((The new quarterly issue of the BeZine is up! This time, the theme is Sustainability, and there are some really good, thoughtful pieces about making this a reality. If you have some free time, come check out how you can be a part of it! 🙂 ))
How often do you think about the future? Now, how often do you think about the future, without you in it? Do you ever wonder about the fates of the humans who will be here after you’re gone? How about the plants and animals that share this planet with us? We humans can be insatiable creatures. Unfortunately, insatiable is not sustainable. When is enough enough? When we have completely exhausted the planet’s natural resources? When there are unending wars over clean, drinkable water and viable food sources?
The bad news is that scientists are saying that we are already in the midst of the Earth’s sixth extinction event, also called the Holocene extinction and guess what? WE humans are the primary cause (due to overpopulation, over-consumption, humans’ overall impact on the environment and human-accelerated climate change) and we’re probably not going to be able to fix it anytime soon.
What’s worse, is that there are many world powers interested in keeping the status-quo of insatiability going; corporations and politicians who are making billions of dollars off of every day consumers who have been convinced/duped that they need the newest i-Phone, or who won’t go without their bottled water or snacks made with palm-oil. Are you contributing to the problem? Be honest.
The good news is that people are becoming aware of their impact on the planet and coming up with clever ways for all of us to be more sustainable. From 100% biodegradable disposable plates made of leaves and edible cutlery to shopping bags and packaging made of plants instead of plastic, we’re gradually making progress towards a zero-waste world. There are lots of Eco-Friendly inventions being created! For those of us working towards zero-waste, there are what are called the “5 R’s“: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Rot. If you’re interested or thinking about ways in which to do this, here is a great video to help you get started.
It’s not about judgement, but rather, discernment and responsibility for your own actions. It’s about being the change you wish to see in the world. Let’s lead by example. 🙂
In closing, I’d like to share a video by one of my favorite activist-poets, Prince EA.
