Explanation:
4 ways students can help
Learn about wildlife
The easiest way to help endangered species is to learn about those animals that are most vulnerable within your area. Are there any state parks or reservations near campus? Are there any endangered animals or species of concern within your region? Learning these facts will help you become more aware of the ecosystem in your own backyard. Then you can take all of your newfound knowledge and spread it around your community! This could be as small as letting your friend know that the Eastern box turtle she found in her backyard is actually a vulnerable species or as large as forming a community conservation project. The more we know about why conservation is important, the more we can focus on how best to preserve the environment.
Buy sustainable products and recycle
As a college student, it can be harder to buy sustainable products since they are generally more expensive than those that are mass produced. However, there are still small steps you can take to help endangered species across the globe. For example, recycle your cell phone, even if it’s broken. Coltan, a reusable mineral in cell phones, is mined from gorilla habitats, and by recycling old phones, you reduce the need to further deplete these rainforests. Try to reduce your usage of palm oil—in products like shampoo, lip balm, and makeup—since its extraction is also detrimental to plants and animals in Malaysia and Indonesia. Recycle cardboard, soda cans, and paper. Try to take your notes electronically instead of writing them in notebooks (additional perk: this means less stuff to carry across campus).
Support national and state parks
National and state parks are important havens to endangered species, where populations can live and grow without the threat of humans. You can support the national parks by making a small donation. Or since we all know that college students are more than a little broke, you could just visit a park or volunteer your time. Parks and the ecosystems within them can’t continue to function without visitor support. Plus, it’s a perfect excuse to visit some of the most beautiful areas of our country!
Use fewer plastic products
The easiest way to help ocean life, like adorable little green sea turtles, is to use fewer plastic products. Things like shopping bags and plastic water bottles often end up floating throughout the sea, suffocating unsuspecting marine creatures. When you can, try to use reusable bags at the grocery store (added bonus: they break less easily), and cut up six-pack soda rings so that they can’t choke sea life.
