“Human behavior is integral not only to causing global climate change but also to responding and adapting to it” ( Clayton et al., 2015). We humans tend to use a lot of products that are damaging to the earth. For example, hair spray, plastic bottles, vehicles, grocery bags, to kcups for your coffee. Personally, I drive a lot and with that, I contribute a lot to the emissions of carbon dioxide. As for a household product, I wouldn't say anything in particular, but what I would say is that I do not recycle and that is mostly because the apartment does not offer it.
Explain how the use of the items impacts the environment and the people in your community?
Millions of plastic waste has been dumped into the ocean and being that plastic is one of the most devastating elements known to man, it takes plastic years to decay (Andrews, N.D.). You could take your pick on what we individuals all use that has a profound impact on the environment. Automobiles release the carbon emission which affects the atmosphere and millions of tons of plastic bottles release toxins that affect the wildlife and of course we humans eat the chemicals that the wildlife absorbs or eats.
What steps do you or your family members take to lessen your impact on the environment?
One major thing I did to lessen the impact on the earth is that I decided to buy a more fuel efficient vehicle and in 4 years time I’ll be buying an all electric Jeep Wrangler. I try to car pool whenever it is possible. Also I am moving closer to school, which will lessen the amount of time I am on the road. If I had to be honest with myself, there is a lot more I should be doing and can be doing on a daily basis. I appreciate the world, not so much humans, but wildlife, planets national parks, I would like to preserve that for future generations to come.
What are some approaches communities could take to encourage members to reduce waste?
I believe like europe, we need to make biking and rail systems more of a priority, because reducing carbon emissions will help the global warming causes and inreturn, help plant and animal life, if it's not too late. I think communities need to push their congressmen and women to developing new technologies that help long distance and city to suburb travel. I think solar and wind power, along with other reusable resources for power should get more money spent on those programs, rather than 600 billion on military spending. Things to be evaluated would be agriculture and developing seeds that grow grass that change what is released from a cow farts. I think overpopulation and deforestation need to be reevaluated. On a smaller scale, I think every household and apartment should be solar and be recycling. The biggest thing that needed to change is two things; a person's personal awareness and that people need to understand what it means to have environmental ethics.
References”
Andrews, G. (n.d.). Plastics in the Ocean Affecting Human Health. Retrieved June 19, 2019, from https://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/health/case_studies/plastics.html
Clayton, S., Devine-wright, P., Stern, P., Whitmarsh, L., Carrico, A., Steg, L., . . . Bonnes, M. (24 june 2015). Psychological research and global climate change [Abstract]. Nature Climate Change,5, 640-646. Retrieved from https://www.nature.com/articles/nclimate2622.