Have you felt the crisis of climate change like it’s resting on your shoulders? Well, you're not alone. Many college students feel this burden, but don’t worry; there are things that you can do!

Big companies such as fossil fuel producers and their investors make up over 70% of the climate crisis, but this doesn't mean there isn’t anything you can do. A really easy start is to talk about it. Do you know your uncle doesn’t believe in the climate crisis? Talk to him! You should also have conversations with people who are knowledgeable about the environmental crisis. In order to incite change, we need to start a conversation.

As a college student, the best way to start a conversation with others is to start the conversation with yourself. Looking at specific actions you are taking as an individual. Reducing your carbon footprint one step at a time helps the environment and it can be really easy, but you have to be mindful of how you approach it. Not sure what to do, or how you can reduce your carbon footprint even more than you already are? Here are 3 easy steps to help you figure out how to help the environment:

Be Mindful of what you eat!

Meat and dairy products, especially from cows, take a lot of water and energy to produce. The manufacturing of these products accounts for 14.5% of greenhouse gasses. In the meat and dairy industry beef is the number one contributor to the greenhouse gas impact.

This doesn’t mean you necessarily have to go vegan or vegetarian. But being mindful of what you eat is an important step in reducing your carbon footprint. Maybe only have that steak once a month, maybe try out that oat milk you have been eyeing, and buy those vegetables!

The trick to this is to not feel bad about treating yourself to a cheeseburger, but rather to reward yourself for buying vegetables and cooking an at-home dinner. Small steps are key to a such a big goal as mindful eating.

Mindful eating also includes mindful buying: shopping at a small grocer that stocks locally-grown and made items or buying vegetables from the farmer’s market instead of buying all of your food at a large grocery store chain. This can also be a step in reducing your carbon footprint. Buying locally allows people in the community to continue what they love doing and stops big companies from getting your money and destroying small businesses.

Acknowledging goals such as having vegan Fridays or using oat milk in your cereal can lead to reducing your footprint a little more. This is just a start in a lifetime of a change in habits to help you help the world.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!

As obvious as this one may seem, not a lot of people think about it. Taking a hard look at the amount of waste you produce every day may be eye-opening for some. Just cutting down on certain wasteful practices can help reduce your consumption and thereby, your carbon footprint. Take smaller portions of food and then come back for more. Cut down on the products you consume that come packaged in plastic bottles. And carry a water bottle to refill!

There are also other ways to reduce your carbon footprint, including by reducing your energy consumption. Turn off lights, unplug things when not in use, and use energy in moderation. These are also small but important steps in your individual journey of living more conscientiously to help the environment.

Reducing waste just requires being able to be mindful of what you are consuming, but reusing may require more effort. Think about single-use items that can actually be used again. Even if you’re not super crafty, you can turn old things into something new. Turing an old shirt into a cleaning rag or turning jars into pencil holders, for example, will help extend the lives of these items beyond what they were initially intended for. There are a lot of other reuse and repurposing ideas out there you can try, so what are you waiting for?!

Making smart purchases can also help with reducing waste, such as purchasing reusable food wrap and zip lock bags you can actually use again. Even better, make more of an effort to recycle items that can be transformed into usable goods!

Recycling is not something everyone is familiar with, and in some cases, people think it’s possible to recycle things that can’t really be recycled. For example, someone I used to live with thought it was okay to recycle tissues. But I showed them how to recycle and started using myself as an example. It took a few times of my rinsing out their plastic bottles and moving unrecyclable things into the garbage, but it was worth the effort to get the message across.

Recycling is easy: in many cases you can just look at a container to see if it is recyclable There will be a recycling symbol on it, or a number from 1-5 on the bottom which tells you if it can be recycled, and you don’t even have to take out your phone. You can also get money from recycling! Sure, it may take some effort, but it’s a really easy way to get some money, especially in college!

Use your energy!

A big way to change your carbon footprint is to use your energy. And no, I’m not talking about figuring out a way to manually charge your phone, I’m talking about rethinking your transportation.

Gas is getting pricey and having a car at college isn’t as ideal as one may think. My friends always complain about gas prices and having to drive; it's not ideal. And yes, having to walk everywhere, ask your friends for rides, and take the bus isn’t super ideal either.

There is a way to be smart about how you get around, reduce your carbon footprint and save money. The bus and walking are great ways to get around, especially if you’re living in a college town where everything is super close. Sure, it's a little less convenient, but think about all the money you could be saving while your friends spend money on gas.

Gas companies create so much pollution, and profit off of individual consumers who are using gas to get around and complete their everyday lives. You as an individual can help create a change, and using clean energy to get around helps a lot. And if you need some help riding the bus, because it's not always easy, here are some good tips.

Can your individual efforts, even if they are a little inconvenient, help in creating a greener environment? The answer is yes! Even if individual help may seem small and unmeaningful, it can help fuel the global change to stop the climate crisis. Time is winding down, and each one of us has to do something, even if it is a small step, to reduce our impact on the environment. The moment is now!

By Olivia McSweeny (Green and Prosperous)

Like this? Please pin!