By Amelia Strazdins
In our modern society it seems everywhere you look there are the terms ‘eco-friendly’ or ‘sustainably produced’. Although they may seem like shallow terms or business tactics, they actually reflect an intrinsic shift in the foundations of how we as society, perceive our environment. Perhaps one of the biggest movements to grace the 21st century was, and still is, environmentalism. In gaining a deeper understanding into how our actions impact our surroundings many businesses, companies and individuals have taken steps and actions towards ensuring a greener future. Whilst policy may not currently reflect the concerns held by us, the people, this movement is not going away. Which poses the question, how does this problem impact me, and perhaps a follow-up, what can I do to help?
We are so lucky to live here on beautiful Bribie Island. We have a plethora of wildlife, fauna and flora and beaches that are envied. However, these natural wonders are comprised of delicate and fragile ecosystems that all work in tangent, keeping the balance. Through our actions as humans, both consciously and unconsciously, we threaten the balance of these ecosystems. Plastic, pollutants and people are the three major threats to species and eco-spaces around Bribie.
Think about an average day in your life. What do you eat? Is it wrapped in plastic? Do you take a reusable water bottle when you leave the house, or do you buy one when you are out? How many food scraps do you throw away? These questions may seem inconsequential; however, if answered honestly, they provide insight into how we live and therefore how we impact the environment. For example, many of the used plastic bottles and containers end up in the passage, causing harm to the sea-life. And climbing on restricted sand dunes disrupts the composition of beach based eco-spaces. But many of the changes that we as individuals can make are simple and able to be incorporated into everyday life. Instead of throwing away your cans and plastic bottles, collect them and take them to the local recycling depot for ten cents a bottle. Food scraps can be collected and used to compost or for the garden. Even focusing on taking a water bottle each day means less plastic is being thrown away. These actions are all ways to contribute to ensuring that our community and environments remain healthy and thriving.
If you look around, you can see that we have already made steps towards protecting the environment and our animals on the island. The recent animal crossing in Woorim is a perfect example and even Queensland as a state is working towards a more environmentally focused future. More recently, our state took the step of banning single-use plastics, a brilliant step in the right direction towards preserving our environment. Living on Bribie and being surrounded by such wonderful wildlife we have a huge incentive to protect and save it. From individuals to business, taking these eco-friendly steps highlights the importance of nature. If you wish to get more involved with the protection of the environment emails can also be sent to local parliamentary representatives. Even raising this discussion with friends and family increases awareness and action. It is up to us to action, create change and inspire others.
Therefore, I leave you with this thought:
Let’s strive to be eco-friendly not environmental foe.