Combating Environmental Apathy: SDG’s and A Call to Action

Even though we know that pollution has led to serious problems on earth, there are so many individuals who simply want to continue polluting the environment. There are several reasons why some people may ignore or downplay environmental issues, such as:

Short-term thinking: Many individuals and organizations prioritize immediate economic gains over long-term environmental sustainability.

Being rich and ill because of polluted or toxic food, water and air can never be good. Those individuals who ignore environmental care as they seek wealth are not very smart. We have seen wealthy people die when their money cannot save them. It will be passed on to other people who might waste it. The people who do more for the environment will be remembered because of the long lasting effect of their good deeds.

Psychological distance: Environmental problems often seem abstract or far removed from daily life, making it easier for people to ignore them.

When plastic is thrown in the drains and it washes down to the ocean, we will not see the dead Turtles and Seabirds if we don’t visit the beach. Only the building of environmental protection awareness can cause us to see a change in the behavior of more people.

Information overload: The constant stream of news and information can lead to fatigue and desensitization to environmental concerns.

There are people who believe the Earth will take care of itself and waste will simply biodegrade, there is no need to think about it. Some leaders say climate change is a hoax and the people who voted for them will tend to believe everything they say. When they hear about the damage done by pollution they will just ignore what is being said. After a while they will become completely desensitized and pollution will become a problem they simply ignore.

Economic interests: Some industries and individuals benefit financially from practices that harm the environment, creating an incentive to downplay these issues.

When business owners see their colleagues polluting the environment, and they are not held accountable. They will think nothing will go wrong if they do the same. The financial gain becomes too enticing for them to resist. This leads to more pollution and poor health for the people who live in areas surrounding these businesses and the people who are working with these companies.

Political polarization: Environmental issues have become politically charged in many countries, leading some to dismiss them as partisan concerns

It is now known that it is hard to grow an economy with clean green energy and this could cause some politicians to ignore the advice given by environmentalists when they are making decisions pertaining to job creation. Politicians who are switching to clean energy could see job loss and slow economic growth. People might be inclined to vote for the politicians who are more interested in using oil to improve their economies.

Lack of visible impact: The effects of environmental degradation are often gradual and not immediately apparent, making it easier to ignore

When we eat toxic food and breathe in toxic air we will not feel ill immediately. When trees are cut down we do not feel a rise in the temperature and the washing away of the soil right away and we tend to believe everything will be just fine. Not knowing that the damage done will have a long lasting impact on many people in the future.

Feelings of helplessness: Some people may feel that individual actions won’t make a difference, leading to apathy

Feeling helpless and believing our actions will not make a difference is not making life better for anyone. We need to see ourselves as a part of a huge family on Earth. The waste we produce will be a part of all the waste at the landfill one day and when it is burned the fumes will produce greenhouse gases and we will be affected by heat waves and even wildfires if they occur where you live. This makes it more important for us to stop believing our activities don’t matter. If everyone on the planet thought they couldn’t make a difference there would be no leaders and many of our problems would not be fixed.

Conflicting information: Misinformation and conflicting reports can create confusion and skepticism about environmental issues

When scientists say climate change is happening and we need to decrease the use of oil; and the authorities lock up the people who demonstrate because they want to see change. We begin wondering if people in charge have no access to the information we are getting about our pollution problems. Conflicting information can lead to a lot of problems and we wish there was a way to get this problem fixed.

Cultural values: In some societies, economic growth and consumption are highly valued, potentially overshadowing environmental concerns

When leaders are determined to see huge economic growth and they use different ways of communicating their ambitions to their people. We have seen where the work ethic in the country changes and productivity improves. Pollution also increases and most people in these countries are so caught up with earning and making their country rich, they don’t care about the environment anymore.

Lack of education: Insufficient understanding of environmental issues and their impacts can lead to indifference

People who don’t know that pollution could be the cause of increased incidents of Cancer and respiratory illnesses; they continue believing they will not be affected by pollution in any way. Building environmental protection awareness in a new and better way is the solution for this problem. We must support every effort that is made to get the information about environmental solutions out to more individuals.

Why Environmental education is needed

Now that you are aware of these reasons for the neglect we have seen in places where the environment has been destroyed. Do you believe we should continue ignoring the early childhood  environmental education plan as we did in the past? Wouldn’t it be best for us to help our children to live sustainably as they prepare to create green jobs for themselves and others when they grow up?

Conclusion

Let us begin planning for the future in a great way. The eco-kids book project is being developed to be used as a tool that will help children to be empowered with the information that will transform their habits. They will develop green habits as they grow up and become the kind of citizens who will protect the environment when they grow up. As you begin creating a shift in the way we encourage others to live sustainably and plan for a bright future, you will benefit from your action in many ways. You will be eating healthy organic food, grown in your garden, spending less on bills while you conserve and you will continue learning about the awesome green living tips you can use to improve your life as time goes by.  

Let us improve our world. Let us improve our lives.