[/caption]Jessi Beyer-- We are the next generation. What exactly does that mean? It means we get to experience the new inventions, fashion trends, and music styles. It means we get to ride the next leg in the roller coaster of Wall Street and choose the next president. But more importantly, we inherit the earth, and all that is in it. The environmental problems left for us is what worries me.
If we continue in the same direction we have been going, we could have a giant problem on our hands in fifty years. Forests are disappearing to make room for farmland, and animals are being poached for only one part of them – the rest are left to rot. Those of us who are here now – the current generation – have not only the responsibility to tend for the earth now, but to leave it in a good condition for those of us who will inherit it.
Today is the day to take action. Do not wait for the next generation to step up and do something. If that much time is wasted, so much of the earth may perish and be lost for good. By the time action rolls around, there may not be anything left to save.
Let me elaborate on that. Most everywhere you travel these days, you see big, flashy signs for new housing developments. They are everywhere. Fields that you once knew and cherished are gone, plowed over by the hands of men. Now ask yourself this: how many empty housing developments do you see around? The correct answer is more than you count and more developments built that stand empty. There are millions of empty houses in the US, and the construction companies feel they need to make more developments!
There are almost 6 billion trees cut down every year, which means about 60,000 square kilometers are cleared each year for construction – and that’s only in the US. Trees are good for so much more than wood – they give us oxygen, they provide shelter and a habitat for so many organisms. A sad fact is that the Amazon Rainforest lost almost 3,000 square kilometers of forest in 2009, partly due to over-logging. There are many other places where the same problem has occurred. Over-logging is only one of the activities that concern me, as a member of the next generation. But things like pollution, animal abuse, and lack of recycling are just as prevalent and need to be fixed.
So what are we, as the next generation supposed to do about protecting and preserving the natural earth? The small things add up. While it may seem frivolous, recycling and composting – if everyone does it – is one of the best ways to save the earth. Getting the word out to other people about the situation we’re in is another great way. If you can make other people aware and rope them into helping you, there are no limits to how far you can go.
But I truly believe that the biggest thing we need to do is have respect for every living thing on the planet. Friction between people and animals (this comes out as animal abuse and dog and rooster fights) and even different races of people (where land and life is lost to bombs and gases) all cause stress on the environment. There are so many beautiful intricacies on the planet that go unnoticed every day, and we as humans often think we are above it. While we may be the most intelligent race, there is so much we can learn from looking at nature around us. All we need to do is respect everyone and everything around us, and we will have our eyes opened to a new world, a world that we have the responsibility to protect.
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Jessi Beyer is a junior high school student in Oregon who is presently editor of her school paper. Her interest in the environment, her knowledge of the problems, reveal how many of our young people are concerned about their future and what all of us need to do to protect the earth for generations to come.
