I remember uncovering treefrogs from folds of outdoor cushions, wet with morning fog. Their long legs ending in flattened thumbs; they croaked like a bullhorn at night. They’ve been long gone for years, along with the summer fog and winter rains.
Climate defines our identity in the landscape we have grown accustomed to. The plants, animals, bacteria and fungi are changing before our eyes.
My generation was raised believing everything was at our disposal. We thought we would always have plenty – and we did! We have lived better than queens and pashas of empires foretold. But unfortunately, we were and are still wasteful in our opulence, and this waste contributes to the demise of our planet.
Our conspicuous consumption burns fossil fuels, cuts down trees and pollutes our air and water.
The old saying “waste not, want not,” first coined in 1576, means “willful waste makes woeful want,” and it’s particularly relevant today. Wasteful behavior is a monumental contributor to our climate crisis.
Personal changes we make can have a big impact, and they’re the easiest to tackle.
Continue reading “When We Throw Something Away, It Must go Somewhere, But Where?”
