Green Ideas

 Green Ideas: Rethinking Sustainability for a Better Future

What was once considered "green" in 2013 is no longer enough. The world has changed, and our ideas about sustainability must evolve with it. Recycling bins at Granville Island seemed like a good start, but the reality is more complex. Are coffee cups really disposable? Are we truly reducing waste, or are we just moving it from one place to another? These questions were only the beginning. Plastics, once a revolutionary convenience, are now flooding our oceans, and microplastics from our clothes are contaminating our water systems. Every wash, every cycle, releases tiny fragments of synthetic fibers that pollute the environment, a hidden cost of the modern textile industry.

We also consume energy at an alarming rate, often without thought. Machines to wash and dry clothes, cars to transport us, energy-hungry industries to keep the wheels turning—what if we could harness the energy we’re already using? Imagine a world where we generate power from our daily activities. Special bikes could harness human energy, providing a sustainable way to power everything from homes to vehicles. At the gym, for example, we exert so much energy; why not convert it into power to light our spaces or store it for later use?

We waste so much energy and so many resources without even realizing it. Yet, we also have limitless potential to create change. Our young minds, unburdened by conventional thinking, hold the key to solving the climate crisis. Kindergarteners haven’t been molded by the constraints of the status quo—they see possibilities we can no longer imagine. This is why we must ask Indigenous Elders for guidance. Their deep understanding of nature and sustainable living offers invaluable insights we’ve lost touch with in our rush for progress.

The time to act is now, and it’s not just up to individuals—it’s time for corporations, billionaires, and influencers to be held accountable. We must hold them to a higher standard and demand more than empty promises. We have a responsibility to the next generation to turn things around. If we can, we must. Our children’s future depends on it.