The emotional side of environmentalism
By Colten Kamlade, Senior Columnist
This week, I watched a documentary called A Plastic Ocean, and it was one of the few films that has made an impact on the way I live. I find myself putting in extra effort to recycle. I no longer throw plastic in the trash, even when it’s more convenient, because I know the effect it will have on the environment.
The ocean is one of our planet’s greatest wonders. If you have ever watched a stormy sea crash against a rocky beach, or gazed at the mirror-like tranquility of its surface, you know what I mean. Approaching a politicized issue with such emotion might seem odd, but I believe that nature transcends politics. I’m not writing this to tell you about an impending environmental crisis. I’m writing this to mourn the loss of something beautiful, and deeply personal to me.
Ever since I was young, my family has vacationed on Hornby Island. It’s a small community off the coast of British Columbia. Those who live there are either hippies, artists, or both. The bright clothes and the delicious food impressed me as a child, but not as much as the ocean did. The cool breeze that always kept the temperature comfortable, the plethora of life that skittered around on the beach, and even the smell of sulphur affected me deeply. Now whenever I hear the roar of the surf or the squawk of seagulls, my childhood washes over me.
This is why A Plastic Ocean hit so close to home. At some point during the documentary I realized that if our society does not change, there will be a time when the coasts of Hornby will become flooded with plastic. The place I keep closest to my heart will be buried under trash, and the ocean will be forever tainted by humans.
Environmentalism has become such a political issue that we often lose sight of how personal it is. When we talk about the degradation of ocean water, we shouldn’t just be talking about politics. We should care about nature because it is beautiful and worthy of our admiration and respect. Arguments based on logic are indispensable, but we also need to admit that there is an emotional side to environmentalism, and it is often the more powerful persuader.
This means that grassroots movements are important. The prime minister can talk about how important sustainability is, but those of us who live in BC have to foster our own love of our forests and coasts. We need to make it clear that our home—our beautiful British Columbia—is being threatened by environmental degradation. There is a change that needs to be made nationwide, but we have to start within our own provinces.
