From a single cell to a massive whale, all creatures share this planet. With living things in the depths of the deepest oceans, to the tops of the mountains, Earth is truly a magical place. Every memory, thought, and action has all taken place on this planet. Taking care of ecosystems, providing food for its inhabitants, and overall, just giving us the perfect home, the Earth does so much for us. It is time we do stuff in return, because in the end there is no PLANet B.

The Earth is currently infected with a virus. A virus called humanity. Everyday Humans do things furthering Earths deadly disease. A disease more deadly than we imagine. We must stop infecting the Earth before we spread and infect other planets. Every plastic bottle, every greenhouse gas, every piece of litter is making our home sicker. We are sitting on a planet that literally gives us everything and we give it nothing.

This Earth Day we must celebrate our home, but also reflect. Reflect on the damage we are causing and our actions. Single use plastics account for more than 40% of plastic produced yearly. These products sometimes have a lifespan of minutes, yet they live in the environment forever. These plastics are eventually broken down into what is known as microplastics. Microplastics are very small pieces of broken-down plastic. These microplastics find their way into our food, and even the water we drink. Plastic is infecting every corner of our globe. From the tips of the mountains to the deepest oceans. Not only are we killing the earth, but we are also killing our fellow animals. Plastic is infecting wildlife across the globe. Each year about 8 million tons of plastic are dumped into the oceans, that so many animals call home.

Although plastic is almost a necessity in modern life, we could do without it. It is not too late to turn things around. The production of plastic is expected to double by 2050. We must turn things around. As Earth’s most intelligent species, we must do something. In the end, by killing our home we are killing ourselves. We must not leave it up to people in power to change our lifestyle, we must change ourselves. Every action, every good deed toward the earth counts. We must not only save our planet but save our neighbors that live here with us.

We must first begin by changing our lifestyle. Getting rid of single use plastic can make a huge difference. By buying reusable items (which there are so many options for) you can make a huge difference. Although it may be pricy, nothing beats the cost of saving our planet.

So, this year on earth day it is a time to change. It is a time to not only reflect on the past but change the future. Us students at BHS can be the ones to change. It is up to us to change the course of humanity. So why is the climate changing, but not us?

Works Cited

Parker, Laura. “Plastic Pollution Facts and Information.” Environment, National Geographic, 10 Feb. 2021, www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/plastic-pollution.