Our Planet Needs Us!!

For too long humans have been caught up in turning a quick profit, and focusing on everyday life. Climate change is truly life or death and it’s time we treat it like the crisis it is. The health of our planet often gets put on the back burner, and though this is understandable, since life is busy, it is crucial that we use our voices more, and have climate change on our minds more. We need to think about the environment in our everyday decisions. 

Buying more sustainably produced items is one way to make a small difference. This may not work every time, because sustainable goods can be expensive. But it is crucial we be more environmentally conscious in our purchases whenever we can. Thrifting is another way to make an environmental impact. Even if you do your shopping online, there’s a thrifting website called poshmark which is simple, and quite honestly more cost effective than most options. By implementing such changes, we can reduce the 1.2 billion tons of carbon dioxide produced annually by the clothing industry. 

Another big contributor to global warming and water pollution is agriculture. Agriculture makes up about 11% of global carbon emissions annually. One solution to this issue is to buy from local farms and buy organic produce. Buying locally guarantees more sustainable farming practices are being implemented. If you’ve ever driven by a farm and seen cows grazing, that’s amazing because that’s where your food is coming from contrary to many supermarkets which get their meats from factory farms that have no regard for the animals they raise or the detrimental effects on the environment and climate that come from raising animals in such environments. 

Now, I would like to address the elephant in the room, the energy sector, producing a whopping 75% of global greenhouse gas emissions. While things like cars are included in this percentage, the main proponent of these emissions is from oil giants like ExxonMobil. Some other companies like Shell consistently underreport the environmental impacts that their practices cause, and I’m sure that you’re all aware of Exxon Mobil’s greenwashing which just shows how little they care about the environment. There is little we can do about these companies besides suing them and advocating to change the legislation that subsidizes their businesses. 

I apologize if this information makes you depressed, but I strongly believe that misinformation, misunderstanding and non-fact-based stories are the enemy of progress. I feel the need to share this with you today. Now, I’m going to focus on the progress we have made and what we can continue to do in the future. I happen to be an optimist and I believe that it is not in our nature as humans to destroy each other and the place we live. 

So, what can you do to make an impact? Talk about climate change. Yes, it’s scary, but to truly change, it is necessary to face our problems head on instead of pretending they don’t exist because when we ignore them, they grow. So, don’t be afraid.  Maybe you recommend a new sustainable brand to a friend, just normalizing the discussion. Next, as we already talked about buying second hand clothing, there are a multitude of consignment and thrift shops around, and plenty of online resources. You can also buy local produce and meats and eat what’s in season around you. Eating fewer meat and dairy products has also proven to be beneficial for both personal health, and the environment. 

Now, please go out there and talk about the need to take action to reverse the impacts of climate change!

Kaeleigh Belanger lives in West Newbury and is a member of the class of 2027 at the Pingree School. She shared this perspective at the April 18 Earth Day Celebration in Market Square in Newburyport.

To read Kaeleigh's complete presentation, please download the file below.

ACES believes we can make a BIG difference together. Team members invite you to stay updated on environmental matters by subscribing to our monthly newsletter via the “Join Our List” link on this page. Please consider joining our community of stewards who are committed to Make Every Day Earth Day by contacting acesnewburyport@gmail.com.

This educational column first appeared in The Daily News of Newburyport on April 2, 2025.