It doesn't matter that people don't care

Self Preservation is a survival instinct. Some may even call it 'human nature'. We can hope that we are like the heroes of most stories who put everyone else before themselves, but when it really comes down to it the chances are that we will put ourselves first.

It may seem like a cynical viewpoint, but it's true. Our economy runs on self preservation. Businesses are motivated by personal profit, students are motivated by the awards and recognition that they win over others and workers compete for a promotion.

The world is collapsing around us, yet few seem to care. Yes, there is a lot of noise on social media about the amount of plastic in our oceans, disastrous storms, dying species and other heart wrenching tragedies. However, if you step into a shopping mall, I can guarantee you will see shoppers with plastic take away containers of food, coffee cups, shopping bags full of fast fashion or unethical brands, without even realising the negative effects these actions create.

No matter how much it is promoted, sustainable living for many people will never be something that they consider. If the catastrophic state of the world does not effect an individual directly, it is very difficult to inspire them to take action.

Imagine if every household wasn't allowed to dispose of their rubbish. Would people still have so little concern about their plastic consumption? I don't think so. In fact, they would be lobbying for companies to use sustainable packaging, taking their own bags, containers and cups, composting and recycling because no one wants to live in a dump.

No one wants to live in a dump.

Yet that is what our world is becoming. A dump. Currently, many of us are lucky and the dumps of the world are far away. It is only when they start affecting us directly that everyone will take action, and by then it will probably be too late.

The fact is, the environment is only going to be saved when the minority of people around the world who care, push enough for laws to change and make a more positive impact. Forcing people to change their lifestyle is the only way it's going to work.

Take plastic bags. Every now and again you'd see someone with reusable bags in Countdown. However, it was only when Countdown removed the bags that everyone stopped using them. If you read our article on their success, you'd know that they have kept 350 million bags out of circulation in New Zealand already.

By all means, keep doing what you're doing. Every chance you get, try and make a positive difference by reducing your waste, walking to your destination, opting for a vegan or vegetarian meal. These small changes count. But, if we want big environmental change, big laws are going to have to change.

What you can do to support this:

When laws such as New Zealand's Zero Carbon Act are proposed, don't complain. If you don't agree with a section, instead of accusing the creators of being illogical or unfair, come up with an alternative and suggest it. Make a positive difference. In fact, if you suggest a good enough alternative you may even inspire more people to jump on board and support the change.

Sign petitions, talk about your efforts, share positive stories and inspire others to do the same. Not everyone may agree, but not everyone has to. The Zero Carbon Bill in New Zealand only needed 15,000 signatures to get into parliament out of a population of 4.79 million. If you care about the environment, do as much as you can to get others around you to care as well, and the chances are you will be successful.

The common misconception is that one person cannot make a difference. You do not need the world behind you for you to start changing the world.