My heart broke this week when a photo taken by Paul Nicklen went viral. It was a photo of a starving polar bear, a victim of global warming struggling to find food on an iceless island. I just sat there, crying and heartbroken. I felt so helpless and hopeless. To me, the image symbolized our dire future and the extinction of a magnificent species that did nothing to deserve its fate.
Literally everything I do furthers global warming. My very existence on earth impacts the resources of other living beings. A depressing concept, I know. Sure, I can reduce my carbon footprint and use less plastic. I can offset my carbon emissions and become a vegan. But at the end of the day, we each need to do our part. We need to make changes on the global level, and it starts with each individual. We each have the power over the products we choose to purchase, the companies we choose to invest in, and the voices we have against climate-deniers.
Sometimes I wish I cared less about the environment. It would be so much easier for me if I didn't have an eco-conscience. But, I can't deny the fact that I'm drawn to this issue, like moths to a flame. I think about it all the time. It's like an obsession. A strange desire to care for Mother Earth.
I also can't deny the fact that one of the biggest struggles for me as an environmentalist is that I often feel like a hypocrite. Like I said, everything I do impacts the environment. The computer I'm typing on contains toxic substances, my winter coat is made of perfluorocarbons, my leggings are made of polyester microfibers. I could go on.
Here's what I know and what gives me hope. There is still so much beauty and good in this world. I just want to preserve it for as long as I can.
