"I started walking from the Bamboo Cathedral up to the tracking station three years ago because of the natural beauty and wildlife (howler and capuchin monkeys, birds, butterflies etc) found in Chaguaramas. After a year, I became disenchanted by the assault on the environment with the rubbish that people left behind week after week–plastic bottles, snack wrappers, beer bottles, condoms etc. I came home one day and bound a broomstick with a six-inch nail. It made a very effective tool for picking up rubbish while I walked. I have upgraded to a medical grabber now. I walk down the hill with my bounty in a large garbage bag. I get curious stares and encouraging words, but I have only had limited offers of assistance. I'm here every Saturday, Sunday and public holiday. The noise pollution of the weekend J'Ouvert parties and fetes are contributing to the ruin of the one ecological haven left in Port-of-Spain. The upside on this for me is that my family supports me and very often come along providing wonderful company. I am committed to the preservation of this area."
Courtesy The People of T&T, July 15, 2014 (via Facebook)
Being the ordinary, everyday environmentalist requires a completely new level of "greener thinking." Adopting "green thinking" requires a personal transformation stemming from deep respect for our earth and its resources. It is looking at every object in nature and understanding its value and role in sustaining a healthy planet for the present and future generations.
Once we begin to appreciate every tree, every animal species, and all the natural elements, we will begin to have a more environmentally responsible attitude towards our own actions.
The environmentalist in the above extract performed a task that many of us refrain from doing, perhaps because it is not the popular thing to do or does not yield any reward. The only reward the everyday environmentalist receives is self-satisfaction that he/she has done his/her small part to preserve our vast planet.
How many of us have cleaned up our surroundings after a fete, a day at the beach/river or an outing with the family at any tourist attraction? Today, we should all start our environmentalist journey and we can do so by examining regular, daily tasks and think of ways to make them environmentally responsible–from taking home plastic bags from the grocery, to carpooling or walking instead of driving, and keeping litter on hand rather than tossing them out the window of a moving vehicle. Unfortunately, T&T is notorious for creating "litter zones" along our roadsides, green spaces, beaches and rivers.
This is not only an eyesore for citizens, but the many tourists who visit our shores and give reviews about our country's scenic beauty. Greening our homes is one way to become an everyday environmentalist. We can use old plastic bottles, containers, soft drink cases for planting seasoning or any other ornamental plants around the home. We can reduce our energy consumption by turning off lights when leaving a room, unplugging unused appliances or cell phone chargers after use and using energy efficient bulbs. When buying groceries, we should try to purchase more locally grown produce, as food transportation from distant sources leaves behind a significant carbon footprint. We can also consider buying eco-wares instead of Styrofoam and plastics, and consider the amount of packaging materials we would have to discard after the groceries have been packed away.
And as a general rule, we should practice taking our own reusable bottles of water to work, school or while running errands. By adopting these practices in our daily routines, we will begin to understand that our resources are not infinite and that there is a future generation depending on our conservative habits.
Haley A Wilhite, a philanthropy assistant for The Nature Conservancy in Florida, presented an account of her mission as an everyday environmentalist. "As a long-time environmental steward of the earth, my personal mission has been to clean-up litter wherever I can. I also share this mission with others, especially my own friends and family. For many years, I have served as an advocate against littering. Any person who has spent time with me knows if I'm around, you're not going to throw that gum wrapper on the ground and get away with it! So whether I'm just walking in and out of a business or riding down the road, I always try to do my part to keep our environment tidy.
Like Haley, and our unsung hero in the first story, let us become responsible citizens of the earth. It is said that your habits become your character, and adopting sound environmental practices can build the moral fibre of our society.
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