Reflections on Earth Day

Indeed to celebrate Earth day is not to simply be environmentalist on that one single day, rather, it's to remain vigilant and be protectful of our planet at all times. Although yesterday's speaker was atrocious, this was the one takeaway I noted.

That is, he said, "to commit to the community" and everyone around you, at all times. This statement doesn't just apply to the environment, it applies to everything that we do. We must be mindful of our actions and how they affect the community around us. Especially our words, which can be so powerful and impactful.

On days like these, it's important to take a break from what's happening around us. Ukraine, Sudan, and the pandemic. To take a break from the fast-paced information that flows around us, and instead think about what we can do to make the world a better place. Yet everything starts small, and it's important to remember that. We can't change the world in a day, but we can change ourselves. And that's what Earth day is about.

To commit to the community, and to commit to ourselves. To commit to the Earth, and to commit to the future. To commit to the environment, and to commit to the people around us. To do so is to not cut lines at Grill, to have the will to say "no" to injustice, and to have the courage to stand up for what's right. Let's remember that we have the power to make a difference, to choose whether or not to leave a piece of wrapping on the table and have someone else clean up for your mess.

I'm writing this as I'm navigating through a bureaucratic mess. Working in StuCo has made me realize how little power we have over an administration, and compare that with a society and its government. I've had numerous projects be turned down by the administration due to different incentives. Yet none of that rejection shall ever extinguish the fire of change, and working in StuCo has made me believe in it even stronger. We must fight for our future, to vocalize and express our opinions. To think about how ugly Lionlinks looks, and how difficult ExeterConnect is to navigate, to think about how far we've come, in restoring desserts at the dining hall, and to dream about what we can accomplish. Let's utilize our voices and make a difference, because we can. We have the power to do so, and we must.

Let's commit to the people around us. Let's love change, innovation, and progress. Let's commit to the bright future, and for the future, we shall fight.