2022 marks the 50th anniversary of the Stockholm conference which upheld the idea of ‘Only one earth’ as part of World Environment Day, celebrated every year on June 5.
It is an apt time of the year to observe such an occasion as unprecedented heat waves have hit many parts of the northern hemisphere, and severe sandstorms affected daily life in the Middle East.
The list of impending environmental disasters only keeps increasing.
From forest fires to unseasonal rains leading to flooding and scorching of the earth, the evidence of climate change can now be perceptibly observed.
Events like tree planting and plastic recycling do go some way to bring awareness of climactic changes, especially when done by children and young adults who can be taught the importance of being responsible for their own environment.
Educational institutions often have campaigns to mark the occasion.
World Environment Day is a reminder of the power at the grass root to make changes without waiting for governments or corporations. As the UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme) Chief said, “It helps to amplify voices and strengthen participants’ agency to impact change”.
The 2022 campaign’s focus on living sustainably with nature, not against it is an appropriate reminder that, if the long term results of environmental damage cannot be reversed, at least we can learn to live with the earth that we have left, creating a sustainable world for all.
It is easy to dismiss such events as just another day in which some ceremonies could be observed, only to be forgotten the next day. In the case of the environment, however, this is just an option we do not have.
The reality of climate change is at our doorstep and ways of preventing further disaster will need urgent consideration.
Researchers from all walks of life have shown the way forward and approached the climate change challenge as an opportunity. Whether it is architecture, urban landscaping, migration patterns, or even mental health, there is no area of study which has not been impacted by the onset of climate change. These challenges call for new ways of understanding the relation of human beings with the environment, while retaining hope and possibility.
The best way to approach climate change is, perhaps, the attitude that we can all make a difference at our very individual level. How we live a sustainable life can be discerned in the way we use electricity, plastic and packaging, water and other scarce resources like oil and coal.
Carpooling, avoiding over-consumption, responsible recycling where possible, using less electricity and generally avoiding wastage of food and other consumables are very simple tweaks to our daily routine.
Others include avoiding single use water bottles, shopping for clothes more sustainably and unplugging gadgets like phones from the main sockets.
World Environment Day is a much needed reminder that any small change we can make will lead to a more sustainable future, in which we are all invested.
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