Why I Am A Young Environmentalist? Because I care.

In recent years, I have become increasingly conscious of the fragile nature of the world around me. I’ve become more globally aware of current affairs and the problems the world faces. Two of the main contributors to this fragility being global warming and climate change.

The environment is all around us. It is our dwelling and our source of oxygen and water. It is essentially our lifeline and yet, we continue to harm and destroy it, which affects the planet’s ability to sustain life, today, and in the future.

The responsibility has fallen onto this generation. We need to become leaders, making real change. Not just a few percent here and there, but significant improvements. If we fail to change, it is my generation and future generations who will have to shoulder the burden. Already we are seeing the effects that our actions have on the environment; the melting of the polar icecaps, extreme weather conditions and the endangerment of animals and their habitats. If we continue on this path of recklessness, we will reach a point of no return, where we will no longer be able to reverse the damage.

I am a young environmentalist because I believe that it is possible for us to change our ways and turn this situation around. I believe that constant communication and education are the driving force of change. As a young environmentalist I have joined ECO-UNESCO in order to gain a better understanding of how to make these changes. I feel there is a responsibility on me to apply climate change learnings to everyday life.

I am a young environmentalist because I care. In decades to come, I want to live in an environmentally friendly world that is able to meet our needs, and the needs of future generations, that is beautiful and pleasant. I don’t want to see deforestation and mass wildfires. I don’t want to see communities and farmland destroyed because of flooding and desertification. I don’t want to see mass migration because of a lack of access to clean water and food. I don’t want to see lone starving polar bears on shrinking ice sheets.

I want change.

You can read Gemma’s article in the Irish Examiner here > https://bit.ly/2MXVnFr