Environmental awareness seems to come in waves. It’ll make an appearance on hot days, when we’re reminded of global warming. It’ll show when we have a Spare the Air Day as an excuse to do nothing. We’re reminded of it when we see an oil spill or smoke rising from smokestacks above the skyline. But in order for us to take any action, hell would have to freeze over.
If we want to do anything to remedy our apathy, we have to be strategic about it. Being a good citizen or helping the world isn’t motivation enough for us as humans to try to save the world during their brief existence. Here is where a little incentive can go a long way.
Bike or Walk to School Day provided that reward. More than the breakfast, though, it provided a sweet, simple interlude in a period otherwise empty of environmental activism. Over 700 students participated in Bike and Walk to School Day, whereas only 480 people participated during the entirety of Go Green Week. The difference is that the latter let the issue stagnate.
It is difficult for people to make a long-term commitment to a cause that doesn’t strike a personal chord in them, unless for a special occasion. One day is a special occasion. Two days, and the issue is already old news. To force a cause down people’s throats for a week with little incentive is dooming its success from the start.
It’s not something worth trying to change in the people themselves. It will always be human nature to live within a single frame of mind, and to bring someone out of their shell to care about something else is a feat within itself. But at MVHS, where everyone seems to be pushing their own charity or club — less importance is given to each individual cause. People are given less time to become invested and truly care, and each new charity seems like another group asking for our money, our energy, our time.
The best way to effect change at the school is to divide and conquer. Fundraisers that happen early in the semester tend to perform well, and when they’re spaced far enough apart, there’s a healthy cycle with periods of activism and periods of focusing on studies. To bring back the Homecoming example, it was early in the semester, so students were able to devote their attention to it, instead of worrying about finals.
It’s not that people are incapable of bringing themselves to care for the rest of humanity. It’s just that when there are so many causes demanding our attention, we need to step back and find some balance between taking care of the rest of the world and taking care of ourselves.
