I used the International Student Challenge Carbon Footprint Challenge. My total footprint is higher compared to an average of for the Philippines, lower worldwide.

We are four in the family and that is also a huge component of having a high carbon footprint.

Home is where I gained my greatest carbon footprint. In this time of the pandemic, we are all stuck in our houses. Because of that, I consumed a lot of energy. Online classes are also a big factor. I mostly charge my devices, use fans, light bulbs, television, refrigerator, heater and much more every day. As time goes by, I am striving to conserve energy at home by simply turning off and unplugging them when not in use and reducing the usage time on our appliances. 

Food is my second highest carbon footprint. I usually eat meat and dairy products, but these foods have a huge impact on emitting greenhouse gases. I need to switch on eating more fruits and vegetables. Bringing my reusable bags or containers when buying from local stores is also agreeable. By this progress, I can keep myself healthy, save more money and preserve our environment by reducing food wastes.

My next category is transportation. This part surprised me a lot. In my case, our hometown does not have any nearby accessible stores. We need to travel a kilometer or more just to get in that particular store. When we used to have face-to-face classes, I usually do not mind that I commute by bus  to my school 17 kilometers away every day. Now, I realized that I produced such an enormous impact on our environment, especially in emitting greenhouse gas. By walking through our station, I can help lessen the emission of carbon dioxide. But in this time, I cannot go to school or other places because in the Philippines, we are all still in quarantine.

My purchases have the lowest carbon footprint. I do not usually buy kinds of stuff. I only buy when I much needed the product. I also enjoy thrifting clothes, and that practice is beneficial because it is not just good for the money, it also saves our planet from pollution and waste.

How can I help to withstand climate problems? In our case, where the effects of climate change are now striking all of us. I would love to share my learnings and awareness to the people that we should all be responsible for creating our impact on the environment. We should do our part and simple ways, starting from our homes in making carbon mitigation. We can make our planet sustainable and a better place to live for the next generations because together, we can all make a difference.

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