The United Nations suggests that climate change is not just the defining issue of our time, but we are also at a defining moment in history. Weather patterns are changing and will threaten food production, and sea levels are rising and could cause catastrophic flooding across the globe. All in all, the statistics are overwhelming. Scientists continue to study the effects of climate change and the media reports daily on pollution, extinction, and the myriad ways humans are destroying the planet. Given the dismal reality, it can be tempting to throw our hands up and assume we can’t do anything to improve the situation. But that’s where we’re wrong. While the most dramatic changes will need to take place on corporate and governmental scales, there are a number of ways the average person can make his or her daily routine more eco-friendly.
Saving the environment may feel like a daunting task, but it doesn't have to be. If you think about the little things you can do to help the environment, you can make a big difference yourself just by changing a couple of habits. Yes, it's still a huge deal that the ice caps and glaciers are melting at alarming rates, but you don't have to feel hopeless, because there's a lot you can do yourself. The little tweaks to your behavior may not seem like a huge deal, and it may seem pointless to do such little things. But when we're talking about habits that you repeat every day — and that other people pick up and repeat as well — they end up having a huge effect. So pick and choose the ones that apply to you (no one's perfect, after all) and that you haven't already adopted, and just be mindful about how you go about your daily business. Taking care of the Earth is not just a responsibility, it's a necessity.