It has been a wacky year.  

In July, gas was over four dollars a gallon and it felt like a bajillion degrees out. But in January, approximately six months later, it will be twenty degrees one day and two days later it will be fifty. 

We all just pretend like that is normal, even though we know it is not.  

It feels common now that we understand that global warming is real. Even if we do not want it to be, we all know that it is real, and that it exists.  

I just saw a TikTok last week about the California floods. There was a guy in a Plant Fitness, and he was about to go to his car when he noticed it was raining heavily.  

He then waited for about five minutes before noticing that his car was getting submerged in the water and that lots of water was starting to come into the gym.  

He then went onto a step climber (which may have not been his smartest move), but he probably thought it was the highest point in the building. Not wanting to drown- he stayed there for a while. 

He later posted an update saying that they had been stuck in the gym for a few hours waiting for rescuers to pick them up.  

Prior to this TikTok, I had not heard about what was happening in California. It really did get me thinking: what if our planet is getting worse faster than we think it is? 

What can we all collectively be doing to make our planet better? This is very much a team effort since we all live and work and breathe on Earth.  

These are obviously the basics; reduce, reuse, and recycle. I feel like most of us either do those things or at least know what those are, but it is also good to expand on some.  

For example, reusing could be using reusable water bottles or bags, but it also means going thrifting for clothes instead of using fast fashion sites like Shien.  

Recycling could also mean plastics and paper, but it could also batteries or taking clothes to a donation center for others to thrift.  

Reducing is watching your energy footprint. I do not drive, which makes mine go down, but that could also be watching less TV or turning off lights.  

I know that is basic, but if we all do simple things then it could easily make the planet much healthier than it is now.  

Katja Benz is a senior English major. She can be reached at kkbenz@eiu.edu or 217-581-2812.