πππ πΏπππππ ππ π·ππππ πππππ
How I plan on minimizing my carbon footprint!
The travel route in which garbage takes after human consumption really worries me. Throwing out my plastic drink cup from a coffee shop doesn't seem like a big deal, until I really think about where its final resting place lies. The cup could end up virtually anywhere, and I was mindlessly going about my days very oblivious to this bad habit. That same cup could float out of the public trash in a bad wind gust, end up being tossed around in the street, or even find itself in Lake Michigan. I had NO IDEA where my trash was actually going, or how it was affecting my environment.
While being in a city, I started to notice all the little actions piling up that lead to my large carbon footprint. I was using up a lot of plastic and paper products in ways that I didn't even think about. For instance, I went through rolls of paper towels within weeks and threw away so many dryer sheets in mini trash bins full of plastic bags. All of these actions could be changed, and yet I stayed being part of a much bigger problem!
According to Active Sustainability, the top 100 major corporations of the world produce around 70% of the emitted pollution we find in our oceans and air quality. Consumers don't necessarily have a huge say in changing this immense practice or creating more sustainable production. However, we have the power to make minor changes for our hometowns and our cities!
Even with these minor changes to shifting how much waste we create, it can tremendously help the organisms and plants in which we coexist with. In order to begin an effective plan for being mindful of my trash, I had to revaluate how I was moving around in daily life.
Breaking Down My Garbage:
If I had to really think about where my personal waste was ending up, I needed to break it down into categories. This analysis is a great way to compartmentalize my own impact on the environment. It gets me thinking about how I can proceed to change my ways for the future!
In the chart above, you'll notice 4 main categories: recycling centers, reusing materials, composting, and landfills. These terms are used to describe how I believe my waste is being disposed of, and what my activity has been like!
Let's take a look:
- Reusing Materials: 20%
- Recycling Centers: 10%
- Composting: 5%
- Landfills: 65%
A huge chunk of my garbage includes paper, plastic, old food, and bottles from makeup products or other hygeine necessities. Around 65% of this probably ends up in a landfill somewhere. My garbage is most likely leaking into water systems, left to rot in piles, or even being burned. Only 35% of my recycling activity is actually beneficial, as I have infrequently made an effort to recycle materials, bring my supplies to local centers, or practice composting with a garden. These tasks are done only if I remember to do so!
So, how do I change these behaviors? By brainstorming a whole new vision!
Referring to the pie chart above, you will see a brand new layout of my hopes for changing my carbon footprint. Reusing my materials, researching animal health, and figuring out all the connections I have to an urban environment will greatly improve my understanding of the environment.
Reusing materials can look like keeping food containers as planters instead of throwing them out, or even saving my shampoo bottles for future art projects! By lessening the amount of times I need to throw away garbage, there will be less of a need to buy plastic bags for trash or worry about the mass amount of plastic being put back out into the world.
But, the two most influential categories of this chart are narrowed down to: urban environmentalism and animal health. In most cities, the temperatures tend to be much hotter in the summer months because of the concrete infrastructure. To reduce the amount of waste in buying fruit or produce in plastic containers at the store, creating mini gardens in your home can be a much better alternative! By having more plants around, it actually helps cool the air and provide more of a natural setting to your square space. Making an effort with your community to maintain gardens, floral decor, or even planting more trees can make the air a little brighter!
In regards to researching the health of our fellow animal residents, whether it be in a city like Chicago or a suburban lifestyle, creatures dwell everywhere. By connecting with these organisms on a new level, you become more motivated for the cause! Having empathy for life around you, knowing their health needs, and understanding their body systems is a positive change to your daily routine! Not only is this a cool form of research, but is knowledge that becomes extremely necessary when linking your waste disposal to the well being of all animals.
Reducing my Environmental Impact:
Now that I've come up with a plan for helping oceans and dry lands stay clean, what are the points of action?
To stay true to my word, I've made a list of the things I am doing to keep a clean lifestyle.
