Climate Change: Our Shared Responsibility and Urgent Call to Action

Whenever someone says “I don’t even know why we should care about climate change” This is the rant I go on… “Well, It’s our fault. All of it or at least most of it is our fault. The truth is, the responsibility lies squarely with us – humanity. Our actions, or lack thereof, have propelled us into this current climate crisis, and the evidence is all around us. In fact, according to the United Nations , human activities have been the main driver of climate change since the 1800s, primarily due to the burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas which produce greenhouse gasses. These gasses are trapped in the air, making it so hot we could literally cook an egg on the concrete street.

Think about that the next time you ask, “Is it me or every year it just gets hotter and hotter?’

Think about the cars we drive with fumes so bad they mess up the air we breathe. The trees we cut to build homes or make paper or get timber for our nice sofa sets. We literally throw trash out of the window of moving vehicles like there it’s a two for one special. We give our trash to people and companies that don’t care where or how they get rid of it. We drink from one-use plastic bottles on our runs and throw the bottles away. News flash people. Away is the Ocean.

Speaking of the ocean, according to Aljazeera, every year, about 400 million tonnes of plastic products are produced around the world. Of these plastics, an estimated 8 million to 10 million tonnes end up in the ocean each year.

As if that’s not enough, according to earthday.org, there is more microplastic in the ocean than there are stars in the Milky Way and by 2050 there will be more plastic in the oceans than there are fish (by weight). If these are our statistics, we obviously have a conundrum in our hands that we caused and are continuing to participate in.

When I was in University, I had my existential crisis. Did God really create the earth or was it the big bang theory? Am I here after being reincarnated? The questions, like the answers, were many. In that time, I concluded that everything is systematic. The digestive system, the breathing system and most importantly, the ecosystem. Everything tied to our existence is operated in a system. A set of things or in this case beings working together for a specific output.

While I pondered further, I realized that even though the big bang theory may have happened, it was most likely a command from a higher being. It would be improbable for an accidental bang to have placed everything exactly where it should be to align itself to its purpose. Like the Ecosystem, everything that exists– plants, animals, and other organisms, irrespective of the size – is purposeful to work together to form and participate in the circle of life.

Let’s look at it like this; A buffalo living in the grassland will eat the grass. This buffalo will however end up giving back to the land by spreading the seeds of this grass through its waste. The lion will eat buffalos to prevent them from being too many in the grassland. Therefore, not too much grass is consumed. The system ensures there is give and take of all organisms in order to sustain life. It’s all for the good of the system.

We should care about climate change because it is bigger than you and me. We are part of a system. What happens when we destroy the environment that sustains our system? We are only destroying ourselves. The next generation will fight battles they can’t win. They won’t stand a chance when the glaciers are melting and increasing the sea level, causing our coastal regions to be so flooded that you’ll see the wig you ordered from Alibaba.com floating around the coastal port.

The next time you think the biodegradable packaging is so expensive, think about the kind of fish you want to eat from the ocean. Think about the animals literally falling dead because it hasn’t rained in so long and they cannot find grass or water. The next time you are about to print unnecessary documents or throw a paper on the street, remember you are part of the system that you contribute to. We are currently reaping the results of what humans began in the 1800’s. It’s time to make better choices.

Article by Mueni Mwando