Rotariu Cosmin

The state of the environment is now a cause for concern in all countries
across the world. Apart from government measures and policies, what can
individuals do on a personal level to combat the negative effects that our
lifestyles have on the environment?
Global warming is a relatively new concept that has rapidly been thrust into
the spotlight in the last few decades, as its effects are becoming felt
everywhere. It will also be the event that will completely and permanently
alter our lives and the lives of future generations. World governments have
taken several initiatives to curb the environmental disaster of our time, such as
replacing fossil fuels with green energy sources and safeguarding natural
habitats, but the average citizen has to play their part too if we truly want to
overcome the global situation.
First things first, it is important to define what individual action on climate
change entails. Typically, these choices are ultimately personal and vary from
following a diet to household energy use, from means of travel to the
consumption of goods and services. Through individual action, a person lowers
their own carbon footprint, helping meet the global target for carbon
emissions.
In addition, technological and structural change happens at the level of the
individual as well, not just in governments and organizations. The western
lifestyle is characterized by a higher consumption of goods and services, which
directly results in an increased carbon footprint. Examples include combustion
engine vehicles, the livestock sector, home energy use, hot water
consumption, etcetera. If more and more people choose to curb excesses and
make major changes in their lifestyles, then humanity may be spared by yet
another mass-extinction event we would barely avoid.
Overall, while world governments and corporations still have long ways to
properly address global warming, individual action will create a healthy
mindset in our society. If every person combats climate change, future
generations will be fully prepared and willing to prevent this environmental
disaster brought on by their forebearers from getting any worse.