Save the Earth

Let’s face it- concern about global warming was laughable until a few years ago. It was an obligatory subject in textbooks, and appeared occasionally in newspapers. The general assumption was humanity still had several years to implement measures before it was too late. 

The time is ticking, and somehow, the needles have picked up pace. The consequences of our actions are now catching up with us, and taking their toll on other inhabitants of the Earth as well. 

The most fascinating part of our thinking is the one that allows us to believe that we have authority over every other species on Earth. It is the one that will subsequently lead to our downfall, lest we start being more pragmatic than selfish. 

It is unfortunate that millennials and Generation X will have to start taking global warming into account while thinking about building families. Overpopulation is a grave issue with far-reaching effects. Eventually, our descendents will face a despondent future alone- that is, if we do not face it first instead. 

Research has shown that the best ways to reduce a carbon footprint would be to turn over a new leaf and have a vegan diet, reduce air travel, and start walking more. Already, a revolution has begun- statistics show that more people than ever have altered their diets and started consuming less meat, and more greens. Veganism is on the rise. 

While veganism is moving up the graphs, something else is dropping- birth rates. Some women do not want to have kids, others are sacrificing chances at motherhood for a better planet. To give birth in an unstable world seems like injustice against someone who did not have a choice to be put here, and many do not want to carry that guilt. 

Religious and social customs, however, will disagree- having a child is more of an obligation than a choice. However, religion will not save the earth. Only action will. 

If we truly want a healthier planet, we need to stop exhausting and degrading our resources. Overpopulation means bulldozing more forests for land, and larger consumption of existing natural supplies. It means higher crime rates, and growing demands for employment. 

The futures of more than 150 million orphans are already set in stone, and perhaps by giving up having our own children, we can give them homes instead.