“You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words. And yet I’m one of the lucky ones. People are suffering. People are dying. Entire ecosystems are collapsing. We are in the beginning of a mass extinction, and all you can talk about is money and fairy tales of eternal economic growth. How dare you!”
These are the words of Greta Thunberg, a 16-year old climate activist who travelled to the other side of the ocean to speak up on behalf of those who either can’t or won’t speak up. She spoke for the collective good of the planet.
I wonder why can’t we do the same? Why can’t we stand up for our rights? The air quality of Lahore and Karachi is getting worse every year and we still haven’t been able to take some concrete action. Who is to blame? The naive conception of governmental responsibility or our inability to take action?
We don’t have to travel to the other side of the ocean to make our point, we can start from our homes. You can start by cutting down your plastic usage and if you either haven’t or can’t figure out how to do so, there exists more than enough online and offline literature to help you.
So, if you already know, how to cut your plastic usage, do it now. If not for you, then, for your future generations.
And if you are clueless about it, then, read, educate yourself about the issue and take action.
Afifa Iqbal
Editor-in-Chief
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Editorial
