Matthew Desmond
Staff Writer
Sustainability Column
Our changing environment has been a consistent topic in social justice. Whether we care or not, the effects of climate change present themselves in many ways throughout the world.
People who live in coastal areas have lost their homes when hurricanes form from aggressive winds and rising sea levels. Some animal and plant species are becoming extinct, disturbing the food chain. Climate change impacts our lives, and we will have to become more aware of the solutions to fix it.
Throughout the semester, I will be writing columns that address climate change. These columns will reflect perspectives about the issues and some solutions, from how Dominican students can become more involved with combating climate change on campus, to how innovations in education can help prepare students to help the planet. I will also be writing about current environmental phenomena that we should be aware of. I hope this will inspire all of us to create change for the good of our home.
One obstacle to solving the problem of climate change is the argument on how the problem originated. The debate surrounding climate change centers around whether humans are responsible for causing it. One side believes that climate change is a man-made crisis. The other side believes it is a naturally occurring phenomenon. If the first belief is correct, humans can take action like recycling and reducing fossil fuels usage to fix the problem. If the second belief is correct, humans should just wait for nature to fix itself. To complicate the matter further, different governments, some eco-friendly and some not, will have to work together to solve this global problem, and they will have to finance poorer countries to realize the solution. Although each side has painted the other as the villain in this fight, both sides have reason for concern because any solution will be difficult.
This topic is especially important to college students. According to PewResearch.org, “69 percent of Gen Z…social media users…say it made them feel anxious about the future the last time they saw content on social media about addressing climate change.” Today’s college students worry how Earth will be impacted by the constant number of environmental hits.
Often, Generation Z will look to Baby Boomers for causing much of the damage to the environment. They believe that the machines and progress created during the Industrial Revolution started the environmental pollution that we live with today. Although Baby Boomers did not create the Industrial Revolution, that generation benefited from it and expanded its impact globally. However, Generation Z has also contributed to climate change through their investments of cryptocurrency and Bitcoin mining. Research by Bank of America, published in May 2021, reveals that “…the historic rise of Bitcoin has caused emissions to increase by over 40 million tons…”
In the end, we have all played a role in the erosion of the planet and it will take all of us to fix it.
No matter what side of the debate we are on, or what generation we are from, we must all take care of the earth. Pope John Paul II said, “The earth will not continue to offer its harvest, except with faithful stewardship. We cannot say we love the land and then take steps to destroy it for use by future generations.” Just as the Earth provides for us, we should take care of it so it can provide for future generations. No matter our differences, we still share the same planet, and we all have an obligation to protect the planet. Even though tackling climate change will be a long, complicated process, we must take the necessary steps immediately.
