Rising sea levels, melting glaciers, and destruction of forest life are just a few of the effects of global warming, and the only way to stop it before the consequences become deadly is by starting with ourselves. 

 Over the past decade, the earth’s temperature and troposphere have been increasing due not only to human activity, but what’s referred to as the greenhouse effect. Our home has five main layers and the troposphere is the closest atmosphere to us. The greenhouse effect is when the atmosphere becomes thick with gases and substances from greenhouses, such as carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxides, and more. When those gases are released into the air they trap the sun’s radiation resulting in the heating up of earth, an example being global warming. The reason is because carbon dioxide is a colorless gas that is produced naturally in our atmosphere as a trace gas. CO2 is a huge enemy when it comes to this issue because the more that’s released into the atmosphere the hotter earth’s surface will become. 

So, what exactly can individuals do to help? According to Melissa Denchak, a freelance writer and editor, it is actually fairly easy. First, start with spreading the word by posting the global problem on social media or simply telling a friend or family member. The most important detail on climate change is awareness, so letting people know that you care about the problem is an important step. 

Two, save water. Reducing water waste can help decrease the amount of carbon dioxide in the air because it takes a massive amount of energy to heat, pump, and treat the water that we use every day. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), an independent agency of the United States federal government estimated that if one out of every 100 American homes was retrofitted with water-efficient fixtures, about 100 million kilowatt-hours of electricity per year would be saved and 80,000 tons of global warming pollution would be avoided.

Three, switch to energy-efficient appliances by searching for ones with the Energy Star label, and avoid using outlets if unnecessary because even when devices, tools, or such aren’t charging energy is still being used. 

Four, recycle bottles, paper, cardboard, and other recyclable materials, and reuse  plastic containers, bags, and other things that you often throw out. These simple actions will help reduce landfills and limit production of these items, both of which help the planet. You can even cut down on waste by buying eco-friendly products. 

Five, replace your light bulbs if you haven’t already with compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs. They consume 70% less energy than regular bulbs and last longer. 

These are just a few simple ways that are not too extreme that one can do to help save our world from blazing up in a ball of fire. Of course, there are hundreds of other things that you can do to assist our home before the consequences become deadly. Just remember to keep in mind that even the smallest actions can make a difference and it starts with you.