Hannovers Principles

How do we make sustainability more attainable, and both less conversational and less polarizing?

Differences in perspectives exist everywhere, and can often make coming to a middle ground seem impossible. Given the attention environmental protection policy in the United States has gotten recently, and the controversiality of a subject matter that sustains all of life, solutions this complex seem distant to many.

Environmental protection and regulation has again become a hot topic in the hearts and minds of people, especially in America, where people feel strongly on either side. The current administration is acting in a way that is dangerous and defiant to the scientific consensus regarding climate change, which should rightfully be considered a national threat to security.

As an individual who cares deeply about a healthy environment, and as a student who has declared a major in Urban Ecology because of my desire to protect both people and the planet, I often find it difficult to understand how people seemingly don't care about the Earth. Of course, I could take that to the extreme and state that they don't care about their children and grandchildren's wellbeing, but hey, this blog post is about meeting in the middle, right?

People who claim that they don't "believe" in global warming or climate change are those that aren't scientifically literate, because it is not something that you can argue anymore. Sure, you can ask questions of different studies, and how they came to their conclusions, but the dismissal of global warming, or climate change is naive, especially with such a strong scientific consensus.

To understand the extent to which the planet is suffering can be a mental and emotional burden, but for many it is physical as well.  By this I mean that people's physical well being is already suffering from environmental degradation. Our chances of having abundant clean air, clean water and simple means for survival in the future are being stomped on by today's industry, and as I mentioned, are already impacting some people today.

Our industrial societies and their mass production of waste, pollution, and greenhouse gases are a monster in and of themselves. But, these things can change if progressive policy and monetary incentives are used to mitigate human impact, and cool the atmosphere. The real monster in the race to save the climate (or the Race Against Extinction TM) is both human inaction and destruction.

With a truth that is self evident to every creed, every class, every religion, and every country, our planet is the only thing we've got.

Wouldn't it make sense to be guided in policy decisions, lifestyle choices, and cultural strong holdings to celebrate our connection to this planet?

This is where I see the difference, this is where I see hope that the many sides can and will meet in the middle. 

Our reliance on the Earth is something that can only be embraced, which guides me to believe that environmental protection and conservation will prevail in popular politics and lifestyle choices. Although it may be surprising that we don't already have strong bipartisan efforts to protect the planet, I have faith that we will shift our actions to consider ecological health in the future.

If we continue the trajectory we are currently on, we will still be forced to reevaluate our lifestyles by unforeseen changes in climate and toxicity of our vital resources, such as clean air, water, and food. Our societies will have to adjust and evolve to cope with these impacts, namely our waste streams, pollution discharges, and the destruction of keystone species' habitats.

Our urban systems and ways of life have two options: one being that we can prepare and plan for resiliency while mitigating current environmental infringement,  or two, we can wait until our lifestyles, such as we live today, can no longer be carried out. The second option will force us into shifts in systems that may be shocking and hard to adjust to. It may desert cities that are dependent on external water and food sources, which may cause serious conflict, no matter where the state or country's borders are. As we have witnessed already, places on each continent are already experiencing climate change impact, be it in a shorter ski season resulting in economic downfall for a community, or a drought putting food production and human lives at risk.  If you don't believe me, click here for a brief slideshow of evidence brought to you by Scientific America.

As we move forward, into an age of technological revolutions around every corner, we must ensure that people don't lose their connections to the planet. We must teach people the importance of ecological health, and how our lives can make a positive impact, rather than a negative one.

With an issue as complex and multifaceted as sustainability, it is imperative that we begin by at least educating our society, especially our kids, in a way that will create communities of ecological sensibility and understanding. We need to incentivize solar energy, water conservation, and purchasing local grown foods to help streamline people towards what a sustainable livelihood means.

The Paris Climate Agreement was a feat for environmentalists around the globe, but it is only a small step towards a brighter future. It is fantastic that nations around the globe recognize the threat of climate change, and are actively working towards building societies that offset their carbon footprint, and promote the application of sustainable practices, but is just the beginning of a sustainable revolution. In consideration of the United States threat to pull from this agreement, we don't have time to waste. We must act within our local and state governments to push for ecological responsibility, your voice is needed, and mine too; we can't be passive and trusting that things will sort themselves out in good time, its time to act. The threats are too great to take lightly, and these changes must be pushed for at a hyperlocal level.

We are all responsible for helping to create a culture of sustainability.  

This is not a subject matter that  can divide us any longer, especially when it may be the only true thing that connects us; not only to each other, but to everything else we've ever known. 

May we not give up the good fight.

 May we all dig deeper, may our knuckles turn white and our eyes burn bright with the undying love we have for our Earth.