From Rivers of Myths to Microplastics: The Disposable Culture's Reckoning
In the latest Weekly Climate and Energy News Roundup, the pressing issues of our environmental crises are laid bare. From the ongoing debate over deep-sea mining to the relentless exploitation of public lands, these headlines reflect a broader cultural malaise: our inability to see beyond immediate gain. Rivers, once the lifeblood of civilizations and carriers of myths and legends, are now conduits for microplastics that infiltrate ecosystems and threaten the unborn. This transformation from myth-laden waterways to polluted channels underscores a profound cultural shift. We have become a society that disposes of everything, blind to the fact that in doing so, we dispose of ourselves. Yet, amid the disheartening news, there are glimmers of hope. Europe’s revival of deposit-return schemes for plastics hints at a possible cultural and ecological detox. If we can scale these initiatives globally, we might allow rivers—and ourselves—to tell cleaner, more sustainable stories again.
