Dear fellow students,
I am an English major in my final year. I am writing a series of letters about environmental concerns to corporations and members of government, and I am writing to you to ask for help in creating a more widespread impact with such letters.
We have both the fortune and misfortune of becoming active democratic citizens at a time when humanity is increasingly educated about climate change and global warming. Although the outlook for our future can be daunting, we also have an opportunity. As world-famous primatologist Jane Goodall insisted, previous generations have stolen the earth from us, but we have the right and power to take it back. At a critical point in time for our earth and economies, we have the opportunity to develop new cities, industries, and ways of life that are not only sustainable, but that also protect biodiversity, improve global human rights, and increase overall quality of life. We have this opportunity, but we must start acting now and act collectively.
One simple way to act is to make our voices heard. I am attempting to do this with letters I am writing, such as one to the relevant authorities to consider the installation of a Seabin to clean micro-plastics from Peake’s Quay Wharf and one to the company I work for to consider replacing flimsy plastic bags with a reusable alternative. I used to struggle with having a desire to take action to better the world, but not knowing how. I also thought that if there were good ideas, people would have already had them or been working on them. More recently, I have been learning that there is a great need for good ideas, and that good ideas originate from many sources—especially from students—from both our education and everyday experiences.
It is time to make a statement that we demand more action from corporations and government, and that we should be included in decisions that shape our future. If you share similar concerns about environmental issues and want to make a difference, I encourage you to write letters of your own, based on your experiences and concerns.
If you have questions about the process of such letter writing or would like assistance, I would be happy to help. Also, if you have an idea for a letter or something you want to see changed but don’t feel comfortable writing or have the time, please send me your ideas, and I will try to incorporate them into my series. All inquiries and ideas can be sent to me at lbanks@upei.ca. By working together at this time of crisis, we can better our planet and our futures.
Sincerely,
Lydia Banks
This article belongs to The Cadre’s opinion section. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Cadre.
Photo: Robert Linsdell (under Creative Commons License 2.0)