Go Green, Sustainability, Climate Change. These are not new. We have seen these words everywhere. As a civilised individual, we are pressured - to live a sustainable life. But the reality is that most of us are not. Let’s dive deep to find out more.
Living a sustainable life means we minimise our use of Earth's natural resources. We strive to reduce our impact on the environment.
Why do we need to live a sustainable lifestyle? Because of climate change!
In 2015, country leaders signed The Paris Agreement to aim to limit the global temperature increase to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels by the year 2100.As of today, we have already passed the 1.5 °C threshold for the entire year. From February 2023 to January 2024, we saw an increase in temperature of 1.52 °C across the globe.
The Earth is warming. The sea level is rising. Living creatures are starving. Our food supply is threatening. So, the right thing for everyone to do is to live a sustainable life.
But why isn’t everyone doing it?
Maybe climate change is too big to solve. Perhaps sustainable living is inconvenient. Maybe climate change is not the most urgent and pressing issue to focus on.
Ultimately, it boils down to our mindset.
Environmental sustainability is NOT our number one priority.
We all have dreams and goals we want to pursue in life. Dream car, dream house, dream lifestyle, and more. But among our dreams and wishes, environmental sustainability is not a part of it.
This is the problem.
We often separate our needs and wants from the environment. We neglect the fact that humans need Mother Earth to survive. The natural world provides everything we humans need to survive and thrive.
Let’s take a step back and think about this.
Our dream house is made of natural resources such as wood and brick. Our dream bag is made of leathers and plants which are derived from nature and animals. Our healthy body needs fresh air, clean water, and nutritious food which all come from a healthy and unpolluted environment.
Aren’t most of the things we dream about originating from the natural world and the environment?
Yet, our environment is now in dire stages - climate change, pollution, global warming, and more.
2 billion people do not have access to safe drinking water. 770 million people suffer from hunger. 30% of the children under 5 who face foodborne illnesses die. Climate change will worsen these numbers. If nothing changes, we will be experiencing:
1.More extreme weather events such as frequent flooding, heatwaves, rising sea levels and many more;
2.Heightened health risks where we will be more vulnerable to climate-sensitive diseases;
3.Worsening food and nutrition crises over food availability, quality, and diversity.
Our Mother Earth is so powerful. Everything we own - from our house, belongings, and more becomes nothing in one flood event. Climate change will wipe out everything that we humans have built, or worse, what we need for survival.
Can we still ignore climate change?
We’re the first generation to feel the impact of climate change and the last generation that can do something about it. -Barack Obama
As an individual, what can we do about it?
There are 3 key actions every one of us can take to help solve the climate crisis:
1.Raising environmental awareness and education.
As Nelson Mandela said, “Education is the most powerful weapon to change the world.” We can start learning more about climate change by reading and researching more about the subject. Visit the nature centers, museums, parks, and other places to learn more about the environment. Participate in nature-based or environmental-themed activities such as hiking, diving, beach cleaning, upcycling workshops, and more. This helps us to increase our knowledge while building the right mindset and perspectives in tackling climate change.
As an individual, we too can educate others. We can educate our friends and families through discussions. We can organise a “documentary date night”, an upcycling workshop session, or a swap clothing day with our friends. Even the act of bringing our containers to take away food can spark conversation in our circle of networks to increase environmental awareness!
2.Building a green ecosystem & community.
It takes a village to raise a child. The same goes to driving sustainability changes. It’s never about individuals. It’s about the communities, businesses, municipal councils and all stakeholders coming together and making things happen.
Find a channel, group of friends, or community that resonates with us. Support businesses with greener products and choices. Use the power of consumers to participate in green industries such as the recycling industry, second-hand economy, circular economy solutions, and more. This helps to build a profitable and sustainable ecosystem around sustainability to drive progress in sustainable development.
3.Starting small.
There is no one right answer to solving the climate crisis. The same goes for living a sustainable life. Review our daily lifestyle and make small changes. Be it eating more plant-based food, or shopping less. We can also write in sustainability suggestions to businesses or recommendation letters to the authorities.
All of us need to be a part of this. To protect our environment, and to protect our future. Start where we are, with the best we have. Every small effort, when seen collectively, makes a significant difference.
Change starts with you, but it doesn’t start until you do. – Tom Ziglar
Sources:
- UNFCCC, Key aspects of the Paris Agreement https://unfccc.int/most-requested/key-aspects-of-the-paris-agreement#:~:text=The
- BBC News (2024) Climate change: World's first year-long breach of key 1.5C warming limit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnRBpa4tAo8
- United Nations, What Is Climate Change? https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/what-is-climate-change
- Sustainable Jungle. What is Sustainable Living? https://www.sustainablejungle.com/sustainable-living/what-is-sustainable-living/
- WHO (2023) Climate Change https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/climate-change-and-health#:~:text=Climate
Posted 20 March 2024
