Lately, after having children, I’ve found myself wondering more and more often what kind of a world we’re leaving them. What kind of world am I leaving them?
Am I doing enough to protect the environment for my part and try to reverse climate change? Am I doing anything, really?
I get anxiety when I think of water running out, weather changes, and unusual natural disasters. Piles of plastic and animals choking on it. Kids swimming in algae-polluted water. People eating fish from polluted water. Earth quakes happening because of holes dug into the ground by companies. Forests torn down. Everyone traveling to hyped-up hotspots completely unnecessarily, all of those hundreds of thousands of airplanes polluting the air with kerosene.
What else can I do, besides the obvious: recycle, use less plastic, include less meat and dairy in my diet, use less energy to light and heat my apartment, travel less? In general, consume less.
I don’t know. I guess the very least I can do is spread the word.
Yes, the word has already been spread. We’ve all heard of climate change. We all know it exists (well, except for one person, notoriously). We all know the little steps we, as individuals can take. Few of us go to extreme measures, like stopping to use shampoo or making our own soap, but many of us do little things like avoid collecting plastic bags every time we shop.
In the movies, there’s always a hero who saves the world. Who is the hero we’re waiting for? (Is it Greta?) We know we need bigger action, governments to get involved, the corporate world too.
Imagine this:
Maybe somewhere in the world there is a little kid exploring the internet. Through many twists and turns, the kid comes across your blog post on climate change. A sentence you wrote resonates, sticks.
Time passes, things happen. Twenty years later, all of the little things the kid has experienced have accumulated and built the grown-up he or she has become. Thousands of sentences that stuck, little fractions of ideas, thoughts, and concerns all act as the building stones of this person’s mindset. So many of them that it’s impossible to know which thought originated from which stepping stone.
Someone planted something in this person’s mind, quite unknowingly, and it grew.
Maybe this person goes on to become someone with power or accidentally lands an opportunity to make a difference. It’s a long shot but you never know. Everyone influences everyone else all the time.
Let’s make a positive ripple in time, in the internet, through our blogs.
So… this week, for the Friendly Friday Photo Challenge, I’d like to challenge you to post a photo (or several) with the theme Climate Change.
I hope you don’t find this topic too difficult or intimidating. It can be anything – your imagination is the only limit! (And I know you guys are a creative lot!)
If you feel you need to write something to accompany the picture, please do so, but you can also just let the visuals tell the story.
Your photo could be of anything that you fear climate change might affect or has already affected – from no rain in Australia to an unusually hot summer in Finland, to freezing temperatures in the US.
It could be related to your children or grandchildren if you fear, like me, that their home planet might be disappearing from under their very feet.
It could be a simple photo of a flower in your garden or an orange in your kitchen: they are very much a part of nature and nature’s what all this is about.
It could be a photo of something you want to protect or some course of action you’ve already taken.
Here’s how to join the Friendly Friday Photo Challenge:
- Leave your response in the comments section of this post
- Include a link to the prompt in your post!
- You’re more than welcome to add our logo – this is entirely optional though
- There’s no deadline for participating, it doesn’t have to be on Friday
- And finally, please check out some of the other participants’ posts to see how they’ve interpreted the same theme!
The photo challenge is hosted by The Snow Melts Somewhere and Something to Ponder About (next week).
Looking forward to your thoughts on climate change – in words or in pictures!
Have a friendly Friday!
You make me laugh when saying “Few of us go to extreme measures, like stopping to use shampoo or making our own soap”. I think this is so NOT extreme at all. I make my own washing powder. This is so easy and I wonder why I haven’t done it before. I try to do other actions but I wish I could make a bigger difference.
I guess the very least we can all do is not only spread the word, but act! Greta said it so well. We need to wake up. We cannot wait and hope for the next generation to make it up for our lack of action.
To make a positive ripple in time, through our blogs, it would be to brag about what we’re proud we’ve achieved for the planet and show other people how easy it can be.
I’ll have to think about which photo I’ll choose for this very complicated theme… Tough one Snow!
