Imagine a world where there is no trash on the side of the road or at the beach. Plants, animals and humans alike could all thrive without wasting resources and excess pollution. It is possible to approach that goal by taking simple steps to become environmentally conscious in everyday life.
Society can take care of the Earth by doing small things throughout the day to conserve energy, resources and make earth a cleaner place.
Dr. Jacob Lanphere, associate professor of environmental science, said he values taking care of the environment.
“It is important to help the environment because we are called to be good stewards of God’s creation,” Lanphere said. “We live here and everyone would like a nice clean healthy environment so we can thrive here.”
Some people may get discouraged and give up on helping the environment because they do not think they can make a difference by themselves, but small things add up.
Disposable products such as straws and plastic water bottles that are only good for one use can be replaced with washable and reusable items. Investing in reusable products saves money in the long run because those items do not need to be replaced often.
Recycling is beneficial to the environment, too. It just takes time and attention to sort products into recycling bins.
Lanphere talked about helping the environment by reducing waste in a way that some people overlook.
“Another way is to prepare meals at home and eat them instead of the meals that are offered at fast-food restaurants, which typically produce a ton of waste in food packaging,” Lanphere said.
Taking shorter or cooler showers is another simple way college students can reduce the amount of water or heat used.
Megan Aleksak, sophomore early childhood studies major, said she pays attention to environmental causes in her everyday life.
“We only have one Earth, so we have to take care of it now so it can last even longer for future generations,” Aleksak said.
Morganne Warner, sophomore worship arts major, said she uses several recycling methods in her dorm with her roommates.
“We have three bins that we’re using,” Warner said. “One is for trash and food and things like that, and the other is for cardboard and the third is a crate for water bottles and cans that we can take and recycle.”
Sustaining the environment is society’s responsibility and making small changes in everyday life, such as recycling, buying reusable products or taking shorter showers, can make an impact.
