I am anti-environment. Period.
Okay, I know a lot of you are probably already triggered. Let me clarify it: I believe in science. I believe that our planet is in danger, the ecosystem is being destroyed, and immediate action is needed. I am beyond outraged that our president has decided to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement so that Americans would achieve “America first” and would no longer “pay for Paris.” I can go on and on about how much I support scientific research and how much I resent our government’s decision, but I am not pro-environment. If you take a glance at my daily activities, my actions do not agree with my belief. Here are 8 things to put it in detail:
I drive a car.
Sometimes I call an Uber when the destination is within walking distance.
I use plastic bags and utensils.
I buy bottled water instead of using a refillable water bottle.
I don’t turn off the faucet in the shower.
I leave the AC on when I’m out of the room.
I use a good amount of paper and paint to make rally signs.
I leave angry emojis under anti-environment articles but that’s about all I do.
Sounds familiar? If you have done the same things I mentioned above, congratulations, you are just as anti-environment as I am, no matter how many rallies you have been to or how many articles you have shared on your Facebook wall. This is the irony of our society today: the flow of information is so rapid that our awareness of global issues has led to the negligence of personal ones. Yes, shares, rallies, and hashtags do help spread the word, but a lot of times, what we do still contradict what we believe in.
I am not discouraging anyone to go to rallies or to share articles. Nevertheless, the planet will be saved faster if we take solid actions. Turning off the AC when you leave the room will have a bigger impact than driving your private vehicle to a march in Washington DC; donating to a scientific research project will help build our future more than leaving nasty comments under Trump's tweets.
I am far from being pro-environment. I am working on it, and so should you.