Tiago
Zegur
What have you
done to save the world today?
When we talk about being green, sustainable and ecofriendly, we are
talking about working together hand in hand. Otherwise it would never work. We
can all do our own little part from home by saving electricity and water,
separating garbage, wearing eco-friendly clothing and practicing
Eco-Mobility. If we make
the slightest contribution every day, we can already make a big change. We need to work as a huge team. Saving the
world means helping others save the world.
How is the
climate change affecting us?
Capitalism has created a world in which people have to step on one
another in order to keep growing. So we have stepped on people and nature. That
is why now nations are suffering from hunger and incurable diseases and
ecosystems are falling apart. Massive animal slaughtering, the destruction of
the rainforest and the use of unsustainable energies all lead to excessive
emissions of CO². This changes the world climate and leads to climatic
catastrophes in many parts of the world. The ocean level is rising and islands
in the Pacific are slowly disappearing. Coral reefs
and other plant and animal species are dying in the ocean due to waste and
sewage water being dumped into the ocean by cruise ships. We are interfering in
food cycles as we might be killing the animals that others are feeding on. This
leads to plagues as well as extinctions.
What
is wrong with the meat industry?
The Amazon is being cut down to make room for more
pasture lands for cattle and to grow soy. In Paraguay, people are dying of
pesticides sprayed on soy fields and babies are born with mutilations due to
these pesticides. The soy produced here is used to feed livestock and produce
meat. This meat lands on our plate and we are consuming beef along with
antibiotics, pesticides and other toxins. Rich countries are shipping meat
to Africa for extremely low prices which results in local farmers having to give up their farms as they can't compete with the prices
offered by international producers. These farmers are not able to feed their
families anymore. It is easy to see the synergies here.
We don’t seem
to care…
As long as we don’t feel the consequences, we don’t care too much. As
long as our house is not swept away by a storm, we are diagnosed with cancer or
our children become sick, we don’t care too much.
And for those
of you that do care…
How about helping Brazil save their forest? Actually, the Brazilian forest Amazonia is the
biggest one in the world and it is very important for all of us as it has a
direct influence on the world climate. The Amazon stretches across
approximately 60% of Brazil and features 30% of the world's plant and animal
species. It also stores 1/5 of the world’s fresh water. The rainforest regulates
the local and global climate by absorbing and creating rainfall and exchanging
atmospheric gases. It influences ocean currents, provides fresh water and
stores carbon. Cutting down this natural paradise will release the stored
carbon into the atmosphere which influences the climate and contributes to
global warming. Trees are cut down in order to provide capacities for livestock
production and wood for the logging industry. Scientists have forecasted that
between 30% and 60% of the Amazon rainforest could become a dry savanna, if emissions are
not decreased and agricultural and logging practices controlled.
How about deciding to live in an eco-village
or making your own home more eco-friendly? Eco-villages are founded as
a network of exchange. It is a cooperative network where people help and care
about each other. It is an economic system called solidarity economy; these
types of eco villages are also located in capitalists countries such as
Germany, Denmark and the United States.
How about eating meat only
once or twice a week and replacing it with vegetables containing high amounts
of protein such as beans, asparagus, cauliflower, broccoli, brussel sprouts,
artichoke, watercress or sweet corn?
How about taking action together with Greenpeace International. You can sign up and receive emails about their campaigns aimed at
saving the rainforest. So even from your chair you can contribute.
How about helping feed hungry people by visiting the page FreeRice sponsored by the UN World Food Programme. You access the page and play
a game, which consists of a couple of questions. Every time you get a correct
answer, the sponsors donate rice to poor countries.
How about riding your bike instead of taking the bus or buying an electric or hybrid car?
You see, helping is much easier than you think and the internet makes it
possible. From your own home, you can reach the whole world. 
I already contributed 400 grains of rice today! :)
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