BY: JESSICA BEUKER
Recently my newsfeed and computer screen have been attempting to scare me. I’ve been flooded by headlines and stories that read, “Earth’s sixth mass extinction has begun and it’s all our faults.” Some read “Humans under threat,” as if I shouldn’t leave the house today because I might not make it home at the end of the night.
I’m not denying that Earth is in trouble; it would be foolish to deny that human action has been a catalyst to the current grim state of the environment and its ecosystems. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report of 2013 states that human activity is responsible for changing land surface properties. My problem with recent headlines is that I don’t believe that fear mongering is the least bit effective. The assumption is that scare tactics are what will get people talking and in turn really listening to what is being said about the future of our world. I don’t buy that. Suddenly everyone is concerned, but no one knows how to do anything about it, instead we throw our hands up and complain about the world’s impending doom. I believe that scaring people into caring is counterintuitive – now everyone wants to save the world, but without all of the important information and resources we become headless chickens chasing after the dangling carrot of impending doom.
According to the Huffington Post, mass extinction means that three out of every four species we are familiar with will disappear off the planet, likely in time for our grandkids to see it happen. Biologists agree that this is where we are headed – it’s the sixth time in half a billion years where species are dying off at such a rapid pace.
This is the horrifying news – the part that most people read and remember and get anxious about. And while many of the facts and figures are true, they often don’t come with any assurance, hope or ways that we can turn the problem around. The things that we can do as individuals, the little ways in which we can help out, are the things that we should be putting the spotlight on.
1. Take education into your own hands
I am the furthest thing from a science major, which means that a lot of the terms and phrases I read in Science Advances’ study do not mean anything to me. For the same reason, many people digest the scary headline, but do not take much else away from what they are reading. Never be afraid to ask questions. If you don’t know what something means look it up, or ask someone who does. Don’t just let one article or person sway your opinion, keep reading and learning until you know enough to form your own opinion and then work from there.
2. Reduce your carbon footprint
This one is very simple, but very overlooked. Little things like adjusting the thermostat, recycling, biking and walking instead of driving or carpooling when you have to use a vehicle. I’m not saying you have to be a saint. I’m certainly guilty of the occasional environment faux pas. But at least being conscious about your decisions and trying to be a little kinder to the planet, can start small waves. Plus it can have an added benefit for you—biking to work also means a more active lifestyle and thus better health.
3. Eat more veggies – and less meat
I am the furthest thing from a vegetarian. My favorite food is steak and I will add bacon to just about anything. Recently, I have cut back on my meat intake and if I can do it, then it shouldn’t be that hard for anyone else. I don’t think that everyone in the world needs to be a vegan, but being food smart certainly can go a long way. According to the Huffington Post, if lands currently being used to grow crops for livestock were instead used to grow crops eaten directly by people, there would be 50 to 70 per cent more calories available for human consumption. It would also reduce the need to turn our rainforests into crop fields.
4. Learn about and care for your favorite endangered species
Photo Credit: fcafotodigital
If you love elephants, and the thought of your grandkids never seeing one breaks your heart, then be a voice for them. Other things to consider include, not buying anything made of ivory or from companies that use parts of endangered animals in their products. You can find many websites online that will tell you where your stuff comes from if you’re ever in doubt. Adopting an animal is another way to make a small, but meaningful contribution. It’s great as a gift too – for her birthday I adopted my turtle-obsessed friend a sea turtle. The money goes towards conserving the species’ habitat, plus she got a cute stuffed animal out of it.
5. Don’t belittle your actions
Photo: Abigail Hearn/Barcroft Media
The biggest problem that I see with any global issue is that people won’t try because they think the actions of one person will never make a difference. Alright cynics, you can have that one. Fighting something as big as the earth’s sixth mass extinction is not going to happen at the hands of one person, or even a few people, and it certainly won’t happen over night. Like the problems we have created for ourselves, it will take years before we see any progress. But just because we cannot see it, does not mean that it isn’t happening, and it is important for people to act now. The fact that you start recycling, or biking to work or reading books on environmental change may not seem like anything prolific – but if the majority did those things, the impact could be huge.
Try not to let “the earth is in great danger” message scare the crap out of you, and render you powerless. Understand that the problem is big, but step back, evaluate your situation and consider the positive steps that you yourself can take. You cannot directly influence the decisions of others, but your actions may inspire them and then they will go on to inspire others like falling dominoes. At the very least, the fact that I recycle will make my friends think I’m a better person than them and they will follow suit out of guilt. Either way the planet – and everyone on it – wins.
Sources: ecohustler.co.uk, ladieswhat.co.uk, kudago.com, istockphoto.com, knysnaelephantpark.co.za, nature.org