“Always pick up after yourself, because others will not.” This was something my grandfather always reminded me of in my childhood; however, it holds an even deeper meaning today. As a child, my grandpa would take me out into the countryside, hand me a litter grabber, and tell me, “Get to work!” We would spend hours in the afternoon, cleaning up the mess left behind by such ignorant people. Little did I know that small acts like this empowered me to be who I am today.

I like to consider myself an environmentalist. What is an environmentalist, you may ask? According to Britannica, it means “to follow a political and ethical movement focused on improving and protecting the quality of the natural environment.” That being said, over the last year, I’ve found a deepening passion towards our planet. Growing older, I’ve become aware of the negligence being done to our wildlife— the utter lack of care is sickening. Many of the youth around the world have been growing aware of this and have begun to strive forward in efforts for a change.

Many may ask, “What are some things I may engage in as a young environmentalist?” One simple task I have done is simple activism. By simply spreading the word, encouraging others to follow, perhaps we may reach the most lonesome ear. For example, I use many different social media platforms; there, I post about environmental and wildlife news, advocate for environmental priorities, and tell others of the importance of Mother Nature. I owe credit to my friend Zoe— she sparked my interest in environmentalism because of her activism online.

Another simple task you may partake in to protect our earth is volunteering. Countless organizations are in desperate need of volunteers; some may do animal rehabilitation, litter pick-up, beach clean-ups, repurposing of clothes, and much more. While these may seem minimal, they have a wild impact when done by many.

One thing many people do not realize they’re guilty of, but has a major impact on the environment, is their digital footprint. In recent years, online resources such as ChatGPT, Sora, Gemini, and now even Google, have had horrendous effects on the environment. By entering a prompt, these AI-powered services send your query back to their datacenters, searching for a swift response. Due to the quick and precise nature of the search, the facilities powering the computers within the datacenter are forced to overwork; this leads to overheating. That being said, a coolant is needed— and that coolant is water. Research has shown that one Google search is the equivalent of pouring out one water bottle, while one AI prompt equates to three. While many have overlooked these facts, the numbers have simply grown larger and larger. Due to incessant, useless AI usage, clean water has become limited in many areas around the world. If we do not limit our usage, one in five people will have access to drinking water in the future. So, next time you want to generate a fun image, perhaps you can draw it yourself. Or instead of using AI to write your papers, you may visit a library and research the paper alone.

There is one more simple step I believe everyone may be capable of following; it has a much larger impact than you may assume. The places you shop hold much more value than you think. Many online stores, such as SHEIN, Temu, and most of Amazon, have contributed outlandish amounts of waste to our beaches and landfills. These corporations are guilty of taking advantage of viral internet trends, mass-producing garments in incredibly unethical ways, then dispensing them as quickly as possible around the globe. While it may seem to be a cheaper alternative, these clothes are made of materials that are mostly made of plastics or microplastics, which do not decompose. So while you may be excited to receive a new, trendy dress for your birthday, be wary of the lifespan of the dress. By tossing it out or donating it, more often than not, these items end up in landfills or on beaches, resulting in catastrophic amounts of waste. One example is the Chilean coast; it is filled with endless fast-fashion waste. So, please be mindful of where you put your penny.

I hope my words may have resonated with a few of you. We only have one, God-gifted planet, so it is our duty to put forth the utmost care. By being an environmentalist, you may protect our lands and seas for your eventual children, and perhaps their children. Do not let any age fool you— no matter how small we may be, we may all, in one way or another, protect our Earth, and not just for us, but also for the Lord above.