“A journey of a thousand miles begin with a single step.” – Lao Tzu

It is undeniably true that the world changes in a blink of an eye and these changes bring forth effects to the people and to the environment. The never ending changes have become the most prominent yet hideous phenomena. Everyone feels the negative effects, but nobody seem to mind.

Take industrialization as an example. It is true that it offers gains in efficiency that affects almost every facet of life in the society. However, the negative effects outweigh the positive. The drawbacks include high pollution of air, water, and soil that can result in significant deterioration of quality of life and life expectancy. The crude smoke produced by the factories will deplete the ozone layer which is responsible for protecting Earth from the harm rays of the sun. Withal, companies that participate in industrialization are typically not forced to pay for the damages for the environmental harm they cause. Moreover, they tend to impose a major negative externality on human society in the form of deforestation, extinction of species, and excessive waste.

As we evolve through years – from manpower to machineries and traditional to modern, we can’t deny the downsides of these circumstances.

Taking the first step as an individual can be the change we’ve been longing to get. Without us, who else will conserve the path we’re taking? We can help save the environment from totally drowning in an abnormal cycle. We should decide whether we change the world or the world changes us. You choose.

By: Ms. Mhileth C. Filoteo | Teacher II | Bataan National High School | Balanga, Bataan