What Happens to Your Body After Breathing Polluted Air for 24 Hours?
The results of the "ecological footprint assessment" I recently completed for my Conservation Biology class disturbed me even though I wasn't shocked by them. Particularly after learning that the majority of the world is far surpassing their biological potential...
In my opinion, the positive things I can accomplish pale in comparison to billionaires flying around in private aircraft to play golf.
Refillable water bottles, reusable cups and bags, voting, petitioning, writing representatives, supporting small and green businesses when possible, and making generally green decisions are just a few of the ways that our generation is paying the price for mistakes made before our time and before we had any say. On a national level, I believe our voices and changes are so tiny.
I reside in a rental property; I'm not sure about most of you. In the winter, my thermostat is set to 60 degrees, and in the summer, to 80 degrees. I can eat a more vegetarian diet, ride my bike and walk more, and travel less, but I can't make my landlord install energy-efficient appliances or replace our old air conditioner or heater (everything in my house is from the 1950s and 1960s). I have never purchased brand-new furniture in my life; instead, I have only ever purchased used items or even constructed some furniture using repurposed or reclaimed wood. With the exception of intimates, I exclusively ever purchase apparel from thrift stores.
On my daily walks with my dog, for instance, I pick up garbage, but how can we as people address the dysfunctional recycling system that leads to over 60% of all recycling ending up in landfills abroad or in the ocean? My family makes an effort to properly separate all of the trash and recycle, but is it enough? I also try to buy seasonal vegetables from the store, but I can't afford to buy only from farmers markets. In addition, I receive my eggs from my neighbor and engage in a lot of hunting, fishing, and foraging. We have a natural gas stove, but (back to the renting issue) I make my own bread and pastries at home. So, is it actually better for me to bake at home?
To all the people like me, I see you, I support you. I just wanted to open a thread to vent and to support each other during these difficult times when so many of us may feel torn between "the global climate crisis," "the political climate crisis," and "the economic crisis." Everyone in my inner circle is making green choices, trying to eat healthier, exercising, trying to get enough protein, trying to follow a balanced diet, but also trying to reduce meat intake, trying to take political stances, but also facing financial strain, living in rentals, facing job insecurity, and somewhere in there trying to handle our general emotional wellbeing. It's a lot, and it's not fair to us, and we deserved better predecessors. As a country, we deserve a better economy, a more neutral political environment, and we deserve leaders that care about our planet.
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