The environmental experts have been right about their predictions at the beginning of the twenty-first century. The dawn of biological and chemical terrorism is now slowly taking place. Natural disasters happen at the extreme of the consequence we never would have imagined. 

As the global attention today focused on the raging pandemic, the looming danger of environmental destruction is slightly overshadowed. But the threat is there, bigger than expected. And it is becoming out of hand over the passing hours. Experts hypothesized the possible irreversible effect of climate change comes the year 2030.

Some of the largest forests of the world are succumbing to fires, speeding up climate change. The Amazon Forest is even releasing carbon far more than what it had stored from the past decade. The permafrost is also melting, while the Arctic is starting to green out.

Last Thursday, the woodland of Greece started burning. Simultaneously, the largest iceberg in the world detached from Antarctica. It is currently afloat in the Weddell Sea. From the comfort of our home, it seems like no big deal. But is it, really?

Do we have immunity to the dangers of environmental threats? Do we share the same concern? Where do we stand in the heated debate of the scientists and policymakers?

Amidst the climate crisis, fuel companies are still a boon, and plastic waste is proliferating. The COVID-19 pandemic even brought about a massive influx of waste – both in the disposal and importation – of disposable masks, face shields, and PPEs. A good portion of the relief food packaging ends up in the seas and landfills. The pandemic mostly caused the setback in the call for climate justice and refocused everyone’s attention on it. But knowing the direct and indirect effects of the environment and human health should be enough for everyone to act upon it every day.

During the Earth Day Celebration in April, Speaker Lord Allan Velasco addressed the pressing environmental issues that the world is facing. He stressed the need to introduce actions, particularly in the reduction of plastic pollution. It is a resounding call that cycles year after year from different podiums. Sadly, the reform and effort undertaken are always never enough to make an impact.

As much as we want to blame industrialization and economic progress, we are always caught in between. We abhor the deforestation in our local protected areas. But we are also looking forward to the road linkages that will propel the ease of transportation. We are blaming the Department of Public Works and Highways and Department of Environment and Natural Resources for the massive clearing of trees for road widening projects. But we cannot set aside our desire for progressive infrastructure development.

From our astute positions in society, there is little we can do to stop development projects. I guess that even if we are in the position, the kickbacks from these ventures will also prevent us from resisting.

But this concern is not a problem that the government alone can solve. It will take effort – small collective efforts – to reduce, reuse, and recycle. Plant a tree, spare the seas, hit off the switch, take the bus. The pollution control starts within our own homes. We cannot just wait for every Earth Day of the year to voice out our pretentious appeal for climate justice. Every day, the only planet that houses every known living organism suffers a massive degradation.

We are running out of time. If COVID-19 won’t get us, disasters would. We don’t know how many more Earth Days we have left to celebrate. Honestly, this is not an easy job in this complex and trying time. But it is worth a single conscious thought.

We do not currently just live in both the best and worst of our lives. We are already in the worse of the time, facing the imminent worst. But together we can make environmentally sound decisions today, not just for ourselves but for the sake of future generations./WDJ