Individuals can do nothing to improve the environment; only governments and large companies can make a difference. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

With advancements in technology and progression in aspects of globalisation and urbanisation, greater attention is being paid to address ways in which improvements can be made to sustain the environment. Governments and private organisations are able to fund projects with such aims, giving them high success rates as compared to individual contributions in this respect, which may appear to be null and void. I, however, believe that individuals have the ability to make phenomenal changes that are sustainable to the environment taking into consideration that collectively individuals have a greater reach into their communities and are therefore able to educate, motivate, monitor and continuously improve the environment, even in the smallest ways possible, especially through lifestyle changes. Communities in cities and towns alike, require a great amount of education, continuous encouragement, assistance and guidance on methods that lead to environmental improvements. Individuals within a community are able to provide this kind of support as they are able to reach more individuals in their communities, creating awareness and providing people with a tangibility on what they are learning. From my personal experience, teachers within a school environment have the greatest influence on the students they teach. A teacher in my school community was able to incorporate environmental sustainability into her science lessons. Students learned about environmental change- its cause and effects and were asked to do research on ways in which they would be able to contribute towards protecting and rehabilitating the environment. Many learners designed awareness posters and displayed these around the school, whilst a few others participated in prepared speeches and debates on environmental issues. The teacher in question was asked to curate an environmental club in which members would work together on environmental community based projects. This teacher’s individual actions made her learners aware of the importance of environmental improvement and sustainability, which created a chain reaction, where these students are now doing the same. Private organisations and governments are able to fund large projects that may entail educating people about environmental change, the importance of sustainable usage of natural resources and advantages on working together to protect and rehabilitate the environment. Although large organisations and governmental institutes are able to do this, there is heavy reliance on a group of individuals within a community to ensure that relevant information and activities reach the intended audience and achieve the desired results. In retrospect, it is still primarily the individual who will make significant changes to his lifestyle, spread awareness and continue to focus on changes that will improve the environment long after funding for affiliated projects has ceased. Individuals can contribute substantially to environmental improvements, making great leaps to a better future for all. Furthermore governments, private companies and individuals unanimously will be able to reach a bigger audience especially in disadvantaged communities, creating greater awareness for sustainable environmental change.