Letter to the editor: Take small steps on your own time to fight climate change

I’d like to ask some questions of and offer advice to the conscientious students who chose to skip school to attend an environmental protest.

Do you:

• Turn lights out when leaving a room?

• Get takeout coffee/beverages in your own reusable cup, which you personally clean?

• Turn the radio or TV off when you leave a room?

• Use your own reusable bags when shopping?

• Purchase used clothing/goods from thrift stores?

• Recycle, even when it’s inconvenient?

• Walk or bicycle in lieu of traveling by auto when possible?

• Spend personal time cleaning up your community?

• Wear extra clothing layers in winter instead of turning up the heat?

• Limit your shower time to conserve water?

• Refrain from using plastic straws?

• Carpool?

• Use the library instead of purchasing new books?

• Participate in protests on your own time, even when it’s inconvenient?

You might be a hypocrite if you participated in the rally and your answer is “no” to more than half of these questions.

Want to change the world for the better? Try doing something about it yourself instead of acting like you know better than the taxpaying adults who are paying for your education.

Change starts with personal responsibility. If you genuinely want to influence people, then you’ll need to put some skin in the game. Yelling and chanting don’t cut it. Show us by the way you choose to live daily, by the choices you make and enjoy life! Most importantly, treat people with kindness and respect – especially those whom you may disagree with.

Ted Bennett

Scarborough

Related Stories