The first step in helping the environment is to be aware of what impacts it. Although most environmental issues stem from large commercial companies, regular people still buy from those corporations. If people start buying from more local businesses or more sustainable companies, the bigger companies would produce fewer products, thereby reducing their contribution to negative environmental consequences.

Ms. Shaw says, “It’s really easy for people to say, oh, corporations need to make a change, but if we don’t make a change in our own lives, then we’re just part of the problem.” If everyone were to make small changes in their daily lives, it could help delay upcoming consequences, such as resource loss and animal extinction.

     “I feel hopeful, honestly. There’s a lot of development/technology, which could eventually lead to a lot of environmental changes and maybe improvements. I feel like young people care more because they’re seeing the impact of past generations and their negligence,” says Carolina Sánchez Herrera when asked about how she feels when thinking of the future of our environment.

On the other hand, Ms. Shaw feels different and says, “I feel overwhelmed when I think of the scope of the problems, when I read the news. There’s a lot of doom out there, right? When I feel hopeful is when I talk to students, because I’ve noticed that a lot of young people do care about the environment.”

If you want to help solve these issues, the first step is to be mindful of how your choices and actions impact the world. This Earth Day, we encourage you to learn a little more about an environmental issue and how you can help in your daily life.