Coming into the start of 2023, one of our main focuses and priorities of the world should be to become more eco-friendly and give back to the planet that gives us life. Our own planet gives us so much for the fundamentals for life, that we could never repay. Yet, the greed of humanity to rapidly evolve has come at the greatest cost to our planet.
Deforestation, air pollution in manufacturing production, greenhouse gases with burning fossil fuels and consuming too much within the food industry, are just a few of the main causes that are contributing towards climate change. These issues obviously cannot be tackled and erased all in one go although we can improve our eco-friendliness by levelling up in these ranks.
Level 1 – The Donald Trump
If you’re struggling where to start grading yourself within this level ranking, The Donald Trump level is the bare minimum, not even that in terms of eco-friendliness. To be in this level you don’t believe in climate change at all. That there are no effects, and it is just a “very expensive hoax”. You, in this level, presume that climate change has no effect on the planet and being ‘eco-friendly’ is just an expensive scam and waste of time to buy products and participate in local activities to be eco-friendly when the problem doesn’t exist.
Level 2 – The Kylie Jenner
Now, even with a popular name and the wealth to back support for climate change, still little is done except accepting that the idea that climate change is real, and action needs to be taken. If you are considering yourself in this category this suggests that you are vocal and know the principles of the consequences of climate change but don’t contribute towards the minimalization of it. Jenner, for example, took 8 vacations in 2021 on her private jet, leading to a total of 16 flights and not to mention her fuel guzzling car collection of 15 cars. The luxury lifestyle doesn’t promote or protect against climate change making this level not very eco-friendly. You may have awareness and accept that climate change exists compared to the previous level, yet you don’t contribute much or very little towards being eco-friendly. So, the actions you are take in being eco-friendly for this level can include, only sorting out your recycling but still buying the one-time plastic bags.
Level 3 – The Prince Harry
Like royalty, all is well known, and action is starting to be taken. This level includes good knowledge as to how climate change is affecting the planet and starting to take action to help prevent and reverse the changes of the consequences. Like Price Harry, you have great passion and yearn to be eco-friendly to help save the planet. Your ideas in action may include:
- Only buying recyclable products
- Reused plastic bottles use
- Lowering your energy and water use.
The Price Harry level may seem a very basic, introductory level to being eco-friendly, but it is good start and even participating in the little things will help contributing towards saving our planet.
Level 4 – The Attenborough
Everybody loves Sir David Attenborough and is a shining role model to raising awareness to being eco-friendly. To be considered in his level you will participate in completing activities such as:
- Giving away items that you no longer need or use to charity,
- Saving and reusing packaging,
- Starting to adapt a zero-waste household with composting food at home instead of binning it.
This level additionally sets out to raise awareness and encourage others by convincing relatives and close friends to start adapting eco-friendly techniques in their own homes.
Level 5 – The Greta Thunberg
The Greta Thunberg level. This level isn’t the max as being eco-friendly can surpass this level with new technologies and products helping to contribute towards saving the planet, but for this scale – I consider you to be one of the best humans alive. Like Greta, you are an extremist when it comes to being eco-friendly and saving our planet. You participate daily and have based your life around being eco-friendly, to the point where you have created eco-friendly habits. This includes and doesn’t limit to:
- All activities mentioned in the previous two levels
- Recycling materials that you cannot reuse
- Buying things for second hand – clothes, furniture, appliances at thrift shops, garage sales, neighbourhood exchanges
- Using public transport with little to no carbon emissions like trams and bicycles.
Not only does participating in these actions are included in this level but also actively raising awareness to climate change for the need of more people to be eco-friendly. This may be via social media, attending climate change events and/or donating to eco-friendly organisations.
Overall, even if you can't define yourself to a level that is okay. It is the thought and the little practices that we need to put in place to start saving our planet. Being eco-friendly is the way forward, and with it being the start of the new year, we have time to make a real change before the end of the year!