From a very young age, I have been hearing phrases such as “Go Green” and “Save the Environment”. Little did I know that I would grow up to be one of those teenagers that can’t stand a small plastic bag being disposed in the trash bin when there is an option of using a recycle bin.
Almost every country in the world has issued its own set of environmental laws. According to me, that notion is the starting point of ridding this Earth of environmental disasters. Laws are important because they keep the society intact. More often than not, laws are the only weapons capable of controlling the activities of modern age. Environmental laws are no different from other laws that have been in place for centuries.
However, I firmly believe that without environmental awareness and a sense of responsibility towards the environment, these laws will not serve their purpose. Along with laws, the governments are also supporting various kinds of campaigns held by people of all ages.
Today, being not only a global citizen, but also a student, I realise that I have a moral responsibility towards the environment. It is the youth of today that is going to bear the consequences of the actions of today. It is our duty to ensure that our actions only do well to the environment and do not cause any more harm than what is already done. As the young generation, our voice matters. Our words are starting to matter.
With the UAE government continuously being supportive, students are now working together as one team towards a common goal. For example, two years ago, I established a volunteer group named ‘Miracle Dynamos’. This student group works towards making the world a more environment friendly place to live in.
The youth of today is the future of tomorrow. We owe so much to this planet after all the opportunities and education that we have been provided with. The least we can do is to ensure that mankind nurtures mother Earth forever. To me and probably to the youth across the world, this is just the beginning of us taking over environmentally.
— The reader is an Indian student based in Dubai