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Thanks Véro for taking the time! 💕 I agree with what you’re saying. I try to find concrete actions I can do all the time. I have to admit that with twins we never even considered reusable diapers and at the moment our family produces quite a lot of (plastic) waste. But I only buy organic/responsible clothes, use less chemicals and make-up than before, and walk everywhere whenever I can. I would like to do more concrete things – being aware of the problem is a start. (The problem being we need to act now and not wait for someone else to do it.) And about your washing powder, wow – how do you make it? That’s a post idea right there! 😊 Do you know the French blogger behind Les Petits Pas de Juls? She has an admirable zero-waste lifestyle! https://lespetitspasdejuls.com
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Yes I know Les Petits Pas de Juls and her last post makes me want to go back to Aix straight away!
The washing powder is so easy: flakes of Marseille soap, baking soda, water!
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I looked up Marseille soap: all natural ingredients! I remember the soap from my Mediterranean days but probably never knew its contents. Now I want to switch to it! But I doubt you can get it here, and if you can it’ll be overpriced as a speciality… 🤔
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It’s very easy to find here obviously.
Check https://www.amazon.fr/stores/node/3348761031?_encoding=UTF8&field-lbr_brands_browse-bin=Marius%20Fabre&ref_=bl_dp_s_web_3348761031 and see if postage fees are interesting or not for Finland.
You can trust Marius Fabre products. It’s real Marseille soap.
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Give more than you take. That is an important underlying tenet we should all have or aspire to. Climate change is going to affect everybody of all persuasions. We can all help to make a difference, not least by spreading awareness. I ‘ll be back later with a link to my post.
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Thanks Amanda! Spreading awareness also acts as a reminder and maybe even a push. It’s such a small and easy thing to do! 🤗
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Absolutely. Each of us is in contact with so many others either on the internet or in person. Bad news travel fast so how can we make knowledge travel faster?
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It needs to become the next viral hashtag, social media influencers need to stop promoting lipstick and hotel stays and instead turn the attention towards something meaningful!
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#OneWorld Let’s change it!
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That’s a good hashtag!!
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Pingback: Friendly Friday – Climate Change – EXPRESSIONS·
Here’s my entry! https://sandrajjackson.wordpress.com/2019/03/08/friendly-friday-climate-change/
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Thanks Sandra for joining in! 😊😊😊😊
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I enjoy the prompts – thanks for hosting!
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Thank you!!
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It is a very real topic.. but can we do without planes and travel.. When technologically we move forward it is so difficult to go backwards.. ;-(
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But it’s possible to not make it worst. At least!
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Yep!
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Yes, travel is a difficult issue. Maybe the answer is to jump a big step forward to some sort of solar-powered transportation with less CO2 emissions. Over here, in Finland, electric cars are slowly taking over. The government wants everyone to drive one in the next few decades which is a great goal. But the prices need to go down…
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I am contemplating not following travel blogs as it endorses their use of fossil fuels. I don’t own a car and rarely travel in the city I live in. My son lives a continent away and I have only visited twice in over 20 years. In the sailing era once someone moved like that it was for good and the separation was permanent.
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I agree! I have very mixed feelings about travel, the cool kid in class who no one wants to criticize in this era of ”I quit my job to travel and made millions with my instagram account, #yolo”
And coming from me, that sounds funny because I actually have quit my job several times to travel (before Instagram and the likes even existed) and also because I worked in the travel industry 2001-2014. I used to live and breathe travel. Even this blog started out as a travel blog (which it certainly isn’t anymore! It evolved) But after I had kids (2017) I suddenly realised what a selfish and hedonistic lifestyle I had been leading. It completely opened my eyes.
Still, I’m not saying I won’t ever travel anymore. Just maybe not as much. What is the right amount then? I don’t have an answer to that.
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I won’t say never to travel either. I’ll do less of it and do what I can to help the environment.
