Every day may feel the same, yet so different. We go about our days with a smile on our faces, even though what we feel inside may not be happiness, instead a sense of uncertainty of what our future may hold. 

Dog wading in water next to a floating Earth

Over the years, we’ve come together as a community to set climate goals and worked hard to take as many steps towards them as possible. We have the Agenda for Sustainable Development proposed by the United Nations, hoped to be accomplished by 2030. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals are a part of a plan to bring about universal peace and just eradicate imminent global problems that all countries have been facing for decades. Goal 13 calls for urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts, according to the UN. In order to achieve this, an international treaty called the Paris Agreement was adopted during the COP21 summit in 2015. The agreement, according to the UNFCCC, is “to hold the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels” and pursue efforts “to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.” So as long as the agreement’s signatory countries stick to finding ways to reduce their carbon emissions, there should be a global decrease in temperatures. However, things haven’t been looking good ever since US President Trump withdrew from the Paris Agreement (again) this year. According to the Worldometers, the United States is the country with the second highest amount of carbon emissions in the world. So the withdrawal of the US significantly pushes back our progress. Sustainability is a pretty low priority in the Trump Administration, some may even say it is not on the list at all. It may seem as if there is no hope, but if we work together to do our part as a community and as individuals, these goals can still be achieved. So what can you do to lower your own carbon footprint?

The first thing you should do is try using a carbon footprint calculator, like the one from The Nature Conservancy or Global Footprint Network, to see what your average carbon footprint is. It will tell you how your carbon footprint compares to an average human being and some other information to make you aware of how your actions are affecting our Earth. After that, you should do some research on how to reduce your ecological footprint. Here are some ways you can start, according to the WWF:

  1. Change the way you travel:
    • Use public transportation instead of driving.
    • Or if you don’t have access to public transport, try ride-sharing, carpooling, or cycling.
    • If buying a car, look for used options or electric vehicles.
  1. Change what you eat:
    • Eat a more plant and fruit based diet
    • Cut down the amount of meat and dairy you eat in a day/week.
  1. Change how much you buy and who you buy from:
    • Think about whether you need it or you want it before you purchase something
    • Try not to buy clothes from those that support fast fashion like H&M, Zara, etc. Instead, go purchase items from second-hand stores and thrift shops, or get items for free at USF’s seasonal thrift popups!

By implementing some of these habits into your lifestyle, you’ll be surprised by how much you can help our Earth. The last thing I hope that you all do is join our fight against climate change. Spread the world, educate yourself, and educate those around you. While the future may hold uncertainty, we’re in this together and won’t go down without a fight!

 

References

United Nations. (n.d.). TRANSFORMING OUR WORLD: THE 2030 AGENDA FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT. https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/21252030%20Agenda%20for%20Sustainable%20Development%20web.pdf

United Nations. (n.d.). Climatechange. United Nations. https://www.un.org/en/climatechange 

UNFCCC. (2015a). The Paris Agreement. United Nations Climate Change; United Nations. https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/the-paris-agreement

The Nature Conservancy. (2019). What is your carbon footprint? The Nature Conservancy. https://www.nature.org/en-us/get-involved/how-to-help/carbon-footprint-calculator/

Global Footprint Network. (2025). What Is Your Ecological Footprint? www.footprintcalculator.org

McGrath, M. (2025, January 20). Paris agreement: Trump vows to quit global pact and “drill, baby, drill.” BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c20px1e05w0o

Worldometer. (2022). CO2 Emissions by Country. Worldometer. https://www.worldometers.info/co2-emissions/co2-emissions-by-country/