Climate change is a topic we are increasingly familiar with, but too many are still paying more attention to industrialization creating lucrative changes than to the betterment of society.
The rapid growth of technology as a way to generate more benefits at the expense of our environment is slowly but surely evolving for a better balance between industrialization and environment protection: it's what we call "sustainable development".
That being said, it doesn't mean that we shouldn't embrace technological advancements, but only to try our best in keeping everything it would impact and find ways to mitigate the negative parts. It sounds very cliché to say it, but we only have one planet.
Still, a time will come that mother earth will have its day of reminding us of the harm it is suffering, and nobody will want to think "what if I had done something".
A lot of people still think that protecting the environment is solely limited to practising recycling because climate change education isn't always the best, including in what we call developed countries. Recycling is just a small part of as there is much more to being eco-friendly in sustainable development than separating waste.
When talking about eco-friendly solutions, the first issue we hear is related to their prices: It is true that, for now, a lot of them are too expensive, but it is also true that some of them bring long-term savings (such as solar panels or insulation). We could debate if the question "Is it wallet-friendly?" is ethical or even logical when talking about our own survival. but we need to accept such thinking and find the best compromise between sustainability and affordability.
Another common argumentation is that it is the role of the government to take action, but who is the most powerful force driving their decisions? Us, the citizens, and there is nothing better than starting with our home. What can be recycled? What energy savings can I make? Should I buy a new and more fuel efficient car? Do I really need these new things? The bottom line is that some improvements are cheaper than others, and others can bring long term benefits for both your wallet and nature.
From the recycling of jars and cans to composting your leftover food and planting your own vegetable at home, I possibilities are endless, cheap, and can even save a substantial amount of money!
Then with a bit more of commitment, redesigning or remodelling your home is a great way to be more eco-friendly and make long-term savings.
The most important in sustainability is to understand the big picture, what lies beyond the business bottom line or the weight of your wallet (let's picture how heavy a bank account looks here). Just look around you and you will find your way to positively contribute to the global improvement of our earth's environment.
Ultimately, protecting our ecosystem is a win-win situation and no amount of money should be put in front of any contribution to perpetuating life on Earth and sustain tomorrow's generations but also today's safety. "Wallet-friendly" or not, at the end of the day, even if we are 100% selfish, what is our life worth?