The Whole World in Our Hands

Years of inaction and complacency have brought us to a pivotal climate crossroads. Young people won’t walk down the same route to destruction. It’s time to forge a new path.

Words by Emma Barton countless documentaries, read hundreds of articles, and have been

Falkirk, underwater. That warned of the destruction that could be the reality we face, awaits my world if we do not according to a recent study change. I must ask myself, which suggested the city will be however, what can I (as one completely submerged by 2050. small, insignificant speck)

As someone who lives less than do? an hour’s drive from Falkirk, it I’m no poster child for made for disturbing reading. Yet, the fight against the clihardly anyone seems to have heard mate crisis. I may fail to this warning. The harrowing esti- turn off the odd light. mation highlights the speed at I may fail to recycle a which the planet is warming, and plastic bottle. And I it’s not slowing down just to give us may fail to turn the a chance of catching up. water off every time

As a child I was told, “Remember I brush my teeth. to turn off the lights, to save Though, I never fail to the polar bears.” I did as I was forget about the devasinstructed, and began to feel this tating consequences that small pang of guilt grow into a tidal await this planet. It conwave of anxiousness whenever I did sumes me. something that would negatively Older generations turn impact the planet I call ‘home´. to young people with their

Now, I am older. I have watched grand, “It’s your job

to save the planet.” Thank you, for reminding us that we must save ourselves as you failed to prevent this. As a generation, we are infuriated by those that came before us. They neglected something they should have taken care of, but what are young people doing to reverse the impact of the climate crisis? Sure, a re-shared post on Instagram is a great way to spread awareness – for a cause that we have been aware of since the 1990s…

I asked the contributors of impulse what they personally do to battle the climate crisis and I was met with a considerable mixed bag of opinion. On one end of the scale, “I don’t think I do (anything to battle the climate crisis.) I don’t eat sustainably. I partake in fast fashion. As a student, it’s not the biggest thing on The younger my mind, but it can cost a lot to be climate generation has conscious.” Onto the other end, been burdened “I drink oat milk and recycle. I walk or cycle. with a heavy I never buy plastic bags – I always use tote bags and I informed task and now my grandmother of climate is the time to change which prompted her act. to begin recycling. I buy food produce that isn’t in single use packaging.” Of all the answers, I received one point stood out like a sole wind turbine in a shifting field. “I can’t do anything as one person, corporations must change.” Many people think that although young people discuss the issue, they don’t really do much about it. I disagree. Whilst it is hard for young people to consciously bring their contribution to the climate crisis down to zero, they are investing far more time into activism. Greta Thunberg has faced terrible backlash for not attending school and, instead, speaking out. Many think it is an act for profit. Why are we dismissing the actions of a young person? Is it to distract from the real issue at hand?

Those who want to help the cause are trapped in a world of manipulation. I can’t go to the shops without becoming an accessory to the destruction of the planet. Everything is wrapped in plastic. Plastic packaging stretches as far as the eye can see in any major supermarket, and even though I do my best to recycle, I don’t know where my waste will ultimately end up. We are given no options. The best we can do is not buy these necessary items, and even then, are we doing enough? We call upon companies to give us a way out, but all they see is the wads of cash they have rolling in. I remember sitting in assembly year after year and having the same message drilled into my head about reduce, re-use, recycle. I’ve practiced all three of these cardinal rules religiously, only to find out that in actual fact, just 100 companies are responsible for 71% of carbon emissions. Don’t shower for longer than fifteen minutes at the risk of water waste. Why then, are jeans still being mass produced? A single pair of jeans takes 1,800 gallons of water to produce. I’m pretty sure that’s more than my shower. Before older generations start questioning young people and their actions, maybe they should look in the mirror. The younger generation has been burdened with a heavy task and now is the time to act. My letter to young people everywhere is; get involved with battling the climate crisis, as best you can. It doesn’t matter how big or small your contribution is, anything will help, but we must be strict. We must question those with the power to enforce change. We can boycott corporations until we see a difference being made. We need to save our planet, our home, before it’s too late. The deadline is much closer than we think.