- Anonymous AJDS Member
I am concerned at the slow and steady loss of environmental values in our community. I am worried that children and young people are spending less time in natural settings. I know that more people are sipping coffee during the day, and the apparent lack of care and consideration for our natural systems and places is discussed and some add their names to online petitions. Many of the increasing number of people who are now drinking white coffee during the day do not consider the ongoing – life long – suffering of dairy cows and the issues around farming and monocultures. The politics around the environment and environmentalism has become increasingly problematic. For example, the use of historical fact – that the Nazis’ doctrine of Blut und Boden (Blood and Soil) included biodynamic and organic farming and gardening methods – is being used to discredit green hued groups.
Over the last four years tree and shrub cover in our urban areas has declined and continues to decline as leafy blocks are razed for development. Developers are blamed for the loss of established trees, but developers do what Council laws allow. Lobbyists operating on behalf of multinational companies work out ways to operate around our local, state and federal environment laws. There are not enough government employees to administer and enforce environmental laws.
Most people who upgrade their mobile phones do not consider the sources of the contents of their new phone and the harm caused by mining for rare earth metals in developing countries.
That so much of the chocolate, manufactured baked goods and soaps now contain palm oil. No palm oil is sustainable – plantations are introduced into areas previously forested.
But there are people and organisations making a difference and we can all make an effort to support local organisations holding our governments to account for their actions and inactions on environmental issues. Consider having a look at the excellent work of Environment Justice Australia. Ask your municipal Council if it has joined 202020 Vision, a national initiative which aims to increase urban green spaces by 20 per cent by 2020. Have a look at JECO’s website – there are good, practical ideas worth supporting: ‘Sustainable Parenting’, “Solar Panels For Shuls and Schools’ and ‘Sustainable Catering’
This article appeared in the AJDS Magazine Just Voices, issue 17, 2019: Environmentalism.