Sarah's World Her Way

As I marvel at the world around me I have to stop and wonder, am I selfish? Here I am running my fingers through the tall blades of grass, lifting my face towards the warming sun, and listening to the chirping birds sing their afternoon song, but not doing my part to nurture my planet, my earth. I use the trees to breathe, the water to drink, and the ground to live on, but yet I don't give back to the place I call home.

This got me thinking about the ways, big or small, that I could help out our planet. A lot of people have the mentality that just one person can't make a different so why even try. That idea though, is far from the truth.

Rosa Parks wouldn't give up her seat on a bus and the waves from her actions rippled throughout the civil rights movement. Mahatma Gandhi helped India gain it's independence in 1947 with non violent principles and peaceful actions. The Wright Brothers didn't listen to people who thought they were crazy and after many failures made the first airplane in 1903.

Those are just a few of the countless people who have changed our world for the better by simply believing in themselves and what they felt was right. So yes, one person who chooses to start recycling, or starts shopping at thrift stores, can make a difference and help our planet.

Now it can be an overwhelming topic, when one looks up "how to save the planet" on the internet, but I have listed below a few ways how you can start saving the planet today.

• Shop at thrift stores.
• Recycle.
• Support local stores.
• Shop ethically.
• Buy produce at farmers markets.
• Use metal or reusable straws.
• Use reusable bags, don't use plastic!
• Volunteer.
• Bike when you can instead of driving.
• Eat vegan a couple times a week.
• Bring a reusable cup to coffee shops.
• Use a clothes line in good weather.
• Save water where you can.
• Educate yourself and others on issues the planet is facing and ways to help.
• Reduce the amount of paper used.