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There is so much to say about this prompt and a good opportunity to showcase photos. Here is my entry:
https://forestwoodfolkart.wordpress.com/2019/03/09/friendly-friday-photo-climate-change/
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Thanks Amanda for joining in with your entry!!! So happy to have you! 🤗
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I think another thing a lot of countries could do is look st medical waste – omg – I am shocked at how much trash and plastic waste happens in hospitals – clinics – centers etc
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That’s a good point!!! Industrial waste is on such a different level
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Pingback: Friendly Friday: Climate Change | Leya·
https://lagottocattleya.wordpress.com/2019/03/09/friendly-friday-climate-change/
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Pingback: Humpback whale tail slaps | Graham's Island·
Like Amanda i think there is so much to say… I didn’t know where to start, where to stop… I chose photos which are meaningful for me. My post can be see here: https://uprootedwanderers.wordpress.com/2019/03/09/friendly-friday-climate-change/
(Hard one this week! 🥴)
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Thanks Véro! I’m going to check it out right now! (Hard one, yep! I know!)
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Pingback: It’s time to act! – Heart to Heart·
Nice one! Here;s mine – https://myheart2heart.blog/2019/03/09/its-time-to-act/
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Thanks for your entry! I’ll hop over right now! 😊
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Having my son changed my outlook as well. Worrying times we live in.
This is my take on this topic
https://photographias.wordpress.com/2019/03/09/friendly-friday-climate-change/
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Worrying times, yes. Sure, there is hope, too… I’ll have a look at your entry now! Thanks for joining in!
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Pingback: Friendly Friday climate change – Manja Mexi Moving·
Here you go, I had some technical difficulties. As you say, like laughing at the funeral. Our own.
https://manjameximoving.wordpress.com/2019/03/09/friendly-friday-climate-change/
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Yes, let’s just keep posting make-up and bubble bath reviews and ignore all the problems of the world 🤣 If “influencers” really wanted to, I bet they could make a bit of a wave (I know you hate that word as much as I do!)
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I’ve seen an actual step in this direction: it seems there is trend of first taking a before photo of a messy part of the world and then an after photo after you clean it. 🙂 Really!
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What?! Really!? Yay!!! 🤗🤗🤗🤗
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Pingback: Sunday Sayings – Our Environment Let’s change the World – Something to Ponder About·
Starting the conversation is one way forward… Change is a long way from hope. 😦
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And it takes long to implement! No overnight cures…
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An extremely important topic for us all. Here’s mine and have a great weekend…
https://amindfultraveler.com/2019/03/10/friendly-friday-photo-challenge-climate-change/
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Thanks dear Lorelle 💕 You too!
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We can all contribute in some way to make a change.
At home all our waste are sorted and left at the recycling center: glass, batteries, paper, cardboard, metal, plastic and so on. The household waste are sorted into compost and “burnable” material, put in different bins and collected at the gate by the garbage van.
It is so sad to see all the paper, plastics etc that people leave behind in nature. The last couple of years my father has an extra bag with him when he goes down to the sea to swim because there is a lot of plastic washed up on the beach so he collects it so the birds don´t eat it och get tangled up in lines or nets.
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Thanks Maria for your lovely contribution and for your thoughts here in this comment. Over here in Helsinki, our residential buildings have all sorts of recycling options too and it’s very much the norm. But people still litter quite a lot on the streets of town: especially smokers! I can’t stand it when people throw cigarette butts on the ground (or worse, into the sea) and just continue with their day without a second thought. Do they think those cigarettes will magically just disappear in 5 minutes? Grrr… Well, luckily I have your very zen photo to meditate over 😊🌷 Thanks Maria for joining in!
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Pingback: Caring | Kamerapromenader·
So great that you call attention to this one by your friendly challenge. This is a good challenge indeed!
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Thanks Marina! You’re welcome to join in 😉😋 How’s Barcelona, do you miss Norway at all? Have you found a job already?
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Merci, Snow!
I am afraid to admit it, but no, I don’t miss Norway at all 😱🙈😆maybe, later one day. But so far so good. And the sun is shining so brightly))
I am in the process of job finding, looks not so bad for Norwegian speakers actually.
