05 actions young people can take to safeguard the planet
Given the environmental impacts that our planet faces, WWF Peru, in its mission to generate greater awareness about environmental care among young people, shares some tips that youth can adopt to become agents of change through actions that take care of our planet.- Avoid the use of plastic. How many of us have a collection of plastic bags at home? Plastic is a great threat to the planet and is one material we use often, however, we can replace products that are made of this material, for others that are equally effective. For example, when you go shopping, choose to carry your own reusable bag and instead of buying water bottles, you can use a reusable bottle. And what if I bought some plastic packaging? Let's recycle it! That way we avoid polluting the environment. You can turn it into a container to keep school supplies or a pot for your plants.
- Give your clothes and products a second life. Let's use creativity to give a second life to products we no longer use.We dare you to look for and collect all the products that you no longer use, such as clothes, shoes, electronics, etc. We invite you to donate these items locally or exchange them with friends and family. You can challenge your friends to do the same and in this way, we can all give a second life to our products. Also, we can add accessories to garments we had forgotten to create new designs or dye them with natural dyes and create new styles.
- Unplug your electronics. Chargers and electronics that we leave plugged in and are not using still consume energy. According to the International Energy Agency, the consumption of appliances left plugged in when not in use is responsible for 5-10% of the total electricity consumed in most homes. For this reason, when you leave the house or go to sleep, don't forget to check all the electronic devices to make sure they are not plugged in and consuming additional energy than required.
- Adopt conscious eating habits. Food waste is a problem that needs to be addressed. To prevent unfinished food from ending up in the trash, reduce the portions you serve and keep what's left in the refrigerator. In this way, we will avoid wasting food and all the resources that were used to put it on our table. Also, check the food from time to time, to donate it or use it in creative recipes, before it expires.
- Reduce your waste. We can all take action to reduce our waste at home. We encourage you to use products that come in an unpackaged presentation. There are many stores that offer shampoos, conditioners and toothpaste bars. Also, when you go to the market, bring your own containers and buy in bulk, this way you will be avoiding the unnecessary use of plastic packaging.
Another effective way to reduce our waste is composting. Eggshells, as well as coffee, vegetable and fruit remains, can be used to make compost and in this way we take advantage of our waste to nourish our plants with 100% organic and homemade fertilizer.
Continuing with actions that continue to promote the care of nature, we recently launched Generation10; the first global network of WWF that connects young people in Latin America so that, in the next 10 years, they can make the solutions that allow the maintenance of life on our planet a reality.
In Generation 10, young people will be able to meet and interact, access funding and participation opportunities, free online courses, and most importantly, ask for and get help. The free online platform will also have mentors to support young people on key issues such as project management, fundraising or digital activism.
For more information, please visit www.generacion10.com.
