Why should we care about the environment?

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." -Margaret Mead

Welcome to the realm of Mother #Gaia—the original Mother #Earth goddess. Here you will learn how we humans affect the earth in what may seem as very simple and harmless ways. Everything we do has a consequence and leaves a footprint on the #environment, and as much as it has probably been said, the truth is the world is in trouble. We can fix the damage we have caused, and it’s time to start now. It’s true that recycling is not the most exciting thing in the world. Nobody gets up in the morning and jumps in happiness at the thought of washing out a milk carton or adding their half-eaten dinner to a compost pile. And that’s OK. What should bring us excitement though is knowing that sea turtles are safely swimming in the oceans or that ten years from now we will still be able to enjoy a day at the beach.

It can be overwhelming to hear of all the chaos going on. Polluted oceans, disappearing species, acres of forests lost. Sometimes it’s too much to bear, and we think to ourselves: what can little old me do to make a difference? But the reality is every small #change makes a HUGE difference, especially when many of us decide to help. Together we can change the course of things. We must stop feeling helpless. Not all change has to happen NOW, but it has to start somewhere. Little by little you will see how easy it is to get in the routine of being good citizens of the earth. Throwing that plastic bottle away doesn’t make you a bad person, and hopefully after reading some of my tips you will find it easier to start making changes.

Not all change has to happen NOW, but it has to start somewhere.

But this space is not just about #recycling. It’s also about #sustainability and changing our mentalities and how we live our everyday lives. Many people might ask, "Why should we care about the environment?" It’s not like we get paid for being good to it. And I could give you a million and one reasons, but here are just a few:

• Plastic debris causes the deaths of more than a million seabirds every year, as well as more than 100,000 marine mammals.

• There are now close to 500 dead zones—areas with low oxygen levels created by excessive nutrients from agricultural runoff and sewage, where most marine life cannot survive—covering more than 245,000 km² globally, equivalent to the surface of the United Kingdom.

• About 40 percent of the lakes in the U.S. are too polluted for fishing, aquatic life, or swimming.

• Seventy percent of the oxygen we breathe is produced by marine plants.

The reality is that if we don’t start taking care of the world it’s not going to take care of us. The health of the oceans, for example, directly affects our own health. Not caring about the environment equates to us not caring about ourselves, our children, our loved ones. We are part of an ecosystem where everything is directly connected. If one part of the ecosystem is disturbed it will essentially cause the entire thing to collapse. The good news is that there’s still time, and there are many simple ways to help. I invite you to take that first step. ●

Sources: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency | UNESCO | BYU Idaho

Source: Dive.in