Antarctica Day

This month we celebrated Antarctica Day. A continent filled with rare beauty and mystery. A continent in danger. 

We have reached a climate crisis which has put Antarctica in danger. Over the last 50 years Antarctica has become one of the most rapidly warming parts of the planet. This has caused changes to both the physical and living conditions on the continent.  

One of the main reasons that this is happening is because of global warming. Global warming is the rapid increase of the earth’s surface temperature. It is believed that global warming has been caused by a number of human activities. There are seven main causes of global warming; animal agriculture 20%, electricity and heat 25%, transportation 14%, food waste 6.7% and more. 

The conclusion is evident; we are facing a climate crisis. Which means that it is imperative we try our best to live more sustainable lifestyles, as someone who has been trying to lead a low waste, sustainable lifestyle I can honestly say that it has not been difficult. There are a few very easy things that you could easily incorporate into your daily life.  

Reduce Plastic. Plastic is not biodegradable, which means that it is around for hundreds of years and yes, plastic causes greenhouse gasses which affect Antarctica. So, try not to use plastic bags, plastic water bottles, plastic toothbrushes, straws and more. There are so many easy more environmentally friendly swaps.

Electricity. Be mindful of how much electricity you use and turn off the lights when you leave the room. Remember to switch off the Air Conditioners and unplug your charger before you leave the house. These are small changes that could make a big difference. 

Eat better. Animal agriculture is one of the leading causes of greenhouse gasses, that is directly affecting Antarctica. Animal agriculture produces more greenhouse gasses than the entire worlds transportation systems combined.  

So, eat mindfully and think about what kind of a future you want.  Unless we all take steps to preserve the planet, beautiful places like Antarctica will cease to exist.