My Helpful List for Environmental Mindfulness:
1. Lessening Energy Usage
-Unplug useless electronics, don't leave unnecessary lights on, and avoid being an energy vampire with your chargers!
2. Taking Advantage of CTA/Public Transportation
-Traveling in Uber carpools, taking the train, renting bikes, and even getting on the bus saves on gas from individual cars. Not only is keeping a car expensive, but it releases a lot of pollution. Especially, when a car is being used in a crowded city. If you need to use a car, that is perfectly understandable! However, if you have the option to use public transportation, there is no harm in switching.
3. Supporting Small Businesses
-Small business owners put a lot of hardwork into their craft, and would certainly appreciate you giving them your business! Instead of shopping for shampoo at a major store chain, try getting an eco-friendly shampoo bar that is hand-made with love at a local place! Here are some of my favorite etsy shops you can check out:
4. Avoiding Fast Fashion and Impulse Buys
-I absolutely love fashion, and I am a sucker for the cheap prices of retailers such as Forever 21, Shein, and Romwe. However, fashion trends change and these pieces of clothing may get left to waste. Hundreds of thousands of clothes get shipped to landfills overseas, never get used, and sit in garbage dumps for years. Unfortunately, many clothing can also end up floating around our oceans.
In order to prevent this, try doing things like: buying clothes from small shops, getting them from friends, purchasing from garage sales, and browsing thrift shops in your area.
5. Donating Clothing and Hand-made Art to Houseless Communities
If you have a lot of clothing that is comfy, but no longer serves you, consider donating! Depending on the condition of your clothes, you can always rehome them to folks of your town that are in need. Additionally, if you create art out of old plastic or paper items, they can be displayed for the community or even given as gifts!
Think of steps you can take to not only provide for yourself, but to be aware of those around you!
Hope these ideas can help you get a jump-start on being eco-friendly! (γ£ββ‘β)γ£ β₯ Think of the Earth β₯
About the Creator
Pyrolysis as a Strategic Instrument in Modern Forest Management
Forest management has entered a phase defined by competing pressures. Fire risk is rising. Biomass residues are accumulating. Carbon accounting expectations are tightening. Pyrolysis has emerged as a technical lever capable of addressing these constraints simultaneously. Its value lies not in abstract sustainability claims, but in its operational and ecological consequences when integrated into forestry systems.
By Wayne Shen7 days ago in Earth
China Bans Rare Earth and Strategic Exports to Japan After Takaichiβs Comments
Chinaβs decision to ban certain rare earths and other strategic exports to Japan for military purposes has sent a sharp signal across the Asia-Pacific region. Triggered by comments from Japanese politician Sanae Takaichi, the move highlights how trade, technology, and national security are now inseparable in an era of intensifying geopolitical rivalry. What may appear on the surface as a targeted trade restriction is, in reality, part of a much broader struggle over influence, deterrence, and the future balance of power in East Asia. By using export controls as a political response, Beijing has once again demonstrated how economic tools are becoming central instruments of statecraft. The Spark: Takaichiβs Comments and Beijingβs Reaction Sanae Takaichi, a prominent conservative figure in Japanese politics, has been outspoken on issues related to defense, Taiwan, and Japanβs strategic autonomy. Her recent remarks β interpreted in Beijing as provocative and aligned with a more assertive military posture β appear to have crossed a red line for Chinese authorities. While Beijing did not frame its decision explicitly as retaliation, the timing left little doubt. China announced restrictions on the export of certain rare earth elements and other materials deemed sensitive for military applications, specifically targeting shipments to Japan. The message was unmistakable: political rhetoric has consequences, and China is prepared to use its economic leverage to enforce boundaries. Why Rare Earths Matter So Much Rare earth elements are not rare in geological terms, but they are extremely difficult and costly to process. China dominates global refining capacity, giving it outsized influence over supply chains essential to modern technology. These materials are critical for advanced weapons systems, electric vehicles, wind turbines, semiconductors, radar systems, and missile guidance technologies. Japan, despite being a technological powerhouse, relies heavily on imported rare earths, particularly from China. By restricting exports for military