In the morning, on our way to school or work, we stop by the convenience store to grab breakfast and a cup of coffee. For lunch, we go to a restaurant and buy a quick meal. In the hot afternoon, we may go for a cold drink. And for dinner, we purchase a bento box and bring it home to eat while watching TV. I believe this is the daily routine scene for many people. However, have we did not pay attention to thought about how much packaging material we waste and how much garbage we generate from these habits? Some may say it's not a big deal since everyone is recycling now. But if we consider the amount of energy required for production and recycling now, we are all contributing to climate change as perpetrators. And if we don't make changes, we will soon become victims of its consequences. 

Climate change has impacted many places, including my hometown, Taiwan. In the past, the rainy season was very stable, typically concentrated around May, with frequent typhoons occurring from July to September. Although there had some inconvenience, they also provided stable and abundant rainfall, benefiting agricultural irrigation. However, in the past decade, the situation has changed. The rainy season often gets delayed, and there are even instances where it doesn't rain at all. Additionally, the frequency of typhoons has noticeably decreased. Instead, we are experiencing increasingly high temperatures and sudden heavy rainfall events. These changes make us realize that global warming is also leading to alterations in future rainfall patterns, potentially resulting in increased occurrences of droughts and flooding. These climate changes have profound impacts on agriculture, the environment, and our way of life. We should pay more attention to the issue of climate change and actively take measures to mitigate and adapt to these changes, to protect our home and future generations.

It is essential to focus on our carbon footprint and start with ourselves. Taiwan has recently begun promoting energy conservation, carbon reduction, and carbon footprint awareness. Although Taiwan is not large, it plays a crucial role in global industries such as electronics and components manufacturing. Hence, we should further advocate for energy conservation and carbon reduction, considering the greenhouse gas emissions throughout the entire life cycle, from raw material production to manufacturing, transportation, sales, and even recycling. Currently, energy conservation and carbon reduction have become global trends for businesses, including Taiwan's tech industry, financial sector, and other sectors actively embracing ESG development. The public should also support and encourage enterprises' ESG initiatives.

Simply changing our habits, starting with you and me, switching to a low-carbon lifestyle and using reusable and durable eco-friendly products instead of disposable items, can significantly reduce waste generation. While these individual changes and choices may seem small, collectively they can have a significant impact on the environment. Each of us has the power to reduce carbon emissions and protect our planet.