Article 1
Sustainability – stop eating credit cards!
The average person swallows almost five grams of microplastic a week. That equals the size of a credit card, sounds disgusting, right? But this is of course not at all compareble to what an amount of plastic we find in the oceans. While you‘re reading this fish are swimming through things like food wrappers, bottles and plastic forks, the same kind that we use at school on a daily basis. The truth is, a lot of pollution is caused by everyday choices – what we eat, throw away and what we buy. But there‘s also good news: this also means we can be part of the solution. Let‘s take a closer look into the topic of sustainability and the protection of our environment because especially for us students, living more sustainably is possible and honestly also necessary.
First of all, I want to make you realise that we have the PRIVILEGE to choose how we live. Not everyone does. While some communities can’t afford clean energy, recycling systems or even clean water, we can DECIDE to use less plastic, eat more locally or take the bus or even the bike instead of being driven. Shouldn‘t we use that privilege to protect the environment instead of damaging it? We can bring our own lunch boxes and reusable bags without any effort.
My second point is that small choices add up. Imagine if every student in our school used a reusable lunch container instead of plastic foil. After a year we would have saved abput 1.2 tonnes of plastic waste! That is like 200,000 plastic forks. And all it takes is to bring your own box.
Another reason to live more sustainably: plastic affects your health too. Microplastic doesn‘t only pollute oceans but ends up in our food. Take away meals in plastic containers can release tiny particles into your food, espeacially if heated. So the next time you eat ramen from a plastic cup, remember, the plastic might end up in YOU, thinking of the credit cards you‘re swallowing!
Now I know some people might argue, living sustainably is expensive. All those eco-products cost so much! But I am here to tell you, that‘s not true. You don‘t have to buy fancy bamboo toothbrushes or organic cotton clothing to be sustainable. It‘s more about reducing, reusing and borrowing. Use old jars for storage, swap clothes with friends instead of shopping for new outfits. Sustainability isn‘t about buying more, it‘s about using less.
In fact you can actually SAVE money by living sustainably. Let‘s say you buy a reusable water bottle for 15€. If you usually buy one plastic bottle a day for 1.20€, in just TWO WEEKS the reusable one pays for itself and after that it is basically free. Plus, it‘s better for your health and the planet.
To sum up, I want to state that we students CAN live more sustainably and we SHOULD. We have the privilege to choose and our small choices really matter. For the environment, our health and even our wallets. If more of us take responsibility now, we can create a cleaner, healthier future, not just for ourselves, but for people and places all over the world. Imagine a school where everyone brings a reusable water bottle, reduces waste and inspires others to do the same! That‘s a future worth working for.
by Janna Wiese, 10fs
Article 2
Let’s go green!
We all know about climate change, and you might be thinking “I am just one person, so I can’t
make a difference”. That’s not true. If everyone thought that way, there wouldn’t be a chance for
a positive change. For that reason we should start acting at our school. We need to ask ourselves
how we can live more sustainably.
In my opinion it’s quite simple because there are many easy ways to do so.
Firstly, you can ride your bike to school, it’s much more sustainable than driving a car. Some may
argue that many students don’t live close enough, so biking isn’t an option, whereas I say there
are alternatives to cars, for example the public transport. Most buses at the time are more
environmentally friendly with many running on electricity or biodiesel.
Moreover, instead of throwing away your old clothes you no longer like, you can turn them into
fashionable and unique items. For instance, you can cut old t-shirts into tank tops or crop tops.
Some people say that upcycling takes time and sewing skills, and therefore not everyone can do
it. But that’s not true, there are simple ways to upcycle without sewing. For example, you can
dye your clothes or decorate them with fabric markers.
In addition, using a reusable water bottle instead of single-use plastic bottles, helps reduce
plastic waste. For this reason it also saves you money, which you could use to buy other
sustainable products like plant seeds.
As a school, or even individually, we can build our own small ecosystems, either on school
grounds or at home in our gardens. It’s fun and educational.
All these activities support a good cause. They reduce plastic waste and contribute to fighting
climate change. Furthermore, the animals in the ocean benefit, for example sea
turtles often mistake plastic for food and die from it. By using less plastic, we help protect these
animals.
To cut a long story short there are many ways to live more sustainably. I’ve mentioned just a few,
but you can find even more ideas online. So don’t say you can’t make a difference.
My arguments clearly show that our school and every individual
can contribute to a better future. If we all work together, the world can heal, and animals, as
well as future generations have to deal with fewer consequences of climate change.
by Lea Jacobsen, 10fs