There is truly only one Mother Earth, so it is vital to conserve her while it is possible. Although this comes in many different forms, BHS AP Environmental Science and Biology teacher Lindsey Rau grouped it into four main forms for the time being. Water conservation, energy conservation and indoor, as well as outdoor, air pollution are all factors that can either harm or help the earth. Each of these different sections can be broken down even further. Each section has its own ways of prevention, and it is important to acknowledge them all.
It may seem like small changes will not make a difference in the environment as there are so many harmful pollutants, but small changes are better than none at all.
“A little goes a long way. Creating more sustainable habits and little changes each day can help to keep our Mother Earth around for our future queens to slay,” Rau said.
It may seem fun to have shower concerts, singing loudly without a care in the world, but doing so may create more damage than one would imagine. Taking long showers may seem relaxing, but it can create stress for the Earth. To conserve water, showers should not be longer than fifteen minutes. Yes, it is nice to listen to every single Taylor Swift song or sit and reflect on every moment of the day, but In the long run, the e
xtra time spent in the shower is not worth the wasted water.
“Water conservation can be easily incorporated into our daily lives. We can keep our showers short and sweet, turn off the faucet when brushing our teeth or doing dishes, and only run the washing machine or dishwasher when they are completely full. Though this only saves a little water at a time, that adds up to a lot over time,” Rau said. “In the summer, watering grass or your cute car less, or collecting rainwater to use alternatively can conserve water from aquifers – that stuff won’t last forever – but go off, I guess.”
Whether it be to get to school, or going somewhere fun, driving vehicles can let off harmful emissions into the air. To combat the issues that go along with carbon dioxide emissions let off by cars, choosing to carpool to different locations may be the way to go. Instead of multiple people driving separately to get to the same destination, driving together can be a fun thing to do with friends while also saving gas and helping the environment.
“There’s no question girls love to be social, which means lots of car rides together with the girl gang to go to Target, which uses oil. Bad,” Rau said. “Also, many products we like to use daily or buy regularly (like plastic Starbucks cups, more XL claw clips, cheap clothes from Shein, or a 14th Stanley tumbler) come from unsustainable, finite materials. Additionally, these all have to be manufactured and transported to our homes – this creates a ton of air pollution! Ew.”
Energy comes from so many sources and not conserving it can have detrimental impacts on the environment long term. Because of this, it is important to be aware of the many ways one can waste energy on the daily. Simple things like unplugging appliances, when they are not in use, can truly save energy on the energy bill at the end of the month. Appliances plugged in but not in use can cause “phantom power,” energy consumed by appliances not in use. This can tremendously affect an energy bill and use way more energy than what is generally needed.
“Energy can be conserved in numerous ways. Though many new homes have energy efficient options already installed when they are built, turning off the lights and unplugging devices like hot tools when they aren’t in use is a great way to conserve energy without doing much work,” Rau said. “Carpooling together to school and to the mall is another great way to save money and energy. Slay. On that same note, closing blinds and curtains and keeping our thermostats low in the winter is pretty cool, literally. It saves energy and I’m a big blanket girl, so it’s a win-win. “
There are many pollutants that fall under the classification of indoor air pollutants: particulate matter (PM), lead, radon and volatile organic compounds (VOC). PM can be things as simple as pet dander, but can also include things like smoke and soot. There are several easy ways to lessen the amount of PM found in a home. Because this matter is so small, it can easily get into the lungs of humans and truly be detrimental to their health. VOCs can come from air fresheners and even candles, both common household items. They can be described as any strong scent, which is why it also includes some more natural items, such as the scent of flowers. When inhaled, they can cause headaches, dizziness, nosebleeds and, in worst cases, even death. Simply substituting an air purifier instead of a candle or air freshener can make all the difference.
“Indoor air pollutants come from nearly everything girls enjoy: candles, soaps, hairspray, perfume, lotions, makeup powders, even puppies,” Rau said. “We can reduce the number of these particulates and chemical compounds by using natural alternatives and getting ready in well-ventilated areas.”
Thinking about the bigger picture, there are so many little things that belong in everyone’s everyday life. Many of these little things are deemed as necessities, and conservation is not about being perfect, but more so about putting in the effort to help save the planet, even if it is only a little bit at a time. Ultimately, it comes down to what each individual is willing to give up, and what giving these things up is worth to them.
“Be a girl boss and stop pollution,” Rau said.
