BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP NOVEMBER 17 - NOVEMBER 23, 2017 13
BEGINNING A NEW ENVIRONMENTAL
TRADITION
My family and diverse community
celebrate quite a few holidays,
some with American origins,
others stemming from Old World
roots, and still others from religious
beliefs.
Halloween, Columbus Day, Memorial
Day, Veterans’ Day,
and Thanksgiving are
just a few holidays that
have recently passed.
I hold these holidays
and their traditions
close to my heart.
They unify our diverse
communities
for a common purpose
and make our
lives more vibrant.
That is why it is important to preserve
the Columbus Day tradition
and to honor veterans for their
service.
Holiday traditions are times
to come together joyously with
family and friends and reaffirm
shared values. Life is full of trials
and, sometimes, tribulations. Festivities
and traditions are one way
to unite and heal communities.
While certain traditions may be
unique to specific cultures, they
are not exclusive. Anyone can
celebrate Halloween or Thanksgiving,
whose messages of respecting
ancestral spirits and expressing
gratitude are universal.
In fact, many of the world’s traditions
have similar themes. For
example, many cultures celebrate
autumn harvests or the arrival of
warm temperatures with spring.
Traditions have the potential to
introduce innovations that can be
adopted for generations to come.
We can seize the opportunity
to help the community emulate
good habits through tradition.
We should continue to spread
traditions that benefit our current
communities and their children’s
futures.
I hope to begin a new tradition
in my community to conserve the
Earth’s resources for a sustainable
future. Climate change is a problem
that needs to be addressed
with participation from all global
citizens, and yet its effects are
widely ignored, trivialized, or
even denied.
Scientific studies have measured
how much of the ice caps have melted,
how much sea levels have risen,
and how many degrees the Earth
has warmed.
Coral reef systems like
the Great Barrier Reef,
which provide habitats
for many species of
marine animals, are
fighting to survive in
the warmer waters.
Many bodies of water
in the U.S. are contaminated
with pollution
accumulated
since the Industrial
Revolution.
Our air has continued to cause
elevated rates of asthma and respiratory
diseases. Knowing all this,
it is our responsibility to develop
traditions that result in a cleaner
environment.
The annual observance of
Earth Day on April 22 is an example
of a tradition honoring
our collective responsibility to
the environment.
Environmental discussions,
however, should extend past this
day. We should have discussions
about environmentally friendly
choices all year round -- when we
choose our energy companies,
when we choose a model of car, or
when we throw out garbage.
I propose that environmentalism
become a New York tradition.
While the world is becoming
increasingly divisive, traditions
unify people. An environmental
tradition would unify all people
with the common goal of protecting
the Earth and preserving it for
future generations.
I believe that environmentalism
is a cause that people from all
walks of life can support. I urge
my colleagues in government to
pass and support environmental
legislation that will commit to
clean air, water, land and renewable
energy sources for all New
Yorkers.
Assemblymember William Colton
represents the 47th A.D.
BK SNAP S
THE VERRAZANO BRIDGE.
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BY ASSEMBLYMEMBER
WILLIAM COLTON