“You vs Earth”, Dhaka Tribune
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Lessening our carbon footprint in our search for success
In this part of the world, middle class young adults graduating from university have certain goals mandated for them by society. Get a job, buy a vehicle, buy a house (is this even an option in Dhaka?), have a grand wedding, build a family, take lots of vacations, etc. One thing that I have noticed about these all-important goals is that they are based on consumerism. All your goals and achievements revolve around the obtaining of goods.
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Earning money for yourself and making a living are important, yes. But before we know it, we become insatiable consumers. Success in adulthood — it seems to me, a recently turned 30-year-old — is completely and utterly defined by your ability to consume. We earn, we spend, and consume until we can’t anymore because we’re dead. And no social norm will pressure you into making the environment a healthier place throughout your lifetime.
Some changes have arrived in the Western world where people are becoming more conscious about the environment. Environmental awareness is also present in Bangladesh, but it is not yet a widespread concept. We are still quite a consumer-centric group oblivious to environmental concerns. In the defense of Bangladeshi people and others from low-income countries, we have done very little to contribute to climate change. Yet, as we become economically stronger, we must not take the path laid out for us by those who developed before us.
We have to develop, yes, but sustainably. It’s important for us to define success as something other than material gain. Because materialism is harmful to the environment. Buying a car, building a house, getting married in a lavish ceremony are all dreams that we strive for, but they are all harmful to the environment in some way.
It’s important for us as a society to re-evaluate what success means. Success should mean living sustainably. Success should mean less wastage. Success should be defined by the extent to which you are making this world a better place, and not by all the material things that you may have achieved.
When we see ourselves in the social mirror, we like to think of ourselves as having things. Everyone thinks like this. But there needs to be a change in collective thought. We should certainly obtain and enjoy things. But our goals should be to help others and make the environment a healthier place for future generations, not to have the most things.
In the post-pandemic world, we need to strive to be minimalists. We need to be people who have goals to fix the earth and make it a better place for the greater good. We need to stop being caught up in the hustle. Make do with less and lessen our impact on the environment. People should be praised for how eco-friendly they are rather than for having the nicest car or the biggest house. We need to change the perspective of society about what it means to be successful in life if we want to make the big changes that are necessary to save the world.
Proma Gulshan is a freelance contributor.