A Decade in Review
Earth lights seen from outer space
Our planet is vast, awe-inspiring, daunting. The space where our feet touch the earth at any given moment is a needlepoint in the grand scheme of the planet, our existence in itself is humbling. When it comes to the environment, it is hard to believe this existence can have any impact: positive or negative. And yet, when we zoom out from the place where our two feet are planted to the earth, let’s say, to the perspective of an airplane; the patterns of our existence are etched into the landscape like prophecies on ancient ruins. When we zoom out even further and view the earth from outer space, we see specs of our electric lights dotting our globe like constellations. Much like ancient prophecies and constellations, these human changes tell a story, one of our impact on the planet as a race.
“The climate crisis can be daunting”
The climate crisis can be daunting; a problem that seems larger than our tiny existence can tackle. It is easy to get disillusioned and fall into the mindset that nothing an individual person does can create an impact in the grand scheme of our environmental footprint. And yet, it is our collective impact that has gotten us here. With all of the negative news we get bombarded with every day, the feeling of environmental helplessness is only accentuated. Each of us plays a role in the etchings carved into our planet, and it is our duty to make sure those prophecies lead to prosperity.
Over the last decade, we have made some serious environmental gains. This last decade proves that we can move forward as a race in a more sustainable manner. It is a testament to the fact that individual actions do have an impact, and it is a reminder that collectively our existence has the potential to light up the globe.
To end the decade, and get inspired for the new one, we wanted to make a list of environmental gains that show we can make a positive impact.
Seven Year Ban on Oil and Gas Drilling in the Atlantic Ocean
An oil drilling platform off the coast of Santa Barbara - Photo by TheConduqtor
In 2010, the Department of the Interior in the United States announced a seven-year ban on offshore oil and gas drilling in the Atlantic. While this in itself was a win, President Obama then expanded this to a permanent ban on offshore drilling in the Atlantic.
“The U.S. have stood firm on permanently barring off shore drilling”
In the wake of President Trump and the Republican Party’s attempts to revoke this ban, the U.S. have stood firm by approving legislation to permanently bars drilling off the Atlantic and Pacific coasts while extending a moratorium on drilling off Florida’s west coast.
This protects a large amount of marine wildlife, such as the critically endangered elkhorn coral.
Dams Across the United States Have Been Abolished
Hoover Dam was built opened in 1936
The removal of dams from the nation’s rivers has gained a lot of traction this decade. Since 2015, over 1,500 dams have been removed. Dams cause a lot of environmental mayhem in the rivers they block, such as warming waters, increase in disease, and toxic algae blooms that kill fish.
The Paris Climate Agreement
The Paris Climate Agreement is an attestation to the fact that we can come together as a global community to combat climate change. On December 12, 2015, the world’s leaders gathered in Paris to create a plan to tackle the climate crisis.
“The agreement hopes to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius”
The agreement hopes to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. During the negotiations, 1.5 degrees Celsius was projected onto the Eiffel Tower.
While the Paris Climate Agreement has taken some hits in the past couple of years, it has set a precedent for collective action.
EPA Stops trying to Delay Obama era regulation on Ozone
It is no secret that the Trump administration seems to have quite the vendetta against Obama era environmental gains. The Obama era regulation on ozone is no different. The Trump administration worked to delay this ozone regulation throughout the first year of his presidency but gave up in 2017.
The regulation shrinks the ozone national standard from 75 parts per billion to 70 parts per billion.
Endangered Species Making a Come Back
Barbary macaques have suffered a major decline in recent years to the point of being declared an endangered species by the IUCN in 2009.
This past decade has shown how successful conservation efforts can be in rebuilding animal populations that have been damaged by human activity. We have seen many animals taken off the endangered species list, which is a huge environmental win.
Some of the species that have been removed from the list this decade:
Grey Wolf - Removed 2011
Stellar Sea Lion - Removed 2013
Chatham Petrel - Removed 2015
Yellowstone Grizzly Bear - Removed 2017
Snow Leopard - Removed 2017
Northern Brown Kiwi - Removed 2017
Panda Bear - Removed 2018
The Rise of The Plant Based Diet
This decade has seen an increase in plant-based diets
While the plant-based diet has been around for centuries, it has just recently gained traction as an environmentally friendly alternative to the standard diet. Eating a plant-based diet is less resource-intensive than eating a diet with meat and dairy, and reduces one’s carbon-footprint substantially.
“Eating a plant-based diet is less resource-intensive”
This decade has seen a slew of studies and documentaries that have changed the way many people think about what they put on their plates.
Many large corporations and restaurants have also adopted some vegan dishes, making it more accessible and well known.
Renewable Energy Has a Record Year In UK
The use of renewable energy is on the rise throughout the world today
In 2018, the UK generated over half of its electricity using low carbon energy. The use of coal in the UK fell by a quarter and ended the year at a minuscule 5 percent. The UK has put a lot of money into offshore wind power and hopes to remove barriers to onshore wind power, which is the cheapest form of renewable energy.
The Year of Climate Emergency Declarations
This past year, over 1,080 governments declared a state of climate emergency. According to The Climate Mobilization, countries like France, Ireland, and the United Kingdom all have declared a climate emergency.
While this doesn’t seem positive, it is a symbolic move that acknowledges the dangers that accompany climate change, and these emergencies will inspire action across the globe.
The Power of Youth
This year, the environmental movement was championed by young leaders all across the globe. At the helm, Greta Thunberg, a 16-year-old environmental activist, steered the way during the worldwide protests. To top it off, Greta was nominated for the Nobel prize and was named the Times Person of The Year in 2019.
“Greta Thunberg has steered the way during the worldwide protests”
Much like the Paris Climate Agreement, this year’s environmental movement showed how powerful we can be when we defy borders and come together as global citizens.
While the fight is far from over, this list reminds us that our energies are not futile. Through personal lifestyle changes, collective activism, policy change, and dedication, we can reverse the damages done in the past.
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