Effective Changes in Favor of the Environment

As I become more and more aware of actions that can contribute as solutions to the environmental crisis we are going through, I will try to implement them in my life and teach what I have learned. It’s not just learning about the issues, it’s about doing something about them and inspiring others to do something as well. Composting, for example, is something that I am working on. More on that later, but before I continue, I have a disclosure to share.

As I navigate through information, I am likely to get it wrong the first time, or worse, an AI impostor can give you the illusion that it is me sharing information. It’s sad to have to think this way, but my point is to evaluate and question everything. Bring your doubts to a teacher, your smart adults that have your best interest at heart, and always cross reference information by checking a couple of sources on the same topic.

What I learned from reading Greta Thunberg’s latest book on climate change is that the single most significant thing we can do for the planet is to avoid flying and I am processing this. How can I restrict what I consider my seldom trips to Chile to visit family? I need to see them as often as I can afford it. Why should I restrict myself when there are other people traveling way more to do more superfluous things such as vacation multiple times a year or shopping? Should there be restrictions on who gets to travel and how often based on our individual carbon footprint? Since I don’t think it’s fair or impactful for someone like me, who doesn't travel much and strictly to visit family, why should I have to restrict myself when there are billionaires out there flying jets on a whim?

So maybe we all need to calculate and be aware of our carbon footprint and compare it to a certain standard. This is a common saying that a lot of people have heard and I believe it to hold true: The first step to change is awareness. When we have the data, then we can get together and discuss options, test them, evaluate, change, and try again, but before that, awareness. These are my thoughts thus far on this topic.