“Too much change is not a good thing. Ask the climate.”, said the famous character Michael Scott from The Office back in 2009 and exactly 10 years later, we ended 2019 with a much accelerated climate change. Drastic temperatures, blood-red skies, burning nature is what the new year is looking like. Always joked about what hell would look like, well hello, now we are living there and we are all to be blamed.
Our pristine beaches lined with plastic, dying coral reefs, deforestation, emission of toxic substances, extinction of several species— this is the world that we have created, a world where in short time even we will have to struggle for survival. The world is getting warmer because of us, the glaciers are retreating because of us, animals are dying because of us! You don’t have to be a scientist to realize the impact, the effect and the causes of climate change. Think about every step you take and how it affects the environment and you shall realize that we are getting closer to the fate that none of us want. The fact that top world leaders fail to recognise climate change as an issue after so much has happened is indeed more raging than anything else.
Climate activists are protesting all over the world to bring a change, the UN is taking some measures as well but all of it would be in vain if we, the citizens of this world do not make the smallest effort to change things in and around us. It always begins with a small step, whether it is boycotting plastic, saving electricity, saving water, using eco-friendly products, greening your commute, consuming less, wasting less or simply by starting a conversation, we can bring the change we want to see. Simply put— being aware, spreading awareness and acting towards it at an individual level can bring a collective, a much larger change. The United Nations’ Climate Report clearly states that without drastic action today, adapting to these impacts in the future will be more difficult and costly.
It is about time that we adopt these easy ways than later adapting to a much difficult situation. If being “woke” is the trend, then why not be environmentally woke as well? Let your actions speak louder than words because now is the time. By: Tejal Modak
