You’ve probably already heard this statement, especially coming out of the medical community: “Do no harm!” But beyond the medical oath, I believe we need to consider the scope of that idea and extend it in additional ways.
For example, the environment is an area where we (our generation) have contributed to the degradation of our air, water and soil. We value disposable, convenient and cheap. We package our goods in containers that will never degrade (or at least not in a millennium). We raise our food packed with chemicals and drugs that impact our bodies. We drive cars that burn fossil fuels that poison the air.
As the elder statesmen of our world, how can we figure out how to, first, do no harm—and thereby pass on a better world to our children and grandchildren?
Maybe it starts with a decision to lower our carbon footprint by supporting farms that raise foods that are organic and sustainable. Perhaps it starts with reducing or eliminating plastics. Or it might start with more careful, thorough recycling. Maybe it means supporting candidates that align with these ideas.
We cannot, in good conscience, continue to act in ways that continue to harm our world. A wonderful starting point is to do no harm and imagine where we can go from there. We must take responsibility for our actions and decisions. So we can make new and better choices, for the sake of our families and our world.
