“Do Nothing Adults?” Not drplasticpicker!
November 7, 2019
by drplasticpicker
I have joined twitter. Why have I joined twitter? That is where the children are and the children are the ones that need to be protected and supported, and drplasticpicker is a pediatrician and a mother. I need to go protect the children. When Greta Thunberg gave her UN Speech and castigated the adults in the room, this battle-worn pediatrician had tears rolling down her eyes. What have we done? The children think of us as “Do Nothing Adults.” Indeed, it cannot be all Trump’s fault as he has only been president for 3 years. We were all here and we did nothing or did not do enough. Climate change is happening and we have 15 years to mitigate these changes. I am in my mid 40s, and I have until 60 to help.
I do indeed look at this generation for inspiration. Boyan Slat on twitter said “Persistence, curiosity and intellectual honesty are the most important ingredients to get something big to work. It’s what I value most in my team.” He is a young engineer, and he is of an age that he could be my son.
I look at my own children, so smart and hard working and tech-savvy. Many adults don’t know about the climate strikes but my children do. My son gave a speech during the last climate strike at school and he told me later that night in passing, “Mommy. I mentioned you. I said that everyone can do something. My mom started a blog and she picks up ocean plastic every day.” I started quietly doing this task and I don’t know what impact I can have, but in the end I needed my own children and all my patients to know that I tried. And trying counts. Showing up count. Doing something counts.
I ask my children about how they feel at times. I notice many of the popular books these days in the young adult sections are of a dystopian bent. I think this is very reflective of the angst of their generation. My high school son told me, “I try not to think about it sometimes Mommy. What can I do? I’m a kid and I don’t have power.” My children know that we’ve done what we can – solar panels, hybrid cars, recycling, many little things. But this comment from my son really lit a fire in my heart. I have always been a fighter. I have always tried to beat the odds. When many adults are thinking of themselves, what they look like, becoming increasingly narcisscist by the day, the rest of us need to be the true adults in the room. We need to be where the children are and help them.
I had been fascinated by the entire financial independence retire early movement for years. But now I realize early retire, to do what? It’s still important to be financially independent, but I need influence and power over dollars and people to help change the tide. I am unsure of who even reads these post. My children and husband know I post frequently. But this is my mission.
Please see my donations page, where I am holding myself accountable. https://drplasticpicker.com/donation-round-up/
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