Editorials

#YEAR12PROBLEMS

24 April 2017

By Lauren E. White

The importance of our environment

It’s not a glossy topic, but one that’s necessary. Saturday was Earth Day and scientists around the globe celebrated their profession which of course has links to climate change – an issue we’re going to have to face at some point or another.

Climate change is a threat, not a myth. It’s not a scam orchestrated by the Chinese as Trump suggested. It’s a threat to the planet’s life. We will all die if we don’t stop climate change in its tracks. And there’ll be no jobs when we’re all dead.

Loads of people say they could be better at recycling or walking instead of going in the car. We could save more electricity or use less water… but we don’t. It’s all well and good pointing out our areas for improvement but when we aren’t actively making it better, it’s simply a token gesture; one we’re compelled to do because, at the heart of it, we do feel a bit guilty about not doing it. But it’s not helping anything. We need to suck it up and make some sacrifices. Give our legs a good walk and turn of the bloody tap when brushing our teeth.

It is our world and we should look after it. Saying that it won’t be our problem is wrong – in 2080, it will be our generation’s problem when we run out of coal and climate change is expected to have wiped out masses of species of animals and made life much worse for already deprived less economically developed countries. Don’t forget, we’re supposed to live until we’re 100…

Climate change is very much our problem whether we like it or not. And we can all do small things that amount to great things to help save the environment, the animals and ourselves.

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