Save us, for your own sake!

The first environmental message I remember came to me from a calendar by „Our World“, an interesting, informative, and educational magazine for primary school students. Each page featured photos of different birds, and the message was “Save us, for your own sake!” At the time, there wasn’t much talk about the environment in school or outside of it, but the magazine’s editors seemed to be a step ahead of others.

In the past quarter, we marked World Environment Day. Although this year’s focus was on combating desertification, it’s a good opportunity to reflect on all other aspects of protecting the planet, which is currently the only known home for humanity as we know it. Forests, waters, air, soil, and all living creatures that inhabit this planet—this entire ecosystem—deserve our daily attention and care, as we humans are solely responsible for its ongoing destruction.

This statement is not radical. Various scientific studies show the disappearance of certain species, the drying up of water sources, and the continuous rise in average temperatures. For instance, analyses conducted by the Centre for Climate Change (CCC) on temperature changes over the next 40 years indicate that summer temperatures are expected to be as much as 6˚C higher than they are now. The rise in temperature is expected to cause more frequent temperature fluctuations and extreme weather events such as storms, hail, torrential rains, and floods, resulting from large amounts of rain in a short time, as well as increasingly intense winds. We could say that the future is already our present.

Alongside these worrying data about the destruction of the planet caused by our irresponsible behaviour, we are witnessing various theories that serve as little more than excuses for the current state. You’ll hear that it’s a natural process unrelated to humans, that climate change is a hoax, and that the planet will find a way to cope with the situation. This willful blindness to such obvious problems that affect us all is hardly a characteristic of the planet’s most aware species.

It’s time to ask ourselves which group we belong to: those concerned about environmental destruction, the so-called conspiracy theorists, or are we merely silent observers of the events? It’s time to question what we personally are doing about this issue, and whether our contribution stops at social media posts. No, I’m not saying that’s bad, just that it’s not enough—not anymore.

Civil society organisations are among the loudest in demanding accountability, raising public awareness, and offering solutions to environmental problems. But we need to take a step further; we must assume personal, individual responsibility and lead by example. We should ask ourselves: What am I doing to reduce negative impacts? Am I setting a personal example for others? Do I sort my waste? Do I encourage others to do the same? Do I raise the alarm when I see illegal dumping? Do I report it? Is there a response to my report? And if there isn’t, do I give up or keep going?

There are countless actions we can take daily—by ourselves, together with others, or with neighbours in our community and beyond. Let’s protect the environment, for our own sake. Let’s take a step forward, and be an example worth following! Happy reading!

Check out what the new issue of Citizens for change #17 offers, and if you missed the previous issue of the magazine, you can read it at this link.