endangering the world’s oceans. […] [C]ommon consumer waste like plastic bags and straws also ends up in the ocean, threatening sea life.” Other serious problems include water shortages, shrinking wetlands, deforestation and desertification, soil degradation, extinction of species and loss of biodiversity through habitat destruction, and ozone depletion. 2.What can we do? The situation is serious but not hopeless. According to the IPCC, “strong and sustained reductions in emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases would limit climate change. While benefits for air quality would come quickly, it could take 20–30 years to see global temperatures stabilize.” Effective measures need to be taken worldwide. Politicians must take the situation seriously and act accordingly. In addition to national and global political measures, small steps and individual contributions also matter very much. Earthday.org lists “51 actions and tips to make a difference, every day of the year.”These include: volunteer ing wi th envi ronmental organisations; eating less meat, dairy, heavily processed and imported food, and more plant-based, organic, and local food; never throwing away food that is still edible; advocating for governments to make climate change and climate literacy a core feature of school curricula; cutting down on plastic consumption; switching to energy suppliers that produce electricity from renewable sources (e.g. wind, solar, hydro, geothermal, tidal); changing your apparel-buying patterns (purchasing new clothes less often, buying second-hand items, paying attention to production conditions, preferring organic cotton and other fibres); calculating your personal carbon footprint and making changes to reduce it; and many more. Other ways to protect the environment include: consuming less; replacing all old light bulbs with LED bulbs; recycling or reusing all glass, cans, paper, and plastic; using your electronics “until they’re completely dead and impossible to use”; flying less often, especially for holiday purposes; carpooling; and of course biking or riding the bus or train to work or school. 3. What is sustainability? Environmental sustainability has been defined as “the practice of interacting with the planet responsibly.” It is rooted in the interrelated areas of environment, economy, and society. Its central idea is to avoid depleting natural resources so that future generations will be able to meet their needs and live in a clean and healthy environment. Ultimately, it is about making it possible for the earth’s biosphere and human civilisation to co-exist peacefully. Inspire, a so-called clean-energy technology company (which was acquired by Shell in July 2021), states on its website: “It is our job to ensure our future generations have healthy places to live and minimize our damage to the earth’s biodiverse ecosystems. For businesses, sustainability means running a business through sustainable practices and securing future growth potential without causing too much damage to the environment. […] Sustainable development encourages more responsible manufacturing and production […] It also encourages companies, industries, and governments to make decisions based on long-term consequences, rather than taking the easiest, cheapest option. […] For environmental sustainability to work globally, our worldview must shift as we currently treat the environment as part of the economy rather than the other way around.” 4. How can we stay sane and healthy in the face of environmental threats? Some therapists have stated that “eco anxiety” is a real “psychological disorder afflicting an increasing number of individuals who worry about the climate crisis.”To many people living in the 21st century, it can “just seem like you’re drowning in wave after wave of bad news.” Young people in particular “feel strongly Volunteering in a community cleanup 56 Key aspects Strategies Sample task 6 Environment & sustainability Nur zu Prüfzwecken – Eigentum des Verlags öbv
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