Hello readers, and welcome to the beginning of a new quarter! Our theme is one that has become increasingly relevant in the current world we live in- our relationship with the environment. Some questions to ponder as we begin this new chapter are: What is the influence of the environment in our lives? How can we help it when the danger it faces increases daily? Who is truly to blame for the state of our planet?
To examine our relationship with the environment, we must look at our actions first. This is uncomfortable for most people to try, as it brings up feelings of guilt or shame due to the belief that we haven't done enough. I can admit that I have dealt with these same emotions, which have led to mixed results. My first experience of this was in the summer of 2019, when the plight of turtles was being spotlighted. Videos were going viral of these sea creatures choking on plastic straws, leading to calls to ban them entirely. The infamous catchphrase "Save The Turtles'' gained popularity, and 13-year-old me hopped onto the bandwagon. Feeling horror, I begged my mother to buy metal straws, and whenever I drank anything, I'd use it. I recall once when I was at Starbucks buying a Frappuccino and being with my family. I, of course, did not use a plastic straw and had instead brought a reusable one. My sister looked at me quizzically and asked, "why are you using a metal straw in a plastic cup?" And to my intense embarrassment, I had no response. I was so proud of my "activism" that I did not bother to use common sense and logic, completely overlooking the massive plastic cup in my hand. Looking back on it, I can laugh at my thoughtlessness. It was an act of someone with privilege and ignorance. In my defense, I made these efforts because of an intent to help the Earth somehow. But these actions were done without me being mindful. To make an impact on the environment, we must be both passionate and rational. A desire to help is what leads to change, yet I implore you to research your cause and be conscious of your choices.
Despite the importance of consciously making efforts to help the Earth, there is also another issue to deliberate. Who exactly is to blame for the current state of our planet? Is it the masses, or is it the 1%? Studies have shown that a significant percentage of greenhouse gas emissions comes from top corporations. The guilt many of us have felt because we thought we were not contributing enough is now being replaced with frustration at these companies. Why should the common person be blamed when we are not the ones responsible for the atrocious damage done to our environment? People are trying new ways to be green every day, whether it is composting, cutting down on meat, or simply recycling. But these efforts can seem futile when looking at the statistics. It is easy to slip into a mindset that all of these endeavors are pointless, as they are too insignificant to matter. But even in the face of this hopelessness, people continue to help every day. I see more and more people biking instead of driving, going vegan, or buying used clothes. We don't know how this will change our future yet, but these actions give us a semblance of hope. That if enough people join the cause, we can somehow make a difference.
As we move forward in this quarter and in 2022, continue asking yourself these questions. Examine your relationship with the environment, how it has changed, and what you can do to develop it further. Who should be held accountable for the climate crisis? What is the next step in preventing future catastrophes because of it? What sacrifices can you make to help?
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