Kim123
Registered: August 2010
City/Town/Province: Hoffman Estates
Posts: 1
View this Member's Photo Gallery
|
To find an environment, the living organisms must be able to live naturally and freely. To find a polluted area, the area must be inhabited by humans careless about the nature. The creation of a polluted area is started by moral depravity; actions taken by careless humans are evidence to the weakened respect for the environment. How many times will I have to watch someone leave garbage on the floor to accept this as okay? How many times will I have to restrain myself to stay in the car when I look at another driver and see him drop his cigarette on the road? I am tired, disgusted, and angry of this “accepted” way of living. Human actions that create danger to the environment are embarrassing.
What are not needed at a nearby park are: cigarette buds, beverage cans, wrappers, and food. Humans “throw-away” this garbage when the item becomes worthless to them. Therefore, these apathetic humans leave these good-for-nothing items to where it belongs, a place where there is no importance to them. The park is just another open place for them to use for their own advantage. So, if you can beat them at their own game, join them. And so forth, I used my neighborhood park for my own advantage to make a difference.
Hoffman Estates is a suburban town in Illinois. With the neighboring towns, Hoffman Estates has the reputation about having the more disadvantage families. However, Hoffman Estates is not a run-down area; Hoffman Estates is an area for lower middle-class families. Hoffman Estates has a great amount of diversity from its citizens; this town is a true example of the “melting pot” that America is supposed to be. With the diversity, there are many people with aspiring goals. I wanted to give back to my community.
To ensure success, the plan was simple: gather a small-numbered group of people; wear clothes that one is willing to get dirty in; buy the necessary supplies; go to the designated area; and clean up the park.
A great amount of energy is always essential to put a vision into a reality. There was struggle to find people who were willing to help clean up a park. Nevertheless, there were people who were willing to support a teenage girl with a dream. On an early morning in August, I marched with my environmental warriors to the park to eliminate the nonessential items at the park. In a few hours, my environmental warriors and I collected pounds of garbage. Most importantly, the park was cleaner and better for the environment. The park was still that safe place, where children play on the playground and families can have a picnic. After cleaning up the park, I realized that garbage is not the enemy. The enemy is that proud American citizen who leaves trash on this great, beloved country of ours.
I want people to feel inspired when they read my short story because I represent that ordinary citizen with a purpose. I did not create an organization to help save the whole world. I did not create a new device to be more eco-friendly. When I learn about stories like that, I do feel somewhat discourage because I know I do not have the money or the connections to make that big of an impact on the world. However, I learned that I do not need to do something ground-breaking to gain recognition. I just need to do something extraordinary: clean up my local park. Society should just recognize that the simple ways to help the environment, such as cleaning up the park and planting trees, are phenomenal, not conventional. If this were so, more people would participate in this global movement because they would feel a part of something really special.
|
