Waste is a major issue in today’s society. The typical American life lives and breathes convenience.

Convenience equates with speed. With packed schedules and misled priorities, the waste we create is not often thought about. The greenhouse gases released to get us from Point A to Point B could easily be eliminated if we built more time into our schedules.

While planning my week, going to the gym to exercise is one of my top priorities. If I drove less places, however, then exercise would be already built into my schedule as I would rely more on my body walking or biking to get me places.

Unnecessary packaging has also become a societal norm. Plastic is used to separate whole carrots into bags. Commercial cereal is kept in bags inside of boxes. Say no to this surplus of waste. The best way to minimize how much you throw away is to buy less that can be thrown away. If you go to the bulk food aisle of a grocery store, you can often buy similar, if not healthier cereal, and measure it out in your own container.

This takes extra effort, bringing in your own tupperware and creating a new routine. It is easier to buy a frozen meal than cook one all yourself. It is easier to pick up spinach at the store than plant a few seeds in the backyard.

Life is not about what is easy. In the fourth Harry Potter novel, Dumbledore tells Harry, “We must all face the choice between what is right and what is easy.”

This applies to everyone, especially with the quality of our environment on the line.

As hard as it may be, we must change our habits if we are to make a difference. Try to do what is inconvenient. Be selfless and put the earth first.