In the year 2030, the nice blue planet we all call home will become dangerously hot as we will be faced with environmental catastrophes. At least that is what a recent report from the United Nations claims as their climate scientists estimate that in 12 years, climate conditions will be outrageously hostile for the human race.

Essentially, the report states that even the slightest increase of global warming can have a monumental impact on our world, including intense natural disasters and rising seas levels.

Obviously, this is problematic. The fact that we as human beings have continuously destroyed the environment and damaged the climate so recklessly is just sad.

Though the detrimental fate of our planet seems inevitable, there are certainly a few things that we college students can do to better prevent Earth from turning into a boiling ball of hot water.

BIKES OVER DRIVES:

Though driving is much faster and more convenient, biking to your destinations can make for a much more economical and environmentally friendly option.

If getting a nice little workout in on a bike isn’t your thing, public transportation is a great option to get from point A to point B. But if you must use a car, it’s best to gather up a few friends with a mutual destination in mind to carpool. This will reduce the number of cars that are on the road and ultimately lower the amount of pollution that contaminates our atmosphere.

EAT GREENER:

I know, saying goodbye to your beloved Double-Meat Whataburger with extra bacon might be way too hard for a lot of us.

But by simply eating less meat more often, you can drastically lower the amount of methane emissions from animals to the atmosphere. Without having to fully commit to special diets like vegetarianism or veganism, adapting greener eating habits can really go a long way.

SMARTER ENERGY:

Other ways to help control our climate’s destiny is by using our energy more wisely. By reducing the amount of energy we use at home, we can reduce the amount of toxic fumes released from power plants. By doing this, it will ultimately preserve Earth’s natural resources.

Simple switches like replacing regular bulbs with energy-efficient bulbs, unplugging electronics when they are not being used and avoiding washing clothes in hot water are simple ways to do your part to save energy.

THREE R’S:

We have always been taught how important reducing, reusing and recycling are. But how many of us actually abide by it? By practicing these behaviours, we are already lowering the risk of wasting natural resources while also avoiding the environmental deterioration. Simple tricks like reusing water bottles and increasing recycling can lead to extension of nonrenewable resources.

As college students and the voice of the next generation, we have to do what we can to save the only place we can call home. It’s not our fault that past generations have vastly contributed to the downfall of our beloved planet, but it’s up to us to be better by doing our part to change the course of our climate’s destruction.