With the ever-present doom and gloom of climate change overhead, leading by example has never been more important. Collaboration and advocating for sustainable habits are the best ways we can solve the environmental problems we’re facing. Cue environmental stewardship, a critical way we can take responsibility and pave the way for positive change.
Environmental stewardship and environmentalism go hand in hand.
Environmental stewardship is a practical way to work toward a sustainable future. After all, the quality of our environment depends on everyone whose actions affect it! You can’t claim to care about social and environmental issues and then stand idly by. Real and positive change calls for accountability and teamwork. Being an environmental steward is a way to show that accountability and care for the world we live in!
Essentially, an environmental steward responsibly and respectfully uses and protects nature. That is, if you’re paying attention to how your actions may relate to the world around you, you’re already playing the part of environmental steward! Nature is holistic and everything is connected. So, by acting as a steward you can positively affect not only ecosystem resilience but also human well-being.
Nature needs us to be environmental stewards.
We need clean air and water, we use materials from the Earth, and we take up space on land. No matter which way you spin it, we rely on our environment. If we don’t take care of the planet, we can’t depend on its resources!
Since nature and its resources are finite, the only answer to ensure continued use is responsibility. Consider your effect and take control! Don’t get me wrong though, being a steward isn’t as serious as it may sound. Even simple things can leave a profound impact.
How you can be an environmental steward:
We’ll start simple, the easiest way you can show your environmental stewardship is through individual, everyday choices. You can try to use less water by taking shorter showers. You can compost food scraps or yard waste. You can reduce your meat consumption. You can buy less stuff and fix what you have. You can cut down on single-use plastics. The list goes on! Put some thought into it and you’ll be amazed at the impact you can make.
Another way you can demonstrate your environmental stewardship is through community actions. Find community service opportunities and volunteer! You can also visit your local Parks and Recreation center(s) to see if there are any restoration activities that you can participate in, such as planting trees or removing invasive plants. You can get involved in community garden projects. You can also share information on social media or get involved in community events to help spread awareness and increase activism. You can also shop locally, to not only support local businesses but also cut down on transportation emissions.
Lastly, you can show your environmental stewardship through civic action. Civic action helps increase engagement with the issues. It also empowers communities to voice what legislators need to focus on, ensuring the ability to support community actions. Civic engagement creates a space for collaborative action plans that deal with sustainability and resiliency. You can take part in civic action by utilizing community programs or by writing to elected officials or decision-makers detailing what issues are important to the community. You can also vote for legislation or candidates that have a focus on environmental issues.
The only answer to ensure continued use is responsibility.
We should all be promoting environmental stewardship to move towards a more sustainable future. Finding ways to co-exist with nature is the end goal of dealing with climate change. So, empowering yourself to own your environmental stewardship will start you on a path of positive influence that we are in desperate need of.