A lot of our problems regarding climate change stems from being big consumers and throwing things away before its time, which add to our landfills that are spilling into our oceans. Our mentality is still one of exploiting the many resources available to us.

The way in which we think is to satisfy our desires immediately, without a thought for tomorrow, we are no longer saving for a rainy day. We have been programmed for long time now to think in this way and changing our thought patterns is going to be a challenge.

The media bombards us with advertising and everywhere we turn the latest this and that is up in lights, broadcasted to keep us tempted leaving us in a state of I want this now, but ask yourself do you really need it ??.

Even though we do not need half the things we buy we still max out our credit cards and go on a buying spree, and when we get bored we throw it away leaving the environment to deal with it. Guilt sits in for a while until we again need immediate gratification.

We in countries such as America, Australia and the UK are setting a bad example for the underdeveloped countries, these countries see our economic success and want to be like us.

It’s time to change our ways and lead by example in the fight for a sustainable future. We need to stop throwing everything away and start finding ways to reduce, recycle and reuses.