Choices
Around New Year’s time, it’s traditional for one to write about the hopes of the year to come, the journey of the year past, or maybe even an amalgamation of both. However, the new year that is upon us is already infamous, having preceded itself with countless doomsday theories, terrified speculation over said theories, even a Hollywood movie, rife with scientific inaccuracies, but nevertheless effective in its interpretation of widespread destruction that many believe to be our inevitable end once 2012 finishes playing out. Now, while I firmly believe I’m going to wake up in 2051, 60 years of age, no problem, I won’t hide my unease about the whole situation, something I’ve written about before. The fact of the matter is, the world is dying around us, and many of us are doing nothing about it. The truth of the matter is, if the world in fact is going to end on the advent of 2013, it’s something we brought upon ourselves.
Nobody ever learns
Hello helicopter, are you here to stay?
Bodies rest in motion, fighting night and day
Well it’s kill or be killed
And one day we’ll get the best of them
Hello helicopter, are you listening?”
Sure it may be a dark, depressing thing to claim; and to clarify, I am in no way speaking in a biblical sense. I’m speaking of the garbage we toss out of car windows because we don’t want to wait until we find a trash can to dispose of it properly. As a matter of fact, I’m speaking of the garbage we discard in general because we’re impatient, restless creatures. I’m speaking of the glass, the aluminum we don’t recycle, that we waste so needlessly. I’m speaking of asinine habit of driving two blocks for convenience. To me, I’m speaking of things we should be worried about. We have disrespected our home, and we have forgotten that we are part of this planet as much as every other life-form on this rock is a part of it as well. And those life-forms don’t take more than what they need. But what do we do? We pollute the skies, the oceans, the land. We destroy acres of habitat to make room for our own wants, not our needs, with no thought of the consequences of our actions. We act like rude house guests in the house of a hated enemy, as though we are the aliens speculated to live elsewhere in the galaxy. If you need proof that the world is changing, and this line goes out especially to those who currently reside in the bay; it hasn’t rained in quite some time, and it is winter, which for is supposed to be nothing but rain at least every other day. It has been dry for weeks. That is not normal. This weather, though bitingly cold at night, is in no way normal. It isn’t how I remembered it to be as a child.
Nobody ever learns
Are we ever going to get it right?
Are we ever going to start making sense
And stop pretending that we care?
Are we ever going to get it right?
Are we ever going to start making sense
And stop pretending that we care?
Are we ever going to get it right?
Are we ever going to start making sense
And stop pretending…”
Maybe the phobia of the end of this year spelling the end of us all is more prominent in my head than what I’m allowing myself to believe. Nevertheless, I’ve felt the need to do more to change the destructive habits we possess, and to hopefully inspire others to do the same. Don’t give me that crap about how one person can’t make a difference. If everyone had an attitude like that, nothing would have ever gotten done ever. If you were to begin change, then you will bring change. You have to be the difference you want to see in the world, otherwise be content with being dissatisfied. Besides, there’s plenty you can do to help ease the strain we place on our planet. If you’re going out, and it’s within 5 minutes by car, walk. If not walk, or if a bit further, bike it. Skate, run, scooter it, I don’t care, they’re all viable options. If you aren’t using an appliance currently, unplug it. TV off? Unplug it. Stating that you don’t want to plug in the TV every time you want to watch something is the epitome of a first world problem. Hard as it may be, log off the internet every now and again for some period of time and enjoy the outdoors for a bit. As my America History & Literature/Creative Writing teacher put it, “Why are you burning fossil fuel refreshing Facebook every minute?” Don’t throw out scraps of food, compost it, and recycle anything that can be reused. And above all else, we need to remember that we are animals. It will forever baffle me that even with our cognitive abilities, we can’t fathom the harm we bring to the world. Just think about it, and hopefully you’ll be inspired to change the way you live.
Our planet is threatened by humans and our behavior
To such an extent that the climate
The habitat, and evolution itself may change forever
We’re faced with choices
Choices that will affect all of our lives
The lives of our offspring and those to come.”
-J
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jaykunrawrs posted this