purposes, Beijing is targeting a strategic vulnerability. Even limited disruptions can slow production, raise costs, and force governments to rethink procurement and defense planning. Economic Statecraft in Action Chinaβs move fits into a broader pattern of economic statecraft, where trade and investment tools are used to achieve political objectives. Over the past decade, Beijing has increasingly demonstrated a willingness to weaponize its economic position when disputes escalate. Japan is hardly alone in facing this pressure. Other countries have experienced similar tactics, from trade slowdowns to informal boycotts. What makes this case particularly sensitive is its explicit link to military use, pushing the dispute beyond economics and firmly into national security territory. For Beijing, the logic is straightforward. If rivals frame China as a threat, China will respond by reminding them of their dependencies. Japanβs Strategic Dilemma Tokyo now faces a difficult balancing act. On one hand, Japan has been steadily strengthening its defense posture in response to regional threats, including North Koreaβs missile program and Chinaβs growing military presence. On the other, it remains deeply integrated into China-centered supply chains. The export ban reinforces long-standing fears within Japan about overreliance on a single supplier for critical materials. It also strengthens arguments among Japanese policymakers for diversifying supply chains, investing in domestic processing, and deepening cooperation with allies. However, diversification takes time and money. Alternative suppliers exist, but scaling up production and refining capacity outside China is neither quick nor cheap. In the short term, Japan must manage the immediate impact while signaling resolve without provoking further escalation. Regional and Global Implications Chinaβs decision is being closely watched across the region and beyond. For the United States and its allies, it underscores the strategic risks of concentrated supply chains and the urgency of building resilient alternatives. Washington has already been pushing for closer coordination with allies on critical minerals, including rare earths. The move against Japan may accelerate these efforts, encouraging deeper cooperation between the U.S., Japan, Australia, and European partners. At the same time, the episode adds another layer of tension to an already volatile regional environment. With disputes over Taiwan, maritime boundaries, and military modernization simmering, economic pressure increases the risk of miscalculation. A Message Beyond Japan While Japan is the immediate target, the signal is global. Beijing is reminding other countries that political statements, particularly on security matters, are not cost-free. The use of export controls as a response to rhetoric β not just policy actions β suggests a lowering threshold for economic retaliation. For middle powers navigating between China and the West, this creates a chilling effect. Governments may think twice before making public statements that could invite economic consequences, even when those statements align with domestic political priorities. Critics argue that such tactics undermine trust and accelerate decoupling. Supporters within China counter that the country is merely defending its interests in a hostile international environment. The Risk of Accelerated Decoupling Ironically, Chinaβs use of export restrictions may hasten the very outcome it seeks to avoid: reduced dependence on Chinese supply chains. Each instance of economic pressure reinforces the perception that reliance on China carries political risk. Japan has already begun investing in rare earth recycling, alternative sourcing, and partnerships with resource-rich countries. This latest move is likely to intensify those efforts, even if it comes at higher short-term costs. Over time, a more diversified global supply chain could weaken Chinaβs leverage. But in the near term, Beijingβs dominance remains a powerful tool β one it appears willing to use. Conclusion: Trade as a Battlefield Chinaβs ban on certain rare earth and strategic exports to Japan is more than a trade dispute. It is a vivid example of how economic power is being deployed as a strategic weapon in a world defined by rivalry and mistrust. For Japan, the episode is a wake-up call about vulnerability and resilience. For China, it is a demonstration of strength and deterrence. And for the rest of the world, it is a reminder that in todayβs geopolitical landscape, supply chains are as consequential as alliances. As tensions continue to rise, one thing is clear: the era of neutral trade is fading. In its place stands a world where economics and politics are tightly bound β and where a single comment can ripple through global markets and military planning alike.
By Muhammad Hassan6 days ago in Earth
Comments