Earth Day reminds us not to forget small impacts, what media can do

Yesterday during open block, members and allies of Tufts Climate Action (TCA) held a divestment rally and sit-in as a part of continued efforts to put pressure on the Tufts administration to divest from fossil fuels. They also recently held a teach-in about the topic of climate action and the necessity for it to be recognized by administrative authorities and policy makers. But while the campus conversation has been flowing on this topic for some time now among activist circles and members of TCA, the current state of discourse means that it takes Earth Day for the general public to really hear about and reflect on what the current status of climate change is. Regardless of the aid that large actions such as divestment may have on the planet, however, smaller actions, such as recycling, educating and making more conscious, eco-friendly choices with regard to commodities like bottles and cans, can also be taken in order to help the earth. These actions cannot and should not ever be forgotten.

It is no secret that both the American public and policymakers often tend to not consider climate change as a pressing issue facing the country. But after a winter such as this, and as weather gets more and more extreme, it’s becoming clear that not only is climate change happening, but one “Earth Day” a year certainly will not make a difference. Climate change is given such little regard because it is a very long-term issue, while the things that cause it, such as big business and industry, provide many short-term benefits. Of course, businesspeople are not inherently evil, nor are they going out of their way to actively destroy the environment. It’s important that we make saving the earth just as profitable as it is crucial. With solar technology becoming cheaper and more efficient, we’re certainly approaching the end of the tunnel.

As a media publication, it is also our responsibility to recognize that not every story happens in the span of days, weeks, months or even years, and climate change features and stories shouldn’t be relegated just to when Earth Day comes around. Climate change is an ongoing issue, and one way to force people to recognize this is for the media to cover it fairly, as we would cover any other issue.

While divestment is important, what is perhaps just as crucial is education and changing the social attitudes toward climate change. Making this issue relevant and impending is certainly a challenge, but with evidence such as this extreme winter, perhaps climate activist groups will have an easier time convincing people of the importance of protecting the earth. Until that point, the editorial board urges students to recycle this copy of the Daily, and think about the small changes they can make to help our planet out not just on Earth Day, but every day.