Translated material
Why are eco -activists burn out?
To burn without a trace, heating and illuminating the path to others, it is good only in the songs of the “Time Machine”. And in real life it is not very fun or beautiful.
The other day they asked me the question: why are eco -activists burn out and how to “treat” it? I mumbled some answer for 10 minutes in the format of “stream of consciousness”, but the question did not let me go.
The theory of small deeds has always been in high esteem: everyone does what can, and will begin cardinal changes
And cardinal changes occur, and we see not so much positive of them as terrifying: climatic changes, damage to entire regions, loss of territories, melting ice, etc.
For caring people who take on personal responsibility for what is happening, the measure of small affairs increases every year and once becomes unbearable. Fighting occurs and we lose a person in the zone of environmental activism.
Colleagues and I somehow discussed the theory of small affairs in the modern environmental paradigm and came to the conclusion that the giant share of responsibility lies with governments and business.
At the same time, climatic changes occur so rapidly that if only ordinary people act, buying less, sharing waste, composting food in the backyard or conducting lessons in a neighboring school, then the speed of improvements will not ripen behind the speed of deterioration. Immediate inclusion of "high" instances and the adoption of radical decisions is necessary.
Perhaps now you will feel the in vain of your small affairs and give up. But I'm not writing for this. I want to slightly shift the focus of your efforts from “only to myself and the neighbor” to broadcast a request to the authorities and business, a request for environmentally friendly products, packaging, services, the correct approaches to waste management, for effective priority of actions, requests for fair payment and the right to submit waste separately, etc.
It is also important to remember that there is something that we can change that we cannot. Correctly acting and transmitting a request is in our power. Explain, show, offer help, participate in joint activities - in our zone of influence. Make no.
It is necessary to accept this and will become much easier to live. It is how to accept the fact that we, even the highest people, cannot reach the moon with our hands, but we can remove the kitten from the tree.
Perhaps someone will say that all this is long, we will not have time and an environmental disaster will happen or our children will get a dirty planet, and it is unbearable to think about it.
I also understand this and also very worried that they would build an ICZ, my children will get sick and die. And at the same time, my hands will still not reach the moon, but I brought myself to emotional exhaustion. And I was not enough even to “get a kitten”.
I don’t know if the thought converted well, but I felt better.