How many people do you see on a daily basis smoking a cigarette, and then throw it on the ground?  Now put all of those people in a gymnasium, including the butts they throw on the ground. The amount of smoke and waste they produce is just disgusting, but that is nowhere near a gigaton. A gigaton is the equivalent to about well over 100 million African elephants... We are releasing at least 1,010 Gigatons of Carbon Dioxide annually, and it is not slowing down. 


The amount of things you can find in a river is mind boggling. I used to go diving in my local river, scooping up bottles and cans to clean it up, and I would find anything from a plastic bags to a whole bike. River diving and cleaning are becoming more common, as it is more apparent that we are trashing the planet.  


There is a teen In Waltham, Massachusetts who has a very interesting hobby. Alessio Baggio  is a junior in high school who loves to Magnet fish in the Charles River. What this is, is essentially sending a magnet into the river from a bridge, collecting litter. He has a variety of magnets in all sorts of sizes, and a few grappling hooks to send down there too. Baggio has invested over $400 in equipment for this affective hobby, he removes anything from plastic docks, tires, cans, and so much more!

(Baggio with his equipment: Picture)

Anybody can do their part to limit pollution. In October, there was a global meeting of local Leaders to pledge that they would "push aggressive measures to curb dirty air" as Curbed states. When pledging these leaders had to sign the C40 Clean Air Clean Cities Declaration.  This will not only put us on path to the World heath Organization's standards but will help decrease emissions and will impact people's overall health. The WHO's Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus calls air pollution, "New nicotine". he also states that roughly 100,000 Americans had died in result of air pollution, that is more than deaths from gun violence and car crashes combined. 

Cities like, Austin, Houston, Los Angeles, Portland, Washington D.C., Mexico City, Seoul, and Paris have already Signed this declarations. having these major cities sign will give a dramatic amount of progress toward the goal we are tying to achieve.

( A polluted skyline: Shutterfly)

If you are feeling passionate about making a change, there are so many little things you can do for a major outcome, you can go anywhere from picking up garbage in your river to buying an electric car to cut back on carbon pollution. In the end, what you decide to do will come back to get you, if you litter, your home will be trashed, if you clean it up now your home will still have a chance of being clean.