How My Generation Can Make the Biggest Difference on Earth
By Jordan, a sophomore at MHS
For thousands of years, humans have taken advantage of the environment to better their lives. We have domesticated plants and animals. We have taken fossil fuels from inside the Earth and used them to fuel our industries. No one considered the consequences of draining the Earth of its resources.
Thankfully, within the past 40 years, people have started to realize the impact they make on the environment. Laws have been made and agencies have been put in place to protect the environment.
When I graduate from Milton Hershey School and complete college, my goal is to do my part to impact the environment in some way.
While I’m still in high school at MHS, I participate in a variety of activities to help enhance my conservation skills. In Envirothon, we learn about different parts of the environment and the local ecosystem. We compete against other schools and test our knowledge, which gives us the skills necessary to make educated decisions on environmental conservation.
I also participate in Future Farmers of America (FFA), which gives conservation a different perspective. It has taught me the most efficient ways to grow crops and how to properly raise a cow. It has shown me that the world needs to be fed, but we can do it without destroying the environment around us.
Without the environment, we wouldn’t have most of our commodities. For example, if honey bees were to go extinct, about half of the food we consume wouldn’t exist. Another example occurs every fall. Thousands of people go hunting and are ready to harvest the buck of a lifetime. However, within the next 40-50 years, hunting may fall to the point where it is no longer allowed due to low animal populations and highly developed residential areas.
Ultimately, our environment is one of the most beautiful things we have. When you’re in the middle a forest, nothing compares to the songs of birds filling the air or the sound of squirrels scurrying along looking for another acorn.
No matter if you live in an urban or rural setting, my generation should care about our environment because there’s so much to enjoy. We just have to take the time to open our eyes.
