Letters to Greta T.

On September 23rd, 2019, I watched a YouTube video of Greta Thunberg delivering a speech regarding the Climate Change Crisis to world leaders at the United Nations Assembly. For the following five days, I would post a note on Facebook everyday telling Greta what I did that day to rectify the situation. Here are the notes: 

Sept 23   Dear Greta, When I was doing my daily walk an hour ago, I saw a 500 ml water bottle on the sidewalk. It was wet and muddy but I picked it up. When I got home, I rinsed the bottle and put it in the recycling bin. There is a plastic re-purposing plant in Vancouver. I know one less plastic bottle would go to the landfill.

Sept 24   Dear Greta, This morning I called my bank up and requested an address change. When the rep asked me if there was anything else that he could help me with, I replied with a question. "Is there any way that I could receive all the annual reports electronically?' He said to me, "It would cost you to opt out of the mailing list but there is no guarantee that you will never receive printed materials from us again." After 30 minutes of very heated discussion, I still opted out. I am sorry that I could not stop the bank from printing my copy of their annual report which is readily available on the bank's website.

Sept 25    Dear Greta, As I was getting out of the house for my daily walk today, I saw my neighbour. We waved at each other. I asked where she was going because she was sitting in the driver seat in her car. She told me she was going to the bakery to pick up a birthday cake for her grandson. I told her that I was heading that way and could pick up the cake for her. The bakery is only 1.5 km away. I reduced a bit of CO2 emission and fossil fuel consumption today.

Sept 26    Dear Greta, This morning I visited my grandfather's grave. I brought a pot of chrysanthemums to visit him. The cemetery does not allow artificial flowers except for Christmas wreaths during the holiday season. Knowing that cut flowers are grown in heated greenhouses, I purchased the potted mums this time because they are grown in unheated hothouses. I shook off some of the soil and put the flowers with roots into the bronze vase and recycled the plastic pot.

Sept 27    Dear Greta, I used to buy packaged baked goods. Those clear plastic containers are pretty but bad for the environment. Today I made a dozen cheese scones from ingredients that I bought in bulk. There is a store in Vancouver that sells food stuff by bulk only. Customers would have to bring containers and bags to carry their groceries. We can save a lot of resources (paper, plastic, metal and glass) by eliminating packaging for all dry goods.

Sept 28    Dear Greta, The Climate Strike week has come and gone. I hope your message would remain in people's conscience for a long time. As an adult, I apologize for not being able to pass the environment to you and your generation in the same condition that I found it 57 years ago. Don't despair; there is still hope if people are more conscious of their lifestyles and change their ways of handling resources.            Love, Rowena