7 Reasons To Take Active Responsibility In Caring For The Environment

You don’t have to be a tree-hugging environmentalist to be aware of the detrimental impacts we have caused to Mother Nature.

Even climate skeptics and global warming deniers admit we have, indeed, caused irreversible damage to our planet.

But, why do we need to care for the environment? Some of you are rolling your eyes at this question already because the answer is obvious.

Anyone who has ever seen the green arrows of the universal recycling symbol, or the sign on the paper towel dispenser that says “save paper, air dry your hands,” knows to an extent that conserving resources contributes to helping the environment.

So, why do we still ignore these signs and rip out two paper towels (because one is never enough) every time we wash our hands?

Why do we leave the faucet turned on while we’re brushing our teeth? Why do we never bother to turn off the lights during the day when we know the sunlight is bright enough?

We just don’t care enough -- that’s why. We refuse to acknowledge that our small efforts will add up to contribute a change for the better.

But, you know what?

The phrase “no small change” can’t be more appropriate than when it comes to caring for the environment.

Therefore, this argument is invalid.

There are compelling and legitimate reasons to care for the environment, and as long as you understand these arguments, you should feel comfortable with caring for the environment first, before you allow yourself to enjoy it.

Reveal your good side.

Let’s face it: We’re all a bunch of freeloaders. We live off nature’s free air, clean water, gorgeous landscapes and habitable lands.

And how do we return the favor? Pollution.

Not caring about our carbon footprints and environmental impact makes us look like the immature kids who never grew up, constantly needing others to pick up after us because we're completely irresponsible.

That’s right; our attitudes toward the environment say something about our personalities to others.

So, peel off that layer of indifference and reveal your caring side. Trust me, there is nothing sexier than appreciating the environment by protecting and preserving it.

Think of the animal hobos.

I’m sure by now you’ve all seen photos of sad polar bears surrounded by a sea of melted ice caps. But, it’s not just the cute polar bears; there are countless species facing endangerment because of their loss of habitat.

Habitat loss and degradation of ecosystems are all due to human activity, climate change and pollution.

What people fail to realize is we need biodiversity just as much as the plants and animals that need their natural habitats. We live off of various species and plants to eat, air to breathe, water to drink and resources to provide shelter and necessities.

The more flourished our planet’s biodiversity is, the greater the chance for humankind to enjoy what Earth has to offer.

Help your wallet.

There are certain aspects about leading an environmentally-conscious lifestyle that means spending more money, but not most of the time.

Going green is financially beneficial if you’re smart about it. There are so many different ways to reduce energy consumption and reuse existing resources to help your wallet.

For example, keeping lights on all day is a huge waste of electricity, especially when you consider the fact that lighting is responsible for a quarter of all energy consumption worldwide.

Even commuting to work or school on a bike could drastically reduce your expenses (and waistline).

Don’t even get me started on the fact that you’d save up to five gallons per day if you stopped brushing your teeth with the water running.

It’s worth taking a few minutes to evaluate and observe how you’re using energy in your day-to-day life. Simple changes can make a significant difference in your monthly expenses.

You don't want to keep inhaling a potential heart attack.

Nobody is a fan of living in smog and pollution. It’s even been proven by medical researchers that inhaling air pollution can lead to heart disease.

Since life without oxygen is impossible, we should seriously pay more attention to how much we’re contributing to global air pollution.

Not even an Instagram filter can fix ugly scenery.

Breathtaking views and pearly beaches will cease to be a reality if we continue polluting the Earth at the rate we’re going.

Trash is infiltrating even the most remote hidden corners of the world, and if we don’t fix our ways, we’ll soon be vacationing in trash-filled beaches.

It’s getting really hot in here.

Climate change is happening, whether you want to believe it or not.

We’re obviously the ones who are largely responsible for these changes in climate patterns because our activities have been depositing large amounts of CO2 and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

Even the slightest temperature changes can lead to increased occurrences of devastating storms and dangerous weather patterns.

Don’t leave a legacy of screw-ups for future generations.

It would be selfish to only care for ourselves when thinking about the deteriorating Earth.

If you are aware of the dangers and problems future generations will have to deal with because of current issues, why wouldn’t you commit to making a few sacrifices to prevent others from suffering?

It's like what Teddy Roosevelt said:

“But there must be the look ahead, there must be a realization of the fact that to waste, to destroy, our natural resources, to skin and exhaust the land instead of using it so as to increase its usefulness, will result in undermining in the days of our children the very prosperity which we ought by right to hand down to them amplified and developed.”

Caring for the environment doesn’t mean you have to start exclusively buying organic products and give up on your dream car for a Prius.

You don’t have to start buying clothes made out of hemp fabric and start making your own laundry detergent.

You don’t necessarily need to make sweeping life changes to commit to helping the planet.