Legacy

Initially, I began this class with very little knowledge of environmental sustainability, my ecological footprint, how much damage we have inflicted on our ecosystem and environment, and the true effects of our actions. During this course, I have realized that everything I do can either hurt or help someone currently or in the future. I now know what it means to be a contributor to greenhouse gas emissions or pollution. Though I have always cared for the environment and my natural surroundings, I was not too aware of the status of the earth beyond my norm. Taking the 2-hour course; Awakening the Dreamer, I learned an immense amount of information about much about how our industrial system really destroys our earth, and it’s sickening. 

Though I am still trying to discover my purpose on earth, I know without a shadow of a doubt that I don’t want to leave here thinking that I could have done more to save it. My personal actions can have a big impact on the environment, and I am now taking more precautions than ever to do my part as a person who cares for the environment. I want the generations after me to witness the beauty of rainforests and woodlands, and be in awe of these wonderful creatures that are endangered today (elephants, lions, tigers, whales, etc.) I want my great-great-grandchildren to have the privilege of breathing in fresh air and drinking clean water. I want them to be able to go to beaches and watch turtles and fish swim in freely in non-polluted water. But that all starts with what we decide to change in our lives today. I have made the switch of utilizing reusable shopping bags, water bottles, and non-plastic straws. I am being more cautious of the things I intend on buying and what I throw away. Though I already eat clean and stay away from meats for many reasons (one of which is the greenhouse gas emissions from meat production), I am encouraging my friends to do so as well. I want to leave a legacy of knowing that I joined the fight against harmful westernized industrialization and I was not a promoter of the global mass extinction that we are in the midst of. I want to help change the narrative that Americans do not care about our environment and how we are not educated on climate change and global warming. I want to educate people on what I’ve learned throughout this course, so we can all make an impact. The legacy I intend on leaving will reflect on my efforts in saving the planet.