What Makes Us Special? How Do We Differ From Others?

– Our decisions!

How many times have you heard the phrase: “Life is in your hands”? How true is that? I would say only partially. Our lives are influenced by many external factors over which we have no control, but also by our decisions—over which we do have control. I won’t bore you with major decisions and big questions like, “Who will I spend the rest of my life with?” or “What will my career be?”, but rather with small, everyday decisions like: “What will I eat today?”, “Which products will I buy?”, “Will I prioritize quality?”, “How much plastic will I use, and where will I dispose of it once I no longer need it?”

Every seemingly small decision contributes to larger global changes, which is why it is crucial to become aware of our actions and take responsibility for preserving our environment.

We notice that summers are getting hotter, the heat more unbearable, and chronic illnesses increasingly common. But why has the climate started changing so rapidly in recent years? – Because of us – humans! I know many will now think: “Hey, the pollution I personally cause is minimal compared to the pollution from giant industries.” But who are these factories serving? Who uses their products and services—whether from pharmaceutical giants or chemical industries? We do! Humans!

Is life on Earth possible without emitting pollutants?

The short answer is: “No.” However, nature has a remarkable ability to self-purify, which is why climate changes in the past didn’t happen as fast as they do today. We can all agree that it is realistic to expect that population growth brings with it industrial growth, as human needs are increasing—thus exceeding the limit of nature’s self-renewing capacity.

What kind of scenario can we expect if nothing changes?

We have become witnesses to countless floods on one hand, and frequent fires and droughts on the other. A massive imbalance of natural phenomena is already present and has become a daily reality in today’s society. Deaths caused by extreme temperatures have increased by two-thirds globally over the past 20 years. As temperatures rise, so does the risk of chronic diseases, particularly those affecting the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. At the same time, heatwaves can create conditions for the spread of vector-borne and infectious diseases, due to altered patterns of allergies. More than 50 million people live in modern slavery, suffering from so-called “silent killers” like depression and other neurological disorders influenced by the pollutants that urban populations are constantly exposed to.

What can we do?

How can we break free from the vicious cycle created by leading global powers whose sole interest is accumulating financial wealth? The answer is simple: become aware and turn to nature. We can blindly continue following modern social trends, acting with minimal awareness and responsibility, and leave our fate to someone at the top—or we can take action into our own hands: preserve the environment, promote and consume fresh, local food, use chemicals only when necessary, minimize plastic use, recycle, spend at least 30 minutes a day in nature…

Every action triggers a reaction!

A healthy physical state—largely achieved through healthy nutrition—leads to good mental and psychological health, which reduces profits for the pharmaceutical industry, and automatically reduces medical waste, and so on.

Preserving the environment and the climate is not only the responsibility of governments and corporations—it is the duty of every individual. By changing our everyday habits and making conscious decisions, we can create a healthier and more sustainable planet for ourselves and for future generations.