Climate change has been an ongoing issue for the past few decades, but only now are we really starting to really see and feel the effects. For many years now we have been constantly warned by scientists over the irreversible effects of climate change if the world warms by 1.5 degrees celsius. Governments and organisations around the world are acting on these warnings, but it is evident that it is not enough.
So far 2021 has brought us record heat, juxtaposed with intense floods. The polar ice caps are melting at record rates but we are seeing some of the worst droughts on record that have led to devastating wildfires. And these are only a few of the issues to name. Let us look at a few ways we as individuals can become more considerate custodians of the earth.
Reduce everything
While this may be oversimplifying the whole situation, we humans have been doing too much of everything and at an unsustainable pace. We eat too much, we use too many natural resources, we have been building too rapidly and without too much thought on the wider implications. If we collectively were able to distribute resources more evenly then we wouldn?t have as much inequality, not only in the standard of living globally but also in the effects on the planet. Overproduction of meat, buildings, mobile phones, cars and cheap consoles to name a few, all add to the pressure this planet is under. Reducing our consumption and use of these without reducing the quality of life is certainly possible.
Treat all living beings equally
What makes us more entitled to the sea than those that already consider it their home? Are the reclamation projects all over the world actually essential or are they just new ways of generating income at the expense of the local environment that made it attractive in the first place. Take for example Dubai?s Palm Islands, considered nothing more than a vanity project with actually very few inhabitants now. This caused huge damage to the surrounding corals and for what reason? It was literally a vanity project, and now we are seeing it slowly succumbing to rising sea levels and degradation. Look inland slightly and you will see vast swathes of empty land that could easily have been used, without ruining wildlife?s habitat. Reducing such inequality would be a big step to protecting the planet.
Give back what we take
Using natural resources is essential to humanity?s survival, however, we should have a responsibility to restore or replace what we use. We are seeing millions of acres of forest being cut and burnt for use in farming and timber, but often not being replaced. While we should be more mindful of what we are using as the first step, we should also look to replace what is used. No tree, for example, should be cut without a new one being replanted in its place. Thankfully, there are currently many tree-planting projects ongoing around the world, as this issue becomes more widely publicised and understood.