Little known things you can do to help save the world

The repercussions of Global Warming can seem terrifying as wildfires blaze burning, and sea levels rise, destroying countless homes and ecosystems. As nature continues to take its course, there are small steps we can take to help reverse the effects of climate change. The most crucial step is spreading knowledge about how to help our home, Mother Earth.

The scientific community has concluded every year; human activity pumps more than 50 billion metric tons of additional greenhouse gases into the air. If you're wondering what 50 billion metric tons might look like, consider about 30,000,000 SUV s' stretching over the length of maybe 500,000 football fields. Now that's a lot of yards!

Greenhouse gases are gases in Earth's atmosphere that trap heat. These gases are a good thing because Earth would be too cold without them. You may think higher temperatures and warmer weather would make for more fun in the sun, but the effects run deeper than just a hotter day. Sea levels will rise in volume and temperature, causing severe damage to the ocean's ecosystem. Still, human activity is pushing an excessive amount of gases, primarily carbon, into our atmosphere, causing Earth's temperature to rise at an exponential rate.

Various everyday activities you and I engage in directly or indirectly impact our environment on a global scale. In the United States, we burn fossil fuels like oil, coal, and gas. These fossil fuels power almost all automobiles, including planes, trains, or anything that runs on gas. If we can curb carbon emissions, we can help regulate Earth's temperature over time.

Here's a couple of simple steps to reduce carbon emissions:

Eat less meat: Now, no one is saying to become a vegetarian or vegan, but if you are already, kudos. Eliminating meat from your diet once a week can be a significant influence on the environment. Big farms or agribusiness is one of the biggest emitters of greenhouse gases, and buying their meat funds their factories.

Carpool or Drive less: Try biking to work, using public transportation, or carpooling with a co-worker. Saving the amount of fuel we burn by sharing a ride is a small way to help the environment. The idea is to reduce the amount of energy and fossil fuels we burn.

Plant a Garden: Plants absorb carbon dioxide and increase air quality. Plants are also known to lower stress levels and improve sleep. Balcony gardens are most favorable for city dwellers.

Eat Local/Organic: Agricultural livestock is responsible for the most prominent carbon emission in history. Making an effort to eat more local and in-season produce; will taste great, and fresh produce will retain its shelf life for an extended period saving you a couple of dollars. Eating locally grown food supports your community and gives you peace of mind about where your food has been.

Air Dry: Letting your clothes dry naturally will not only add years to the life of your clothes, but it's also good for the environment. Dryers use five times the electricity a washing machine does. By drying one load of clothes, you can save ⅓ of your clothes' carbon footprint (they'll last longer).

Composting: If you're planning on starting a garden, you should consider composting. Composting is beneficial for the environment by re-purposing organic matter; it reduces the need for chemical fertilizers and reduces landfill waste.

Society must take a giant step towards going green to protect the future. Huge companies like Microsoft and Amazon are forming plans right now to reduce their carbon footprint. None of their projects are written in stone just yet. Cutting the use of fossil fuels, especially for companies that rely on them every single waking hour, will be challenging. Their long-term goals include shortening their carbon emission in half by 2030, and by 2050 their goal is to be carbon-free. Cutting reliance on fossil fuels is the only way to help reverse the effects of climate change. You might not feel like you're making a huge difference at first, but you have to be the change you want to see in the world. We need Earth; Earth does not need us.