With climate change and greenhouse gas emissions being an issue of major concern today, companies and the general public have been developing “eco-friendly” products or adopting “eco-friendly” practices. These are anything ranging from taking reusable bags to the grocery store to clothes made from recycled fabrics, all in an attempt to minimize their impacts on the environment. But what we may find surprising is that this concept has been around for over 50 years.
Although the environmental activism movement didn’t make headline news until just after Trump’s inauguration and the appearance of Greta Thunberg, it’s been here for a while. The movement actually started in the 1960s during the time of hydrogen bomb testing, the pollution of the Great Lakes, and oil spills of the coast of California.
People were concerned with their health and the effects that pollution had on their waterways and the air that they breathed. The citizens of the United States were pushed for the preservation of the Earth’s natural resources and wilderness, resulting in the passing of the Clean Air Act of 1970 and the Clean Water Act of 1972. Since then, it has evolved into a much greater issue, combining politics at the local, state, federal, and even international levels.
In the last few years, more and more people are becoming aware of the impacts that they have on the planet. The lash back that companies received for using straws forced many businesses to either get rid of them or make the switch to a more environmentally friendly paper straw. Starbucks designed a new cup that would eliminate the need for a straw. Car brands such as Tesla and Toyota released not just cleaner, but more efficient fuel-powered cars, relying on electricity rather than gas and diesel. The old behaviors which our society was so fixed upon are slowly being changed as a result of this movement. Not everyone agrees, and everyone will never agree on one thing, but enough people do to start making an impact.
Even though issues still remain, we’re slowly making our way to being more caring towards our Earth. There might be aspirations to go set up a community on Mars, but if we can’t get our first planet under control, why should we move on and destroy another? First, we must tackle the issue of climate change as best we can. Obviously, it is no easy task, but we have to take every opportunity we can. Even if we don’t succeed, at least we can say proudly that we tried.
The problem I have with this new wave in being “green” and “clean” is that I am afraid that people will stop adopting these practices once its no longer trendy. Furthmore, many companies are capitalizing on this trend by making reusable products extremely expensive. I remember seeing an add for a reusable portable plastic silverware set that was $130! This prevents people from lower economic backgrounds to almost be forced into using cheaper, disposable options. Furthermore, many beauty companies are starting to have “refills” that supposedly you can use to put into the original packaging to save waste. However, these refills come in their own external packaging that sometimes creates even more waste.
What a timely post – just in time for Earth Day! I really enjoyed reading this post and especially the way you concluded your thoughts. I completely agree with you and understand that space missions are important. Explorations of other planets is exciting. However, global warming and climate change are serious issues on our own planet; shouldn’t we try to pass legislation to get that under control before moving onto the “next best thing”, otherwise known as Mars? That is just my opinion, as so many things in politics baffle me, but I loved learning more about the environment with each of your posts. Best of luck to you on all of your finals, Heidi!
Happy Earth Day! This is a perfectly timed post and I’m glad you ended your blog on a happy note that we are slowly becoming more eco-friendly and caring towards the only Earth we have. I’m glad that more restaurants are being more conscious by eliminating straw use and companies such as Tesla are releasing more eco-friendly cars. Great post!
I think the ban on straws is interesting. Straws are tools that allow people with disabilities or people in hospitals to drink liquids. Banning them completely is like ignoring an entire population. This article from NPR is a good read and I think sums up both sides well.
https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2018/07/11/627773979/why-people-with-disabilities-want-bans-on-plastic-straws-to-be-more-flexible
Hey Heidi! I agree that we are slowly start caring about the environment and taking steps on individual level. Still, it is a long way before we make a significant impact. Overall, I enjoyed reading this post, especially the way you wrapped up your thoughts.