When did the push for environmental safety and change begin, and where is it now? It started in the ’60s/’70s with the rising Baby Boomers. As the public became more aware of the negative environmental effects of industrialization and industry-standard shortcuts in waste removal, Boomers didn’t take it lightly. They began to fight for change.
This article, Environmental and Conservation Movements, gives a great history of where conservation and environmentalism began, starting with Aboriginal peoples’ respect for nature. Jumping to the ’60s and Baby Boomers, concern wasn’t only about protecting certain wildlife areas anymore like the past, but also encompassed the effect human actions have on the Earth. Groups across Canada began to spring up to take action. In the early ’70s, Greenpeace was created, known for its worldwide reach in environmental issues.
The creation of Greenpeace and other similar groups marked the start of a significant movement in Canada. This was, essentially, the beginning of fighting climate change in Canada. People started to become more educated on the topic, consciously making decisions to be more environmentally friendly. The movement no longer only interested individuals who belonged to environmental groups but had swept the nation into taking action. This way of mind has been adopted by younger generations, and it seems not a moment too late.
Spurred by data showing the impacts of climate change and impassioned speeches at the United Nations, world leaders have begun to treat climate change as a real issue. As various decisions are weighed on how best to move forward, all of the proposed solutions highlight one commonality: we are running out of time to take action.
The push to reduce climate change and prevent the Earth from warming too much before the hourglass runs out of sand starts with cooperation from everyone. Baby Boomers began the movement, starting way back in the ’60s. Now the younger generations have taken the torch, with a guiding hand from Boomers. David Suzuki, a popular environmentalist, continues to give speeches at Canadian Universities. Older professors are still educating the younger generation on the importance of counteracting global warming. Individuals are still recycling and reusing, joining environmental non-profits, and more, in their fight against climate change.
The movement that started in the ‘60s is still carrying on, still with much more work to be done. But the promising efforts by Baby Boomers, along with the young generations, has provided a strong foundation and hope for the future.
We’d love to hear your feedback on Climate Change and how Baby Boomers have played a role in this extremely important issue. Have you been involved either recently or in your younger years? Please share your story with us!