So, I was on my way back from work with a friend and we were snacking on something together. I chose to keep the wrapper in the bag, head home and then bin it. But my friend chose the road as her dustbin. Well, what can I say?
She said, ‘Hey give me the wrapper I’ll dump it out as well’ and I silently thought to myself, ‘because of people like you there’s a hole in the O-zone layer’! This is considered as a funny Tamil joke, but is nevertheless true). Yup, I am talking about climate change and everything that’s altering around us because of us and our actions. How does dumping a wrapper on the road cause climate change?
Every year gets worse than the previous year. Either it is too hot or too cold. Some fruits that were seasonal are now available all year through!
We become the first and most important influencers of climate change. Deforestation does not just affect the oxygen and carbon dioxide levels of the environment, but also the lives of people. Deforestation is happening so large companies and agencies can build their power houses to prove their stability, not realizing the cost of affecting their own future and nature.
What is the effect of all this? The increase in change of climate through cutting down of trees disturbs the ecosystem, causes frequent droughts, severe storms, unexpected heat waves, melting glaciers, warming of the oceans and above all human life becomes a question mark.
Even before Covid hit us, there was a certain percentage of the population that used masks, when asked why, dust allergy was quoted as the reason. Well, we had the freedom to walk around without masks and breathe good air early in the morning just a couple of years ago.
Imagine walking around the city with a lush green environment, clean air, birds chirping, less pollution, less buildings. Feels good, doesn’t it?
Now let’s imagine this together – your child, niece or nephew is playing outside wearing a mask, can’t really run around as much, begins to cough and we have no choice but to keep them inside the home. Humans now are going in search of places that are able to give them clean air to breath.
How the tables have turned! You and I are responsible for the climate we are experiencing right now. Here are some ways you can contribute to save what’s left. Be the change, begin to take small steps in contributing towards a better future for our coming generations.
- Plant as many plants/saplings/seeds as you can
- Farming will always have a great scope, so pursue any kind of farming
- Switch to recyclable products, go plastic free
- Stop polluting nature reserves with trash, use the bin! If there is no bin, please carry the trash and dispose it in the right manner
- Reduce the use of energy, don’t unnecessarily leave the lights or the tap on. You are the one paying the bills anyway, and causing a natural crisis as well
- Carry your own bags while shopping
- Travel smart – let’s not pull out a 7-seater car for the just one person!
- Do not waste water!
- Try and reduce food waste
- Choose eco-friendly products
As Albert Einstein said, “Setting an example is not the main means of influencing others; it is the only means”.
So, if you decide to save your future then it is right to act on it now. Let’s be the right kind of influencers who are adamant about pushing the crowd to the right direction and not to their own destruction.
By Shallon Sherly
Sherly is an amateur writer, she loves creative writing, traveling and doing a lot of craft work. Her passion is to spend a lot of time with children and teenagers understanding life from their point of view. She believes that every child is talented and deserves to be treated the same, what we sow is what we reap.
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