What can you do, as a student, to help save the environment?

Young people have a vested interest in saving the environment. They will obviously want the planet to be a safe and pleasant place for them and their children and grandchildren to inhabit. In order to achieve this aim, they will have to do their bit to preserve the environment from such dangers as global warming and pollution.

Many families across the world already recycle as much household waste as possible. As well as helping out with the household recycling, young people can practise recycling in their lives outside the home. They can make sure that they recycle, for example, all newspapers, all paper and cardboard packaging and all cans of the kind containing soft drinks.

Young people can make sure that they do not accept a plastic bag in which to carry their purchases from shops. Instead, they should put these items in a bag, such as a schoolbag or briefcase, which they happen to be carrying. Alternatively, they can get into the habit of carrying a reusable bag when they go shopping.

Young people can change their eating habits in order to help the environment. They can reduce their consumption of heavily packaged snacks and fast foods. Instead, they can stave off hunger with something package-free such as a piece of fruit.

It has become popular for people to carry bottled water with them. Water is very good for our health, but plastic bottles are far from being environmentally friendly. We should all consider taking a reusable bottle and filling it with tap use a filter. water. If we feel the tap water needs improvement, we can

In order to save the resources of the planet we should be careful not to waste water. Obviously, the average household uses a great deal of water to wash, clean, cook and assuage thirst. However, young people can get into the habit of using water as sparingly as possible. For example, they can avoid leaving bath taps running while they go to their bedroom to fetch a towel. If they are held up in any way, the water may overflow and be wasted.

In order to conserve planet resources young people should switch off lights when a room is empty or when it is not dark. They can replace light bulbs with low-energy ones. Also, they can make it a habit to switch off electrical appliances when these are not in use. Another useful thing they can do is not to overuse central heating or air-conditioning systems. These use a lot of energy when working.

Emissions from cars represent a major threat to the environment. These can be reduced if more people take public transport. Sometimes young people have to persuade their parents to let them take the school bus. In the morning parents are often in a rush to get to work. They find it easier to whisk their children to school by car.

Persuasion may have to be used on some parents if children are to be allowed to walk or cycle to school. Nowadays, parents tend to be more protective of their children, more conscious of possible dangers. This makes them less likely to let their children go to school on foot or by bike. If they could overcome these fears, both the environment and the children themselves would benefit. The environment would be less polluted and the children would get more exercise!

Children are often very inventive. Many of them may come up with some original ideas for saving the planet. They should be encouraged to put on their thinking caps.