Today protests around the world are being held by students that are claiming their future. The world we are living in is changing and they are asking the people of the world to unite to preserve their future.
The debate over whether man has impacted this planet is over. The world is changing at an increasingly accelerated rate. Climate is changing throughout the globe with an increasing number of record-breaking events. Species are declining. There are reports of decreasing insect populations, most notably bees and butterfly’s. See for yourself by the number of insects drawn to your outside light or are on your car's windshield. Coral reefs are being impacted with changes in their resident fish population. The list is long but you get the idea. In reality half of all plant and animal species are threatened by climate change. I believe that the bigger picture is that it is the human species that will most be affected by climate change and we will know in our hearts that we did this to ourselves. Yeah it hurts to know that the disease was self-inflicted. It will really be no wonder, as when we look around we find that many diseases are self-inflicted by the lifestyle we lead and the choices we make. Just look at increasing levels of obesity.
Change is inevitable
In the world we live in nothing stays the same. If you really want to see where your going, look back 10 years and then look at where you are now. Draw the line between the to points and extend that line 10 more years. Things better or worse? The things you put energy into get better. The things you neglect get worse. Ignore your teeth you lose them (I had to get something dental into this). Neglect your car it stops running (no gas). Neglect your spouse you split (or live a miserable existence). We need to take care of the things that are important to us (by putting positive energy in) for them to be there for us. Why is this planet any different?
The lack of respect for the planet
We haven’t been kind to this world over the last 200 years. We can look at the pollution of our environment, an example being mercury levels in fish. Or how about the increasing use of herbicides and pesticides. Do you really think that these poisons getting into our food supply can be a good thing? You might want to check out this report -Weed-Killing Chemical Linked to Cancer Found in some Children's Breakfast Foods.
Deforestation is another attack on this planet. We lose 50 thousand acres of forest each year. How can cutting down all those trees not have an effect on us? They clean the air and provide habit for wildlife. Then there is always the ever debatable increasing levels of CO2 in our air. Greener plants??? I don’t think so. Increased temperature??? I’d put money on that one. The list is long, but I think you get the idea. We haven’t been so kind to Mother Earth. If we keep doing what we have been doing, where are we headed? We need to put some positive energy into this planet now or future generations will look back at this time period and say “WTF were they thinking?” I truly believe that those in power who choose to ignore the problem are committing crimes against humanity. Only time will tell.
The power to choose
In the end we have the power to choose. We can choose to take better care of ourselves and our planet. Yes, it takes energy to choose, especially when the choice is different then what you have done before. It’s always easier to keep doing what you have been doing. The first step is acknowledging the problem exists and then choosing to do something about it. We need to realize that it is worth the effort to save the planet as much as it's worth the effort to lose weight. We can’t go wrong by taking better care of ourselves and our environment. When it comes to the environment anybody that disagrees with that is probably more concerned about money, because for them it always comes down to money. Kill the planet to make a buck.
So the real question is "If Not Now…When?". If not now, I want you to look these kids in the eye and tell them they are not worth making the change now.