You should take care of your body because it’s the only place you have to live. We only get one body to take us through our journey called life. It is the driving force for those who practice good habits like exercise and/or eating well. Similarly, our planet is the only place we have to live. But, sadly, the health of our planet is currently in jeopardy. In large part, the lack of individual accountability for the planet’s health has led to a tragedy of the commons.
The truth is no one person, corporation or even country can change the outcome of our planet’s health. We all need to act. Where else do we have to live? We could be facetious and hope that space exploration leads to colonies on Mars of the Moon. But, for now, there is only one planet and we’re currently on it.
When we take advantage of our personal health and mistreat ourselves, ignoring signs that we are becoming sick or making comments such as “you only live once,” it can lead to serious injuries or long lasting health issues. We can live in denial or we can go to professionals for a diagnosis and attempt to take steps to reverse or treat the damage done. The Earth has become unbalanced and we are seeing the global environmental effects from e.g., feeding it trash for decades, yet somehow we are surprised when we see evidence of the negative impact our actions are having. Furthermore, some dismiss the professionals’ diagnoses that tell us the Earth has essentially become unwell. We need to reevaluate our actions, all our actions–it is not too late to treat the damage done or even reverse some of the effects we are seeing, but it will be soon.
Meaningful change can only happen when we choose to shift our collective behaviour–not just in terms of what looks like a real effort, but by taking true accountability for our actions. We must change how we use finite resources. However, this behavioural change requires acceptance to do something differently, the choice to make the change, and a commitment to being accountable. The good news is that the shift is already gaining momentum. Customer bases are becoming increasingly concerned about the sustainability of the products and services they buy. New environmental reporting standards are being established. More and more environmental accountability organizations are offering their seals of approval on environmental friendly products. Companies need to understand that they are corporate citizens; they have a significant role to play in the global shift for the wellness of the planet. We can help.