Images of numerous sea animals lying dead, full of trash and waste, ingrained into my mind from a National Geographic documentary. Watching TV is something so mundane, but it was different that day. It was then that I decided to do something about it and began researching global concerns and how to actively participate in social campaigns and local services, such as planting trees, town clean-ups, and raising awareness through social media.
I am part of Generation Z. I was born in the decade of economic development, globalisation, and technological advancements. The world around me was ever evolving–fingerprint phone locks, automated doors and pupil detectors. In the midst of the wild development, our generation went through unprecedented change: we became the ‘tech-savvy’ ones. I did not have to lift a finger to unlock my phone or open a door—although I did have to lift a few for writing essays. Thanks to technology, our generation has led a life of convenience and vast growth, but technological development is a double-edged sword in that it can threaten human civilization in many other ways. Once harm is done to our earth, it is almost impossible to undo, and not a single second should be wasted for us to take action. The environmental destruction will impact everyone, regardless of their ethnicity, class and background. In order to make sure that the next generation is not burdened with irreversible degradation, environmental conservation should start from us.
Thinking back to UWC Day, I encourage everyone to reflect back upon themselves. Essentially, our future may not even exist if we don’t take action immediately. Our offspring will live a life of debt to our Earth, working hard and developing new technology only to save themselves from extinction. Ask Greta. Ask Wangari. Ask Vandana. What should we do to change the world?
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