Dixya Poudel

A while ago, Greta Thunberg perceptively addressed the global leaders of the World Economic Forum. Greta, who is eighteen, is a well-known Swedish climate activist. She is known for her straightforward words that pierce through the veneer of politics involved in climate change protocols. In her speech Greta said, "Safeguarding future living conditions and preserving life on earth as we know it is voluntary. The choice is yours to make." She also says that time is at a shortage and that the world leaders are letting down future world citizens.
With such astute words, a teenager has compelled the prominent world leaders to pause and reconsider their policies. After her short clip, the world was left pondering upon the speech and what implications it would have. The question was whether the leaders of the planet would confront the reality of aggravating global warming and climate change. There have been many turning points in the climate change policies such as the Paris Agreement and Net Zero before 2050. However, are they just mere words? What has been actively done to stop global warming? What will the future behold?
The World Economic Forum frequently posts in social media about sustainable living. Such posts are about how global entrepreneurs are working against the looming threat of global warming. The Forum highlights the work being done today to counteract climate change. There are examples of entrepreneurs who are combining plastics with sand to create paving slabs.
Others are looking for ways to absorb the excessive carbon dioxide in the air. Such scientists, researchers and entrepreneurs are working consistently to conserve and preserve the earth's resources. They are also mobilising the youth to raise awareness for sustainable lifestyles. This brings forth the questions: What is a sustainable lifestyle? How can it be incorporated in daily lives?
Sustainable lifestyle is a way of life that works to limit a society’s or an individual’s perusal of earth’s natural resources. It involves reducing the carbon footprint through progressive changes in methods of diet, energy consumption and transportation. Simple acts such as bringing cloth bags to grocery stores, recycling plastic wastes and buying organic produce go a long way to help abate the climate change. For a sustainable lifestyle, an individual can limit indoor heating, make the most of natural light, hand wash clothes, grow vegetables at home and use organic fertilizers, etc.
Likewise, cycling is known to be environment friendly transportation and so are electric vehicles. Switching to LED lighting instead of incandescent lighting helps as well. Opting for paper bags instead of plastic wrapped products also aid to make the planet greener. And if the youth today are raised to respect earth's resources and opt for greener and environmental friendly products, it could build a domino effect.
The world is at a junction in time where it needs initiative and progressive stance. No longer can the planet's inhabitants heedlessly neglect the reality of climate change. And circumstances are too grim to be looked over as a minor glitch. Like Greta points out time and again, the future generation will have to live in the consequences of decisions that the older generation has made. As sustainable lifestyles start from an individual level, it is time to face facts and make immediate changes in our lifestyles.