaner starts with a dialogue! Any change you make will add up over time, and hopefully inspire others to do so as well. Reduce, reuse, recycle!
-Julia Clements