It is not a secret that our world today has been suffering from a lot of troubles. From warming of the earth, landslides, fish kills and strange weather, billions of people around the globe are confronting the outcomes of human negligence. The scenario will get even worse if we keep on doing the same thing without making ample actions to correct this mistake.

The challenge now lies in mobilizing the youth sector to participate in activities that would address our current problems, like encouraging fellow Ateneans to have an environment-friendly lifestyle.

Today, there are companies going green in every part of the world with the aim of reducing carbon footprints. As individuals, we can also do our part. Walking short distances rather than using vehicles, switching off the power when leaving our house and segregating garbage properly are just three of the many actions we can all take to offset and combat human activities that are plaguing our survival and that of our Mother Nature.

We may not be able to end global warming and other related issues pronto and single-handedly, but I believe that every change one does contributes to a large whole and can make a huge impact.

Nations all over the world are now taking actions to remedy these environmental problems. Highly-developed countries are using the luxury of their resources to respond to this environmental distress. Even developing states like the Philippines have also taken measures and initiatives despite the issues of practicability and lack of financial resources. Whether a country has adequate programs or not, with the continuous surge of environmental issues, there is still much left to do. This is where our role as “youth” comes in to play.

Let us take actions and exert efforts towards this global problem and eradicate what has always been used to describe our generation: complacent, passive, lax and indifferent towards environmental issues.

It’s high time for us to make a move.

And that’s my green challenge!