As another Blog Action Day is upon us, this year’s topic falls under the scope of inequality. Analyzing this subject at the surface seems to lay out concepts of race, religion, gender and other associations. Today, let us put these ideas aside and think critically about the inequalities that relate our environment.
It’s no secret that if our society continues down the path of overconsumption and depletion of nature’s precious resources we run ourselves into a devastating shock. The steps we have taken to not only correct, but also solve this problem at its core will require true change. By change I refer not just to the products we produce, but all the ways to which we think and innovate.
Present examples of change include single-stream recycling, environmentally friendly products, socially responsible programs and so much more. Yet, we only maximize these efforts halfway — and sometimes not even that. Why do we have single-stream recycling programs in some areas and virtually no recycling whatsoever in others? Why are products on retail shelves made using inefficient packaging? Why are there people in developing countries fighting for their lives because they are swamped with illegally dumped e-waste? This, right here, is inequality at its finest.
So, how do we fix this? How do we bring recycling to rural areas? How do we make companies redesign their product packaging to be more sustainable? Education is where our work begins. In our mission to end this inequality we will discover ways to reach all target markets and empower individuals to do their part.
Now, reaching all these people is by no means going to be an easy task. How do you present this world problem to your 7-year-old at home or to the 85-year-old grandmother who did not even grow up with the terms “recycling” or “sustainability”? This is one situation where dropping ads in the newspaper or producing TV commercials will not be sufficient. This requires the full education package: ads, campaigns, journals, books, social media, webinars and every other communication tool under the sun.
The true change will come as we mold minds to understanding the greater problem at hand. Education can play a major role in the movement that has already begun. With a unified understanding of this environmental dilemma, we can begin to heal the damage that has been done and change our world for the better.
Present examples of change include single-stream recycling, environmentally friendly products, socially responsible programs and so much more. Yet, we only maximize these efforts halfway — and sometimes not even that. Why do we have single-stream recycling programs in some areas and virtually no recycling whatsoever in others? Why are products on retail shelves made using inefficient packaging? Why are there people in developing countries fighting for their lives because they are swamped with illegally dumped e-waste? This, right here, is inequality at its finest.
So, how do we fix this? How do we bring recycling to rural areas? How do we make companies redesign their product packaging to be more sustainable? Education is where our work begins. In our mission to end this inequality we will discover ways to reach all target markets and empower individuals to do their part.
Now, reaching all these people is by no means going to be an easy task. How do you present this world problem to your 7-year-old at home or to the 85-year-old grandmother who did not even grow up with the terms “recycling” or “sustainability”? This is one situation where dropping ads in the newspaper or producing TV commercials will not be sufficient. This requires the full education package: ads, campaigns, journals, books, social media, webinars and every other communication tool under the sun.
The true change will come as we mold minds to understanding the greater problem at hand. Education can play a major role in the movement that has already begun. With a unified understanding of this environmental dilemma, we can begin to heal the damage that has been done and change our world for the better.
