For as long as I can remember, I have witnessed the collective unsustainability of humanity.

News broadcasts show us endless human suffering due to drought or war, documentaries starring majestic animals in peril due to habitat destruction and pollution.

This endless stream of devastation makes it easy to feel numb, to be desensitised to the decline of our natural world. So, we look for solutions to brighten our spirits.

“One and done” answers, wrapped in disingenuous bows, give us a temporary feeling of relief against the crushing wave of climate apathy.

Buy electric cars, reusable coffee cups, cotton bags, wooden toothbrushes, menstrual cups… the list goes on forever.

While sometimes useful, the true and long-term solution to a sustainable coexistence between humans and nature cannot be bought in a store. Because you are the solution.

Through the choices you make every day. The person you name on the ballot slip. The will to question your own choices, views, ideas, and accepting that sometimes these need to change.

The empathy you give to our planet and the creatures that inhabit it. Falling into the comfortable trap of nihilism removes you from the wonders of the world, and you become the problem.

It’s why you must trust in yourself, and work together with others to restore balance. Because the only sustainable future we have is together.

That’s what “Sammen I Verden” means to me. Together in the world, reaching toward a brighter tomorrow.

The text was written by Guendalina De Luigi, who’s working at Grid Arendal. Two photos were taken by Alexander Mitrofanenko and one by Ted Hinkle. This article has been published by Arendal kommune as a part of the communication around «Sammen i Arendal» 2022. Read more about «Sammen i Verden» on this web page.