Small actions, big changes

Last semester, I chose ecology as an elective subject to complete my university's schedule. I started classes a little discouraged despite the good recommendations that some friends had given me about the contents and the teacher, because I had the idea that it was only a "filler" subject. But since the first class, I loved it!

So... what made me change my mind?

First, the subject was taught in a very didactic way, which I enjoyed a lot, since my teacher gave us examples of real situations that not only happened in Colombia, but how human beings daily actions (regardless of the place of residence) can have a great impact in a global scale. Also, he encouraged us to investigate and share our opinion on controversial issues such as the causes of the environmental crisis.

BUT, what really made me fall in love with this subject is that it made me realize that in my home we had been applying actions that, no matter how small I saw them, do have a great effect on caring for the environment; they were aimed at recycling and applying a correct waste management.

What did I discover?

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) states that one third of food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted globally, which amounts to about 1,3 billion tonnes per year, and this situation occurs throughout the supply chain, from initial agricultural production all the way to final household consumption. But, the major concern is that food waste also represents a resources waste, since there is involved land, water, energy and other inputs to accomplish the different stages of food suppply chain, which generates an increase in green gas emissions in vain. (FAO, 2021).

Also, the e- waste situation has become a very serious global problem since it has been discovered that it not only has negative effects on the environment but also affects the health of human beings, since only 25% of e-waste is recycled in authorized recycling centers with adequate protection for workers and the other e-waste arrived in those areas is not handled in an organized manner. Also, most of e-waste pollutants finish being leached into the land or/and water (oceans), which means the release of really toxic substances in the environment (Li, W., Achal, V., 2020).

So, I found it very important to share this experience because this way we are more aware that our daily actions as individuals can change complex situations that have an impact worldwide, such in this case, waste and its negative repercussions. In addition, we would be contributing to the fulfillment of various interconnected SDGs of the 2030 agenda, like climate action with responsible consumption and production, good health and well being and zero hunger, which is a vital process for achieving favorable living conditions not only for us but future generations.

How have I contributed?

Since July 2020, my family and I started to build "bottles of love" * for my brother's school project, but then, with the ideas that I got in my ecology classes, we started to separate the used oil and the damaged electronic devices apart from the organic wastes, since I learned those things have a different waste management and should be deposited in some specific authorized places, such as the ones in Eafit's university ;).

At present, we continue putting into practice these green initiatives at home and we have also started to motivate other members of our family and friends to join us and generates a significant impact, specially in the middle of this global health crisis.

Some interesting recommendations:

- David Attenborough: A Life On Our Planet

- Ten Billion

These are two really touching documentaries, as they include important information on how we can address the environmental crisis but also they link the idea of interdependence between human beings and nature.

*Bottles of love: Filling and collecting single-use plastics in a (plastic) container, to avoid throwing them away or not doing a correct waste management. Also, they're used for building houses to help people in need. If you want more info: https://www.botellasdeamor.org/

References:

FAO. (2021). Food loss and food waste. Retrieved from: http://www.fao.org/food-loss-and-food-waste/flw-data)#:~:text=In%202011%2C%20FAO%20presented%20the,lost%20or%20wasted%20every%20year.&text=Food%20waste%20by%20retailers%20and,but%20excluding%2C%20the%20retail%20level

Li, W., Achal, V. (2020). Environmental and health impacts due to e-waste disposal in China – A review. Retrieved from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969720332654

Thanks!

Sharon.