Earth Day 2017

It’s Earth Day! Time to consider our environmental impacts individually and as a species, and try to change our ways.

When I think of international impacts on the environment, so many ideas spring to mind, but global warming is the first, and possibly the most threatening.
It is causing ice caps to retreat, seasonal patterns to change, sea levels to rise, glaciers to melt, increased extreme weather events, severe droughts, decreasing of some animals’ ranges and distribution, bleaching of coral reefs and more.

Yet some people are still claiming it’s not true. Some say it’s natural, and humans aren’t impacting on it; others go even further and claim that the whole thing is a hoax.
This may have been an acceptable viewpoint decades ago, but with the sheer amount of scientific evidence to say the contrary, it’s practically ridiculous.
In fifty or a hundred years time, when our planet is really feeling the effects, people will look for someone to point the finger of blame at. Personally, I would bet on that person being Trump.
He has completely undone Obama’s policies that were put in place to slow global warming, in some bid to ‘make America great again’. He won’t make America great again. He might make the current generations of Americans a little wealthier, but in reality he is ensuring the demise of their children’s children, and all future generations of all humans. Even a teenager can see that.

95% of climate change scientists agree it is real, and that it is being catalysed by our activities. Why does Trump think he can get away with rejecting the research of all the highest authorities on the matter?

This is why science marches having been going on all over the country, and all over the world. Not just because of Donald Trump (although he has driven many more people to participate) but as a general protest against the way politicians seem to be disregarding science to suit their own personal motives. Climate change is one of the main focuses of this year’s march, and I’m sure it will be every year until we start to get it straight.

But it wouldn’t be right to load all of the blame onto the big decision makers – everyone is to blame for global warming to some extent. In a way this is actually a good thing, because it means that we have the power to stop it.

Of course we can do all of the simple, small things we are taught about at school; turning off lights and other electrical devices whenever possible, using public transport or bicycles to get around, put on a jacket rather than turn on the central heating etc. And I have to admit, personally, there is a lot more I could be doing in this area, and from today I will make a stronger effort than previously.
After all, as a wildlife enthusiast, I know it is worth saving. To ensure the long term preservation of our planet, we need more young people to realise this.
Which is why I have this blog, why I make documentaries, draw, paint, compose music, write articles and speak publicly. I know that if we want to conserve (and I do) it is necessary to inspire the next generation.

Thanks for reading.


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