Once upon a time in the deep void of space there, was a small planet. Like every other planet, it cruised along in orbit around its sun, fitting neatly into the rhythm of the universe. This little planet was special; it enjoyed conditions unlike any other that made life appear on it. The little planet was happy that it had life on it, and enjoyed watching that life grow. Years and years passed, until all different kinds of life covered the planet, existing throughout the land, the water, and the air. One certain kind of life developed long enough and in just the right way that it had the ability to develop faster than the other kinds of life. Years and years continued to pass, and these creatures expanded all across the little planet. The little planet was proud of the creatures for what they accomplished, because the creatures had come from the planet. But as the years and years passed, the little creatures continued to expand and consume so much that they hurt the little planet they called home. The creatures didn’t do anything to stop hurting the little planet, because they had forgotten where they had come from. Years and years passed as the creatures continued to take and consume until one day there was nothing left. No creatures, no life – just the little planet.
Sound familiar? Well it should sound familiar, at least everything until the last two sentences (if we had reached that point, you would not be reading this article). To make sure we are on the same page, I will break it down further. That little planet is the Earth, the one we call home, and those creatures are us, human beings.
We are currently towards the end of the time that is related at the beginning of this article. Human beings have developed and expanded so much that we have damaged the planet that we call home. But humans have also come to a fork in the road where there also exists another path to be taken. It is the path of hope, of taking responsibility, of putting our differences aside and working towards a better future. In order to choose to walk this path, people need to first address the fact that our actions are harming the environment. There can be no solutions unless the problem is first recognized. This problem is, of course, the matter of climate change.
There is no single solution to the problem of climate change. Humans cannot simply flip a switch and expect that Earth’s environment will suddenly return to normal. True success in dealing with climate change will only come from a fundamental shift in how we view the world. That change will be made possible by education and public outreach, the use of renewable sources of energy, and the outlook that humans are the stewards of our environment rather than the benefactors of it.
Where we end up in years to come will be a testament to either the intelligence and compassion that humans are capable of, or to the darker aspects of our nature. How does the story go from here? That is for us to decide.
