Focusing on the parts that make me feel hopeful: both of my parents are biologists with focus in wildlife and environmental conservation, so I grew up in a world of study and practice in saving our planet. While I face the same challenges as everyone else of navigating a world fueled by non-renewable resources and single-use plastics/materials, I see a lot of hope for our future in the number of people who want to make a difference. On top of ordinary people who want to do as much as they can in their day-to-day, there people like my parents ready to go further. While attending college online, I took an introductory course with about a hundred other students. Of those students, at least twenty of them were majoring in the same degrees and/or fields as my parents. To see so many people out of just a hundred students who are going to commit their professional lives to saving our planet is one of the most hopeful things I can think of.

"Unlike rainforests or coral reefs, peatlands have largely been ignored by researchers and policymakers, to the extent that we don’t even know where all of the world’s peatlands are." This quote, from a 2017 article by Jeremy Hance from The Guardian, is the exact point that provides our best chance to save peatlands regardless of where you are: approach policymakers and researchers.

Growing up, my grandparents always recycled.  Several years ago, we were informed by a gentleman at the local dump that recycling is pointless and not effective.  So, we stopped.

It feels good to recycle, again.

Realistically, all products have a carbon footprint- the energy that it takes to create a product such as drywall, paint, etc... contributes to the carbon footprint.

Realistically, all products have a carbon footprint- the energy that it takes to create a product such as drywall, paint, etc... contributes to the carbon footprint.

It’s hard to imagine that the changes in my behaviors and purchases will positively effect climate change, but I will continue to reduce waste and the purchase of plastic.

Reusable cups/utensils.  Not using straws.  Plastic ends up in the water and kills animals and the water system.

My purchases and the waste that contributes to our landfills.

I have never been a fan of wasting food.  In fact, my grandma always called me the garbage disposal.  Never let food/leftovers go to waste.