According to the study, “Has the Earth’s sixth mass extinction already arrived?” published by Nature, an international journal publishing scientific studies, “Biologists now suggest that a sixth mass extinction may be under way.” At the center of it all are humans, like myself, who cause detrimental effects to Mother Earth. After the recent celebration of Earth Day on April 22, I thought about the things I could have done to be part of the solution to renewing Earth’s resources.

From fast fashion to landfills, humans are the number one contributors to climate change, pollution, ocean acidification and numerous damaging impacts. As someone who partakes in natural hobbies such as gardening, I’ve witnessed firsthand Earth’s wonders. Ultimately, Earth nourishes humans with its natural resources and is the reason people are able to function in their day to day lives.

Fortunately, the Bonita Vista High (BVH) community celebrates and acknowledges Earth Day and incorporates it as part of their culture. From Youth4Sustainability’s activism on campus to educating students on environmental impacts of historical events, there is a clear drive to educate one another about how people can change for the better to renew the Earth.

To keep the activist momentum going, students should consider Earth Day as an everyday holiday. That includes promoting eco-friendly lifestyles on social media, along with environmental bills such as S. 3456: Navigable Waters Protection Act of 2022—a bill to define what bodies of water are protected by law in the United States.

For some, getting started in environmental activism can be overwhelming. It’s easy to get lost in the sea of environmental practices found all over the internet. However, doing even the simplest of things is a right step in helping the Earth:

1. Turn it off. Energy conservation is one of the most important and simple things you can do to reduce your carbon footprint. Tasks as simple as turning the lights off when the sun is out can be a lot more helpful than you think. Turning off the lights at home prevents the disruption of the environment’s natural light cycles that species are accustomed to.
2. Eat less meat. Reducing your meat consumption can have significant impacts on reducing your carbon footprint by decreasing the demand for farmed livestock and reducing greenhouse gasses. Reducing the consumption of meat means less methane gasses secreted by cows into the atmosphere, along with a decrease of deforestation to make room for livestock.
3. Compost. This helps create a natural fertilizer while improving your own garden. Along with that, it reduces the amount of waste going to landfills and decreases the build up of methane gas.
4. Use LED light bulbs. LED lights use less power and decrease the frequency of having to change the bulbs. What’s more, they last longer than conventional bulbs and are far more efficient too.

For all of the resources the Earth provides us, it deserves to be cared for in return. On campus, BVH students do a tremendous job in advocating for our environment. Now, it’s up to individuals outside of BVH to continue advocating for the Earth. Following the steps above is just a start for people to get involved, but the support from the whole BVH community will help make our Earth a better place for all.