I am a daughter of Greek myths and dusty philosophy books. These stories point to mankind as living in harmony with Nature, in a mutually respectful way. Philosophers pondered the origin of the world in natural elements like fire, water, or air. I spent my childhood immersed in a magical world that was profoundly beautiful.
But sadly, it seems as if modern times have led to our banishment from that paradise. We live in an over-consumeristic society in which everything is fast, competitive, and profit-driven. Of course, such a voracious system can only harm a planet that has limited resources. While it may sound naive, I dream of contributing to the creation of a modern Garden of Eden, where sustainability—not profit—is its utmost priority.
This dream started to come true when I attended the 2019 Harvard Project for Asian and International Relations conference and heard Nobel Peace Prize laureate Rae Kwon Chung speak. He described how his main career goal had been making people understand that growth and sustainability are not necessarily incompatible. Having extraordinary politicians or scientists may not be enough to save the planet. We also need billions of ordinary people who, every day, commit to choosing eco-friendly options.
Invigorated, I joined the international volunteer network AIESEC to study sustainability. Being a huge fan of renewable energies, I worked on a legislative proposal to tackle energy issues in Italy by encouraging poor families to make their houses more energy-efficient, saving money in the long run. Unfortunately, people raised in poverty often don’t know about incentives to make their energy consumption greener, so the proposal was mainly aimed at formulating new norms and instituting energy consultants to help raise awareness of energy poverty.
Initiatives like ours display the commitment of the present generation to build a sustainable future in which people and Nature live in symbiosis. Yet, we cannot do this all alone. You, dear reader, can help humankind become the greenest version of itself by embracing this mindset and applying it in your daily life. As earth citizens, we must strive to contribute to our planet’s welfare, irrespective of our national origins, religious orientation, or age. Our planet has fed and served our civilization for thousands of years, and now it is up to us, citizens of Earth, to protect it.