Wind farm

by Dorret Groot Wassink

This week Time magazine marvels at our heroes of the environment: People who made a difference, who are changing our world. Leaders, visionairies, moguls, entrepreneurs, activist, scientists and innovators. One of them, Yo Guy, protector of Vietnam’s flora and fauna from the ravages of war, now fears the toll of torrid economic growth. As he states ‘Young people today like to make money more than taking care of forests’. These young people are not so different from people of all ages. It is that same dynamic that at the root at our imploding economy: choosing short term profits at the expense of long term negative consequences. Somehow we humans are not naturally wired for long term smart solutions. Our survival instincts are at their core self preservative. When faced with the choice of between benefiting ‘me now’ or ‘us later’, often ‘me now’ wins. It would be a problem if ‘me now’ didn’t come at the expense of ‘us later’, but in this world often it does. 

We are every day faced with this choice in one way or the other. Do I drive to work or use a ‘greener’ alternative. Do I exchange an airplane journey to sunny climes for my holiday, for a biking trip in the oft-rainy UK? Do I buy the more expensive environmentally friendly product produced to be ‘eco and human friendly’ or the cheaper alternative, made in China, produced by underpaid labourers working long hour, possibly mistreated, perhaps even made by children? Do I install a more expensive environmentally friendly heater or keep my old one? Of course if I do make the ‘me now’ choice I have my excuses, “Well everybody else does…,” “I didn’t cause the climate crisis to be this way,” “I’m only one person, I can’t change the world,” “I can’t afford to buy the expensive stuff” and/or “I couldn’t resist it, the price difference is too large.” 

So how do the heroes of the environment make different choices? How can they choose for a cause bigger than themselves? ‘Us later.’ What made them overcome the needs of the ‘me now’ and choose to dedicate their lives to ‘Us later?’ As Time describes these are the people who when the future seems dark and filled with doom, remind us that in the face of human creativity and will, no challenge is to great, and no battle is unwinnable – if only we’ll fight. 

So how do I get in this fighting mode?

The first requirement these heroes share, indeed what got them into their fighting mode is acute awareness. An awareness that if we don’t – or even stronger – if I don’t take action now something terrible is happening/going to happen. They are ahead of the curve, confronting the facts. 

The second requirement is passion. A passion so large and important that they, like Dr. King, possess a ‘dream’ so powerful, it becomes the main focus for their existence. A concrete vision that has more to do with a better future for ‘Us Later’ and thus makes the needs of ‘Me Now’ less important.

The third requirement is to believe. They have an absolute belief that something needs to be done, believe the dream they have of a better world can be realized somehow, someway, someday. Small dreams, like helping sparrows survive in cities grow in intensity to become bigger dreams: stopping Global Warming 

The fourth requirement is ‘a willingness to put themselves out there.’ To use their personal will and influence to maximum effect. It is answering the question what can I do? And then doing it, putting their pure creativity to action.

And they keep going, which brings us to the fifth requirement of ‘Keep going no matter what the consequences may be.’ Some of have been threatened with jailed, others faced with life threatening situations and they just kept going. They are able to keep motivating themselves to take another step towards their belief and dreams.

That’s how these amazing people keep realizing their dreams for our world. Step by step, no matter the setback or how big the challenge. They are making a difference in our world. Still think you can’t make a difference?