Reflecting back on my life and listening to the memories of my childhood that my mom has shared with me, I realized I’ve always been an activist for the environment. When I was younger, I was a Girl Scout and my troop was very involved in conservation. I have always been conscious of the simple things such as saving electricity, picking up trash, and recycling. It wasn’t until I took an AP Environmental Science class my junior year, that I fully realized my love for the environment and how interested I was in it. This was the spark that fueled my desire to take my love for the environment a step further, and to consider making it my life’s work. After spending the year learning about the basics of different issues and approaches to solve them, I knew my passion was to learn more about the environment and to use that information to help the planet. I'm passionate about protecting and learning more about the environment because it is the foundation for which all living organisms strive and survive in. I want a healthy planet for future generations, and the only way for that to happen is for more people to be educated on the major problems that are occurring and what they can contribute to stop them. My studies in environmental science will help me work toward combating climate change since it will give me more opportunities to interact with others who are actively working on solving this issue, as well as having more knowledge on how the environment works so I can contribute my own ideas. My goal is to help enforce laws that will protect our air quality, water supply, and soil from large businesses that can potentially put those factors at risk without realizing it. There are several simple tasks that my friends and family can incorporate in their day-to-day lives to reduce their carbon footprint. One piece of advice that I would give them is to be more mindful about the amount of food that they purchase. Food waste doesn't seem like a major issue, but it actually contributes to about eight percent of the total greenhouse gas emissions. American households tend to throw away hundreds of dollars worth of food each year, which is both bad for the environment and their wallets. Therefore being more mindful while shopping and purchasing food that they will actually eat, or even starting a garden at home to grow their own food are two great ways to reduce their carbon footprint. Another piece of advice I would give is to purchase reusable items. There are many companies now that have started making alternatives to single use items such as straws, grocery bags, and plastic water bottles. Buying these items can save money in the long run, and also reduce the amount of waste in landfills. Even though recycling can be a great option, it isn't always available in every area and only a small percentage of plastic is actually recycled each year. Therefore, filling up a reusable water bottle that can be found at almost any nearby store, or even purchasing a used one from a thrift store is a great way to reduce the amount of plastic thrown away.