A Young Environmentalist View on the Future
The Outer Banks, Paradise on Earth
As a curious child with an attraction to the outdoors, I could not have grown up in a better place than North Carolina. More specifically the Outer Banks, even more specific, the town of Kitty Hawk.
Mere spits of sand, the Outer Banks is a 175-mile stretch of barrier islands. Perched between the Atlantic Ocean and the Albemarle Sound, Kitty Hawk serves as an ecological hotspot.
I spent many summer days wading through the hot water of the Albemarle. Inching my way near shore, I could spot a stingray swimming away from my arrogant footsteps. As I look for the flash of fish, an osprey flies high above me, doing the same. At the time I was too enthralled with fishing to notice the real captivation. An environment operating without regard for a boy and his cast net.
That feeling of insignificance while immersed in a greater process embodies the tranquility of nature. To know that an osprey will always be looking for fish, even long after I am gone. At least so I thought at a young age.
With a little more life experience under my belt, I now question the safety of the ecosystems I knew as a boy. Climate change is occurring at an alarming rate that soon will be irreversible. We are already experiencing climatic shifts and it is unknown if ecosystems can keep up.
Thinking About Climate Change
When asked about the future, many people think of new cities, technology, or social change. The future condition of the natural world is usually discarded.
For almost all human existence this has been acceptable. Now as we see the side effects of human activities, we need to take more consideration. As a global population we have seen the effects of severe climate change, whether we notice them or not.
The warning signs to climate change are subtle if you are not affected. Temperatures rise which result in powerful weather events. Droughts last longer, hurricanes and storms more frequent, wildfires erupt around the world, and oceans rise.
These events devastate communities and displace families. Leaving many without homes and with little means to recover. The worst part? Human activity has caused climates to change 10 times faster than normal. Additionally, these scenarios are happening more often.
Climate change is the long-term alteration of temperatures and weather patterns. A natural process no doubt, yet, an environmental awakening must occur. Nature is becoming less natural.
An obvious yet arrogant statement, it should be on everybody’s mind. The view of an environmentalist is to preserve our natural surroundings for future generations. To protect what we have today for the boy and his cast net of tomorrow.
Not so Doom and Gloom
Outcries for environmental preservation are the loudest they have been. New voices are speaking up for the unheard and the injustice of man-made climate change. And the corrections of our mistakes look promising.
The movement against fossil fuels gains more ground everyday. Fossil fuel combustion is the primary cause of climate change. It could soon be replaced in well-developed countries. Estimations in the United States predict over half of all vehicles will be electric by 2030.
Electricity is not the only form of renewable energy to be collected. Wind energy could prove to be more beneficial. Air is always circulating due to differences in temperature and pressure, creating wind. Well-placed wind turbines in the United States could replace the primary source of energy.
This project would require 1.25 million wind turbines. Sounds excessive but these turbines would only occupy 0.1% of U.S. land as many can be placed offshore.
I am not saying that we will all be driving electric cars and live near a windmill anytime soon. Instead I am trying to portray the simplicity of a greener future. Processing global change is difficult without the use of perspective. Our problem is solvable with a collective effort from mankind.
Collaboration Against Climate Change
Teamwork makes the dream work. One of the corniest of sayings stands true in the battle against climate change. The world has eight billion people living on it. Imagine a team of eight billion wanting to accomplish one goal.
The environmentalist view is vibrant with collaboration. Nature in itself is a complex collaboration of organisms and their surroundings. As humans we have our differences, but it should not override the prosperity of the environment. In unity a movement can convert a world to improve.
But it can not be done in a single effort. To reduce climate change, a continuous discipline to choose the greener option is needed. Small decisions are as important as the big ones. That is why change can start with you.
Here are some simple steps to protect the future of nature:
- Talk about it. It is the easiest way to raise awareness. Talk to friends, family, or even strangers about the effects of climate change.
- Be one with nature. Immerse yourself in it. Observing nature allows appreciation and respect to grow. Having appreciation makes something worth fighting for.
- Do the research. Climate change statistics are staggering and can not be denied. Learning basic information can help you understand the situation.
- Vote. The future of the planet may lie in the ballot box. Democracy is by the people and for the people. Voting for eco-friendly politicians that understand the state of climate change.
Although broad, these four suggestions could provide the foundation for a green future. This is all a part of the collaboration process. Informing and communicating with others so that a common understanding can be reached. Everyone should have appreciation for the Earth and all it provides. Tapping into this universal love is what we need to maintain our ecosystems.
With the help of many, a child can have countless memories catching fish and watching birds. Memories that drive a passion like mine to help others comprehend the beauty of the natural world. It sits outside your window, calling to our now deaf ears. I ask that you listen to it, feel the calm of life, and spread it as far as you can.
Let us congregate in that state of calm and gather our wills. For the name of planet Earth and equality. For the battle of climate change is a battle of equality that takes the hand of the people to decide the winner.
