The Daily Tar Heel
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The Daily Tar Heel

Letter: ?A sustainable lifestyle is key

TO THE EDITOR:

Whenever I hear the words “environmental stewardship,” I become puzzled at the exact meaning of the phrase. Generally, this term is taken as a rally call for the green movement and is ignored by the general population. However, as we progress into the future we are struck with an unshakable issue that the world is growing increasingly plagued with the issue of global warming. As our world continues to grow, the space our world is taking from is inevitably being degraded and unable to flourish.

I believe that, in order to maintain an environment that is able to continue to remain healthy, we should focus less on the new “eco-friendly” products that are available on the market and more on educating the population on the core roots of environmental stewardship. While “eco-friendly” products do have an enormous impact on the reduction in environmental toxins and pollutions, if people are uneducated on the benefits of common practices such as recycling and organic products, then a truly green population can never be achieved. Therefore, I believe one of the core focuses of the Environmental Protection Agency and government issued services should be targeting children in schools from the time they are young. By driving home issues such as recycling and making healthy choices they are benefitting themselves and the planet. Furthermore, another solution could be the incorporation of incentives for parents practicing beneficial environmental habits such as recycling, which in turn could reduce the price of garbage disposal.

Therefore, I believe that as a nation we should focus our efforts on enabling the population to embody a sustainable lifestyle, not a new product. By reaching out to local governments and communities, we can make a difference in this world.

Michael Farris ‘17

Biology

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