In 1970, Earth Day started as a one-day national demonstration organized by a United States senator from Wisconsin. Afterward, rallies took place across the country. By the end of the year, the US government had established the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Twenty years later, in 1990, Earth Day became a worldwide annual celebration and was celebrated by more than 140 countries. Celebrating Earth Day each year inspires us to do the right thing for each other and our planet.
The world is ever-changing. It is also awe inspiring. For those of us who are curious and adventurous, our planet inspires new ideas. Many inventions are inspired by nature. Unfortunately, many of our inventions may also harm the earth. These inventions include the things we need every day, like cars, planes, and electricity. Practices like mining, logging, and manufacturing are sometimes necessary to make the things we need every day, such as homes, metals, and other minerals. These practices may harm the earth through pollution, water pollution, and deforestation.
Many of the things we make are meant to make life better for humans. But humans share this planet with countless other living things. That’s why it is our responsibility to take care of the environment. Sometimes, the problems we cause through technology inspire technological solutions, too.
It takes a lot of hard work and dedication, but we can fight today’s climate change challenges by:
- Shifting to renewable energy like wind power and solar power
- Driving fuel efficient cars or even electric cars
- Recycling so we can cut down fewer trees for paper products
- Using biodegradable materials for plastics, in addition to recycling plastics
- Establishing safety practices to make sure runoff from mines does not poison clean water sources
- Reducing our water usage and other precious resources for manufacturing and nonessential things
- Planting trees and picking up litter
- Cutting back on how much meat we eat by exploring different sources of protein
- Changing our approach to farming by growing plants vertically, so less space is used while more produce can be grown
There are a lot of things that we as a society can do, but it cannot happen overnight. It takes a lot of work, study, and practice to make these kinds of changes happen. It takes strong kids like you to remind adults that years from now, you and your kids will still be here, and we need to take care of the planet for you.
As the years go by, the technology that makes these things possible only gets better and more reliable, and that’s not possible without scientists and engineers! Young engineers like you will pave the way to a better future. Sometimes it takes big organizations to fight climate change, but each of us can do little things to make the world a better place.
Here are a few things that kids like you can do right now to improve our planet:
- Reduce how much water you use by turning off the faucet while you brush your teeth, or taking shorter showers
- Conserve energy by turning off the light in rooms you are not using
- Start a garden and grow all sorts of plants that will make the bees happy
- Use reusable containers, bags, and silverware instead of single-use plastics
- Minimize food waste by only buying only what you need at the grocery store and composting vegetable scraps, if you can
- Take public transportation or carpool with trusted friends and family when you can
- Build things that help the wildlife near you, like a bird feeder
- Collect litter when you see it in a place it doesn’t belong, like a campsite or a park
Kid inventors have come up with some really cool ideas to help fight climate change. Do you have any ideas for an invention that can help the planet?
