Earth Day is celebrated to bring awareness to our environment and educate people on how the things they do affect our planet. If students band together, they can make a difference.
People, more specifically teenagers, question why it is important to take care of our planet. The simple answer is that neglecting our planet could lead to irreversible environmental damage, extreme climate change, and make Earth uninhabitable for humans. However, this can be prevented by people making some changes in their daily lives, such as picking up trash, recycling and using fewer gas-powered vehicles. People also have subconscious habits that negatively affect our planet, including plastics, letting the water run and overconsumption.
“Not taking good care of the Earth could cause many complications, so it is important that people use eco-friendly systems when they can, such as solar panels,” sixth grader Benjamin White said.
Earth Day is an important day that highlights the Earth’s environmental health. Despite being young, teenagers can still educate and apply environmental changes. Begin to encourage your peers to start recycling or donating instead of tossing old clothes. Little changes such as these may not seem impactful, but with more people applying these routines, it could make an enormous change.
“On Earth Day, students can volunteer to clean up at parks to do their part in caring for the planet,” sixth grader Payton Kirkland said.
Schools implementing a good environment are a great way to teach teenagers eco-friendly habits. Schools could add composting and recycling bins to reduce waste. Some students have recommended adding a garden, where students learn how to properly take care of plants.
“Adding a community garden to the school would be an amazing opportunity for students to learn more about improper plants that can lead to them dying, which is what could happen to nature if not looked after,” freshman Ethan Adank said.
Many students feel that this generation is putting in their best efforts to take care of the Earth and bring awareness to preserving it. Many students support movements and volunteer to pick up trash or make other contributions to clean up.
“I feel that the younger generation is doing a fair job at prioritizing the environment, because, through talking with my peers, I learned that many volunteer in local areas to sort waste and recycled goods,” White said.
Earth Day shows that even small actions like recycling or donating can help protect our planet when students work together. Continuing to spread awareness and building better habits can inspire other young adults to make small changes in their daily lives that will go far in the future.
