Go Greener

I am a History teacher, and for me, History has always been the study of humanity – who we are, how we develop, and how people act and react in certain situations. Humans learn from experience, but it doesn’t have to be our own direct experience. For instance, I will never try to conquer Russia in the winter, and that’s not because I have already tried and failed. Perhaps more importantly, I know that a revolution does not just happen. Meaningful social change is not an overnight phenomenon. Martin Luther King Jr agrees with me.

As COP26 is unfolding, there are so many reasons to feel hopeful right now. What a time to be alive! What a moment to witness. BUT (and it is a big but, if I say so myself) we cannot allow ourselves to feel complacent. The leaders are finally taking action. Deals are being made. Targets set. However, it is going to be up to all of us to keep politicians accountable for the promises that they make. It continues to be our duty to spend our dollars wisely so that we can force businesses to care about the environment as much as profit margins. In times when big actions are needed, it is easy to despair about your individual contribution. You may not have started making an individual contribution yet beyond thinking about it. We need to band together and remember that hundreds of individual acts will mean a lot in the long term. I know a certain politician (who shall remain nameless) in an electorate where I may or may not live who is suddenly much more proactive about the environment because it looks like he might lose his seat to a new kid in town who DOES care about these issues. Power to the people!

I look forward to teaching my future students about how richer countries recognised their responsibility to address the issues of climate and waste. I look forward to telling them how ordinary people accepted that they had to let go of what used to be “normal” life and habits. Even if we hit the current climate goal, life will look different, and it will not always be easy. It is exactly for that reason that we must all play our part, because if the natural disasters and weather events that we have seen in the last five years are anything to judge by, we do not want to condemn the children of today to more extreme conditions. Economically and ethically, we must start living for the long-term. There will be sacrifice, compromise and unexpected delights along that path, but History has taught me that we are capable of banding together for a cause if we really try. Those who lived through the Depression and World War II are sometimes dubbed “the Greatest Generation”. It’s time for us to earn the right to claim that title for ourselves.

The little things you can do:

Compost food waste
Plan meals out carefully so you don’t buy more than you need at the shops
Dispose of clothing thoughtfully – is there somewhere that you can recycle or repurpose your old clothes?
Eat less meat and dairy
Write to your local representative on a regular basis – making sure they know that you care about these issues.
Buy green – support sustainable businesses.
Donate your time or money to reputable environment groups – maybe a local action group!

Parents:

Show your kids the value of nature. Children are unlikely to fight for something unless they care about it. Bushwalks, beach visits, picnics, walks through gardens, visiting natural wonders could all foster a sense of enthusiasm.
Think futuristically – eg rather than teaching our children what to expect at a party based on what happened in the past (ie a lot of plastic waste), set different, environmentally-sound expectations from as early an age as possible.
Make sure your children know that you care about climate change and the environment. Knowing that the people around you care is crucial.
Vote with the environment in mind.

Students:

Make the effort to use the right bin for your waste around school
Think carefully about the plastic you use – eg do you need to laminate something? Do you need to buy that drink in plastic?
Make sure your parents know that you care about climate change and the environment.

Dr Fiona Radford
Maailma Environment Committee