When was the last time you did something to help the Earth? Helping out at a local animal shelter, or planting a tree. Or maybe even just shortening the amount of time you take a shower or turning off the heat for a while and wearing a sweater instead. Contrary to popular belief, caring for the environment isn’t something that is particularly difficult to do. And in an age where pollution and deforestation is rampant, and many species in the world are on the brink of extinction, helping the environment is not only extremely helpful –it also extremely necessary.

The main problem isn’t how difficult it will be to help the environment, it’s getting people to actually care about helping the environment. In a world where digital connection is so overvalued, people are becoming increasingly self-absorbed and reliant upon objects of vanity. We are so caught up with our own problems and our own well-being. What am I going to make for dinner today? Will I have the right outfit for that party? How am I supposed to cope with all my homework? These are the things that we are most concerned with. I know that I worry about those things. This shows how selfish we have become. We don’t even have the motivation to get off of our butts and do something that doesn’t benefit ourselves.

Another reason I believe people aren’t taking more action, is because they don’t realize exactly how badly polluted our Earth is. Most people have heard about global warming and climate change, but very few people know what it is, or why it is so harmful. Most people have no idea that the world’s largest mammal, the African elephant, is endangered. Or that by 2050, it is estimated that not one single fish will be left in the ocean, as a result of over-fishing. Or that the Great Pacific Garbage Patch even exists. There are many things wrong with our planet, and if we don’t start taking action immediately, there could be horrible consequences in the future.

Now I know that it can be daunting to tackle the task. One person certainly can’t change the entire world. But if we all start to do little things to help the environment, they can build up to have a huge impact. If every single person in the United States gave up meat or cheese for a day, it would be the equivalent of taking 7.6 million cars off the road. Little things like giving up meat for a day, using public transportation to reduce CO2 emissions, and using a reusable water bottle can make a big difference.

If one person starts to take action, it can inspire another person to do the same. The world that we live in should not be taken for granted. If we don’t do enough to take care of it, it could soon be gone. Everything that makes the Earth beautiful; the oceans, the wildlife, the plants, they would all disappear. We need to be more humanitarian and less obsessed with ourselves, and realize that we have a responsibility as the inhabitants of the Earth to take care of it. It’s not that difficult.