Humans have an essential responsibility to uphold the other end of a sort of symbiotic relationship with the planet and its ecosystems. Not only would failing to do so be immoral-- as it would mean the mutilation of thousands of other sentient species-- but it would be blatantly self-destructive. Unfortunately, in the human quest for constant technological advancement, we have disregarded our need to maintain that precious symbiotic relationship, and continue to ignore the incredibly threatening consequences. So, now that so much damage has been done, the question is how can it be repaired? We can begin to feel hopeless, and wonder whether it is even possible to mend our broken relationship with the earth.

Plain and simple, the answer is yes, it is possible. However, the complete answer is quite multi-faceted. With the human influence we used to wreck the environment over a relatively miniscule period of time, we can also use to repair it (to an extent). In our consumer society revolving around disposable goods, petroleum-powered vehicles, and other destructive practices, the amount of effort necessary to remedy our broken ties with the earth is tremendous. As individuals, you have been conditioned to feel that the entirety of that responsibility falls on you. Or me. Or our neighbor, your mother, your classmate, or teacher. We begin to feel an incredible amount of pressure and guilt as individuals for not having done enough. We kick ourselves at not having gone full vegan at four years old, or not living an entirely waste-free life. However, while the climate crisis can be depressing, this mindset is entirely unproductive and actually a tactic of large corporations. According to the National Public Radio, it was actually in the 1950s that companies instigated and propped up the initial anti-pollution campaigns, with the incentive of being able to avoid changing their materials and methods of production by instead urging their consumers to simply stop polluting. The conditions of today's Earth have clearly elucidated that we can no longer afford to waste time letting corporations' tactics inhibit environmentalism and the mandatory restoration of the planet.

In order to avoid accountability for the millions of tons of carbon emissions produced by corporations every day, the blame is shifted onto the individual consumer--the perfect scapegoat. It's your fault the polar bears are dying. You monster. Granted of course, human society in all of its facets is to blame for climate issues and the deterioration of Earth. Nonetheless, the guilting of individuals for causing these issues is totally unproductive when major companies continue with ruinous policies and practices that they've refused to change for the last 50 years. Truthfully, making those changes may not be instantly profitable, especially for major corporations, and what does not produce a profit is seen as simply not worthwhile to the modern world. Corporations have been profiting off of the same practices for decades, and they'll go to great lengths to avoid exerting the effort to make changes. However, this is the very reason that today's world is so direly entrenched in unsustainable practices. It's time to shift part of the blame unto deadly corporations such as Chevron, Coca-Cola, Nestle, Procter and Gamble, and more. According to the CDP Carbon Majors Report 2017, just 100 companies are responsible for a whopping 71% of carbon emitted since human-incited climate change was recognized. It is increasingly imperative that we hold these companies accountable for the effects they're having on the environment without ever seeming to care.

Naturally, this does not make it less important for us as individuals to do all we can to aid the planet, but still it remains vital to remind the world of the greatest perpetrators of environmental ruin of all.

_______________________________________________________________________

1. Axelrod, Joshua. “Corporate Honesty and Climate Change: Time to Own Up and Act.” NRDC, 2019, www.nrdc.org/experts/josh-axelrod/corporate-honesty-and-climate-change-time-own-and-act.

2. Krieger, Gabrielle. “Consumers: the Ultimate Scapegoat?” Inkwell, Anne Wright Upper School, 2020, anniewrightinkwell.org/3748/uncategorized/consumers-the-ultimate-scapegoat/#:~:text=Blaming%20individual%20consumers%20for%20climate,real%20power%20to%20stop%20it.&text=In%20fact%2C%20according%20to%20The,to%2071%25%20of%20climate%20change.