Let me know when you’ll be in town! 😉😘
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Tempting, tempting!!!! Barcelona is always a good idea 😊 I wouldn’t miss the Nordics either if I had the chance to leave (I know that because I’ve done it!) Blue skies make everything alright…
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This is so true. Blue sky and sunshine make up for many things )) I want to make a post though about what I could miss (even if I don’t 🙈😆). So thanks for asking, always pushes me into good direction))
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Love this topic. As photographers we have so many opportunities to help change the world in small steps. Here is my entry: https://noheelsjustsneakers.com/2019/03/10/colorful-thousand-palms-oasis-preserve/
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Thanks for joining in! I wrote you a comment but I’m not sure if it disappeared, there was no message that it was sent to you. Anyway, to sum it up: beautiful and here’s to many more wildflower hikes! 😊
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Thank you. 🙂 The comment is showing fine. Yes, looking forward to seeing many more wildflowers.
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The threats of climate change is worrying. I often have the same thought, what kind of world do we leave for our children and future generations? It’s heartbreaking to witness the plastic pollution in the ocean and how this affects the innocent creatures down there. An important and thought-provoking post. Together we can make a change.
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True, together we can make a change. But change happens slowly, bit by bit, is there enough time anymore? Heartbreaking to think that my children’s children or grandchildren, dearly beloved by the two little boys I love, might be born into a polluted, barren mess.
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Pingback: Small but significant – Friendly Friday – Climate change | Pictures without film.·
I think the more of us that discuss it, there more the changes will begin to be made. This is a great topic!
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Thanks Amy! Maybe you could do a post with your thoughts on climate change too? Since you have quite a lot of readers! 😊 Enjoy your week!
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I have addressed plastic consumption in the past. Perhaps I really should tackle this one as well! 🙂 I hope your week is going wonderfully.
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I wish you a great week too, Amy! 😘
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A somewhat belated response to this week’s challenge. Kind of a depressing subject really, though I believe that anything anyone does helps. I don’t think there’s one fix along the lines of ‘Here’s a new clean energy source. Everything’s fine.’ Actually I worry that something like that will come along because I think all that would encourage is using the clean energy to make more disposable crap! We have to change our ways before we get something like that.
Regarding your photos, which I liked, I wondered if the coffee cup was a deliberate ironic statement, designed to make people look – or am I being too optimistic?
My offering, as you know, is this: https://grahamsisland.com/2019/03/09/humpback-whale-tail-slaps/.
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Hmm I never thought the cup might’ve been left like that intentionally – it’s an interesting thought. Imagine leaving little clues all around town, inviting people to think for themselves when they see them. You never know! 😉
Good point about inventing new disposable crap, as you so aptly put it!!! I guess it’s in human nature. The problems will just change but not go away altogether…
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Very interesting topic for a photo challenge, Snow! I had the perfect post a few months ago, when I visited the glaciers around the famous Matterhorn… Well, I should better say, when I visited glaciers last summer in the Swiss Alps. Even if a few of them are still huge and impressive, all I read about them and all I could see was these magnificent giant rivers of ice melting like small ice cubes in a lemonade… All I could think while I was taking photos was: my kids probably won’t see these glaciers except in my photos…
I think photography has opened my eyes a lot regarding climate change…. and living in Switzerland too!! It’s a tiny country, but I’m amazed of all the efforts they make to recycle, to consume less (yes, in Switzerland!!), eat better and greener… If only the rest of Europe would follow this example (specially in the South… I’m not very proud of how these things are managed in Spain…)
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I know what you mean! I snorkeled in the Great Barrier Reef in 1999 and I know it’s nowhere near as colorful today – it was a different world back then. I have to add that back then I also wasn’t thinking of how tourism adds to pollution or how my sunscreen in the water does damage…
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There is no Planet B 😏
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So true!
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Oh man, exactly my feelings. It’s so disheartening to see all the plastic trash everywhere when I was back home in India.
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Oh yes. It’s been a problem forever and no one has done anything. Well, that’s a bit pessimistic, but you get my drift 🙂
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Yeah, totally. 😐
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