When I think about responsible consumption I try to define it. The result is both incredibly clichéd and vitally important: a means of taking care of the world around us before it is too late and we destroy everything. Unfortunately, due to our love of all things plastic, cheap food and our need to have everything at the click of a button, this could become a reality within the next 30 years. At our current rate of consumption, there will be nothing we are able to do to stop destruction from spiralling out of control.
Our abundance of flora and fauna is what makes Earth unique to all other planets in our solar system but if we kill our environment then we take away an all-around nice, habitable planet! However, all is not lost, as young people today can become the generation to say “no” to waste and say “yes” to a future where everybody, humans and animals included, can live healthily and equally in a world which is cared for.
“Young people today can become the generation to say “no” to waste and say “yes” to a future where everybody… can live healthily and equally in a world which is cared for.”
Local issues are global issues
I believe that local issues are global issues as well. If Scotland and other countries join together in limiting the number of items that have to travel all around the world we can help by providing good quality food, housing, water for people in communities that need it the most, not just for dining tables in big cities or for those who are in the top 1% of earners! Promoting Fair Trade, for example, reduces inequalities, by ensuring that producers benefit from fair pricing – not just sellers and consumers.
Speak up, speak out
That’s why young people shouldn’t be afraid to speak to their MPs, MSPs, Councillors or other people in positions of power about what Scotland can do to cut down the consumption of plastic and air miles of products. After all, if we don’t ask we will never get anywhere. Let’s show that young people do care and we are not all stuck behind our smartphones!
“When I heard about the #NaeStrawAtAw campaign I was proud that it had come from the youngest in society.”
Contrary to popular opinion, it is possible to preserve culture, nature and promote sustainable tourism all at the same time! When I heard about the #NaeStrawAtAw campaign I was proud that it had come from the youngest in society. Ullapool Primary School, along with Sunnyside Primary School, managed to make a positive change to their local communities by banning single-use plastic straws and encouraging both local people and tourists to care for the environment.
Culture change
The Sustainable Development Goals have become a key way to make a difference as everyone can contribute to making sure that each goal is met by 2030. Young people that I have come across in recent years are feeling inspired to talk to their friends about changes they want to make in the world. Education is the ultimate tool in bringing about change. If we all make consumption of food, plastic, water, and other resources an issue we talk about daily then we can make a huge change to our culture in the next 12 years!
Start small, think big!
Reduction and recycling cannot be the only goals, sustainability is necessary too. People around the world are worrying about whether they can get fresh water, enough nutritious food and adequate shelter for themselves and their families. Through investment in safe water technology, promotion of sustainable farming, and focusing on sustainable living, we can make a drastic improvement to the quality of life for everyone on the planet, especially those who are most vulnerable.
“If we all make consumption of food, plastic, water, and other resources an issue we talk about daily then we can make a huge change to our culture in the next 12 years!”
This sounds like a daunting task but it is quite simple for young people to begin to do: try starting your own community or school vegetable patch, grow and eat your own food and give leftover produce to a local charity that supports those who are homeless. If we start small but think big, eventually we will get there. The local can become the global!
Don’t let “Generation Waste” continue to take hold, let’s make “Generation Recycle” the future!
