How long is our planet truly habitable?

Our planet is a remarkable place.  It is home to billions of humans and animals, and everyone is happy to be living here.  Mother nature has done nothing but benefit us, yet we treat her poorly and pollute our planet at a very drastic rate.  If we don't take care of our world and keep emitting greenhouse gases at the astronomic rate we do, our planet won't be habitable to humans for much longer.

According to USA Today, "these past five years have been the warmest since record keeping began in the 1800's."  This is a horrible sign and it shows that global warming truly is happening.  Ice glaciers in Alaska are melting, coral reefs are dying after thousands of years of thriving in the ocean, and many species of animals are becoming endangered, while people are sitting back and contributing to the pollution.  Our greenhouse gas emissions through these past years are at an all time high which is ruining our ozone and planet.  Fossil fuel companies, single use plastic companies, and the meat and dairy industry are all top contributors to this disaster, and it seems they only care about making a profit compared to saving our planet.

Global Climate Change

Global warming is also costing our countries tax payers a large sum of money.  According to USA Today, global warming "has costed the nation at least $91 billion dollars in 2018."  This is all in efforts to help clean up the mess that we have made of our planet and try to preserve it's beauty.  So in order to live on a habitable planet and keep money in our pockets, there needs to be drastic changes in people's everyday lives.

Quadrant Online

Simple actions can be taken everyday to reduce our carbon footprint such as recycling plastics, not littering, and using public forms of transportation.  These are just simple things that truly make a difference in reducing carbon emissions into our environment.  Buying an electric car, using solar panels as a form of energy for your home, and even turning to a plant based diet are more drastic changes you can make but they can save our planet and benefit the needy in third world countries.  There is hope to change our polluted planet and reverse global warming with certain efforts that everyone is capable of doing.  Let's change our actions and save the planet before it's too late!

New York Times

Sources

Global Climate Change. 3 Nov. 2019, climate.nasa.gov/resources/

global-warming-vs-climate-change/. Accessed 25 Nov. 2019.

New York Times. www.nytimes.com/guides/year-of-living-better/

how-to-reduce-your-carbon-footprint. Accessed 25 Nov. 2019.

Quadrant Online. 7 July 2018, quadrant.org.au/global-warming/. Accessed 25 Nov.
2019.

USA Today. 21 Apr. 2019, www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/04/21/
earth-day-2019-climate-change-humans-global-warming-weather-rising-water/
3507125002/. Accessed 25 Nov. 2019.

Vegan Diets and Their Environmental Benefits

Our world is dealing with drastic climate change.  Our greenhouse gas and especially carbon levels emitted have sky rocketed in these past few years.  Our planet is emitting multiple gigatons of carbon each year, and we as people need to make a few little changes in our everyday lives to slow down or even stop global warming.

Parabol Studio

Many people think they have to join huge support groups, or donate lots of money to help the cause but that is not always true.  There are many things you can do to help reduce carbon emissions such as riding your bike to work, using solar panels for your source of power in your home, and one that I have recently adopted a different diet; veganism.

Veganism is a food plan where there are no animals or animal byproducts are consumed in any meals throughout the day.  There is lots of skepticism around the topic, but I can personally say it is extremely beneficial.  I have been feeling much better, falling asleep much easier, and have seen a drastic increase in my athletic performance and recovery times decreased.  This diet not only effects your health in a positive way, but a vegan diet also help reduce greenhouse emissions.

Vegan for the Planet

According to OMD Planet, "livestock farming produces from 20%-50% of all man-made greenhouse gas emissions."  Making it the second leading cause of greenhouse gas emissions in the world right behind the fossil fuel industry.  This is destroying our planet, and just even one meal a day can make a drastic change on greenhouse gas emissions.  Many organizations are getting behind this movement and creating many cookbook and recipe options making vegan meals delicious!  Foods don't always have to have meat in them to be delicious and very nutrient dense for our bodies.

A vegan diet also can save many people from starving around the world.  According to OMD Planet, it takes over 1,600 gallons of water to make a single 1/4 oz burger, which could easily be used by struggling third world countries.  Plant based eating could supply 30% more food to the world's population, which would save many people's lives and benefit the needy (ABC News).  A vegan plant based diet is beneficial to your personal health, feeding the starving world, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions which could ultimately end global warming and save our precious planet.

Good Shepherd Church

Sources

Good Shepherd Church. Feed My Starving Children. Lutheran Church, 2016,

     goodshepherdlutheran.com/fmsc-help/. Accessed 15 Nov. 2019.

Nourish NC. Vegan for the Planet! Vegan for the Planet, 26 Aug. 2018,     nourishcharlotte.com/blogs/news/

     vegan-for-the-planet-the-animals-and-our-fellow-humans. Accessed 15 Nov.

     2019.

OMD, LLC. "One Meal a Day for the Planet." One Meal a Day, 2019,

     omdfortheplanet.com/. Accessed 15 Nov. 2019.

ParabolStudio. Climate Change and the World in 2051. The World after Climate

     Change , 22 July 2019, www.fairobserver.com/more/environment/

     climate-change-environmental-news-global-warming-latest-world-news-47902/.

     Accessed 15 Nov. 2019.

What You Can Do to Help Prevent Climate Change, According to Experts. ABC News,

     28 Sept. 2019, abcnews.go.com/US/prevent-climate-change-experts/

     story?id=65721423. Accessed 15 Nov. 2019.