There is no doubt that pollution is a key triggering factor for climate change. We, in the past decade, have seen a change in climate and the destruction we have created in the environment. Global warming, a major cause behind the climate crisis faced by the world today, is accelerating due to our collective actions. Truth be told, we are digging our own grave day by day. Most of the nations and world leaders vow to work on the climate crisis and are keen to make strides in a better direction. The world needs to enact change to survive and to make the world a better place to live for the forthcoming generations because we are the only hope to shift the trajectory of where we are currently heading.
Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.
Three words just as simple as boiling water, but still, we do the bare minimum to achieve it. Small efforts, like carrying a fabric grocery bag instead of using a plastic bag, reusing a metal straw, or carrying a refillable water bottle, can save the world. Of course, just one individual may not change much, but these small actions by many people collectively over time can create noticeable effects. And not only does this benefit us as humans, but it also allows us to save living beings with which we share our planet.
Change can be difficult and time-consuming, but change is also important to steer us in the right direction to sustainability and a reduced destructive alternative. The lack of knowledge regarding the carbon footprint that we have been increasing, consciously or unconsciously, is surprising. So, what can we do about it? In addition to the above-mentioned efforts, clean energy is a huge step in the right direction; solar energy, wind energy, electric vehicles, and the list goes on.
It is commendable to see nations trying their best to be sustainable. Scandinavian nations, which have a high GDP per capita, have consistently shown good and reliable performance across all of Yale’s Environmental Performance Index (EPI) parameters. Denmark, for example, ranks first in the world in terms of slowing CO2 emissions growth. Meanwhile, neighboring Sweden leads in landfill and recycling treatment while also leading with a handful of other countries, including Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, Singapore, in wastewater treatment.
On April 22, the world celebrated Earth Day. But shouldn’t every day be earth day? It is a long road, but we start with ourselves, we start today, and we start for our survival and the livelihood of future generations.