7 reasons to be hopeful for the Earth's environment

Environmentally, 2018 hasn't been the best year; it feels like the world is doomed and global warming is just getting worst. With rising sea levels, Californian wildfires, Donald Trump pulling the US from the Paris Climate Agreement, it seems we shouldn't have much hope.

But there are reasons that mean we should feel hopeful that the Earth isn't going to crash and burn because of climate change. Believe it or not, here are some reasons you should stay positive about the environment.

1. Renewable energy

Just under a third of the electricity used in the UK has been produced by renewable energy over the summer in 2018. Storm Diana and the Beast from the East helped to break records for wind power which has helped to create more power than they typically would.

Over 4,700 homeowners installed solar panels this month alone, that's the highest its ever been in the last two years. The numbers for renewable energy are expected to rise as more people will install solar panels and more Wind farms will be built. Renewable energy competes strongly with fossil fuels as more is being produced and at a lower cost.

2. Public opinion

The opinion of the public is being heard and creating a big impact on political and business decisions. People have become more aware and being more conscious of their impact on the climate and they're expecting the same from its leaders. Rather than being blissfully ignorant like we have spent our lives up until now, veganism has risen, sustainable products are being carefully picked, movements and protests are taking place across the world.

The French President, Emmanuel Macron will be holding a summit over the summer in 2019, to try to persuade businesses to take action to lower greenhouse gas emissions and use energy better.

3. Bison extinction

The bison was on the brink of extinction on tribal lands, Assiniboine and Sioux tribes of Fort Peck Reservation have protected 350 bison on their lands.

The bison is one of the last animals to have lived through the Ice Age mass extinction. The American government slaughtered the bison in a pursuit to starve out Native Americans. During the 19th century slaughter, only 23 bison survived and remained in Yellowstone, and with the help of the tribes, there are now over 4,000.

Extinction of animals can have a massive impact on the environment because they're all significant to the Earth's ecosystems If one animal goes extinct it changes the whole dynamic and can cause overpopulation of another species.

4. Spain hotel's go green

Hotel chain of Paradores in Spain, which has 97 hotels claimed to be going green next year by only using renewable energy. They wanted to set an example to tourists, other businesses and Spain itself; they will be using biomass (organic matter used as a fuel), solar panels and geothermal energies (heat produced by the Earth).

This will help influence leaders and other businesses and will impact the national parks the hotels are nearby positively.

5. Food waste

The UK waste around £20 billion of food per year, but supermarkets and manufacturers are committing to cut this number in half by 2030.

The amount of food wasted is equivalent to £300 per person in the UK annually, the UN says that whilst a third of the world's food is wasted there is one in every nine people who are still malnourished.

To help kick this huge waste in the bud every year all major UK retailers and other producers must report on the food that is wasted by September 2019, and by 2026 food businesses should target to cut down on the amount of food waste.

Tesco has announced that it will start publishing the data on their food waste alongside 27 of its biggest suppliers. And even Kelloggs are using leftover cornflakes to make beer to help cut down food waste.

6. Plastic straws and cotton buds

Michael Gove, the environment secretary, is working on banning plastic straws and cotton buds within the next year. In England alone, 4.7 billion plastic straws and 1.8 billion cotton buds are used per year which mostly ends up in the ocean.

Plastic straws will still be sold in pharmacies for those with disabilities like Parkinson's disease and muscular dystrophy, as it helps them to safely consume food and liquids. We are already seeing paper straws replacing plastic ones in pubs and restaurants; by 2020 the selling and usage of these products will be illegal.

It will help to keep the ocean be cleaner and to avoid the fatal harm to wildlife; other plastics are also being restricted or banned like micro-beads in products, and the charge of 5p plastic bags could be going up to 10p.

7. Rabbit DNA and pollution

A rabbit gene has been discovered to help remove pollution in the air after being inserted into household plants. Homes gather small pollutants which can be produced by smoking and furniture. These pollutants are called benzene and chloroform which scientists have linked to causing cancer. This power of genetic engineering can help to destroy harmful matter just by using a natural protein.

With increasing awareness about the Earth's environment, countries across the globe are making changes to improve the state of the planet. People are adapting and changing in many ways, such as veganism, sustainable living and in many other unexpected ways to make the necessary changes to the current environmental state.