Many teenagers believe the misconception that they're too young to help save our environment. The truth is that anyone can aid in the fight. I'd like to share my ideas to show you how there are many simple things you can do for a better future.

One action I take to protect our earth is to save all my school papers, letters from friends and mail, and recycle them. During the school day I toss my old school papers in the recycling bins which are in every classroom. If your school doesn't recycle paper, maybe you can start this at your school. At home I save all my papers and mail to give to a friend who drops it at the recycling center at her work (or I bring it to school). Also, when I'm finished with magazines I pass them along to a friend or donate them to my local library.

I use glass for drinking instead of paper or Styrofoam cups. This will help keep our environment clean as well as reduce the amount of trash. If I'm visiting at someone's house I also offer to wash the dishes I use so it's not extra for the host. I hope that by setting an example, my friends and family will also become concerned about our endangered surroun ings.

For the past year I have been wearing disposable contact lenses and at my next eye exam I plan to switch to regular ones. Disposable contacts come in two plastic containers, one for each eye, and are worn for two weeks and thrown out. I hope that by switching I will influence my eye doctor to rethink the effects of disposable contacts and their packaging on our land.

Another way I defend our earth is to bring my sandwich and snack to school in a Tupperware container and my drink in a plastic, recyclable bottle, so I doo't have to throw out anything. If I didn't do this I'd be discarding a cardboard drink box, plastic bags for my sandwich and snack, as well as a brown paper bag to carry them in.

I hope that you now believe your efforts can make a difference in the environmental fight. By using these and ideas of your own, we can clean up the problems that exist and prevent new ones from occurring. All it takes is one person to set a good example and others will follow. Won't you take action today? n