A.W.'s "Dear Future Generations of 2099"

Dear future generations of 2099,

These last sixteen years of my life have flown by. Time is constantly one step ahead of me, but when I’m in nature, time stands still. My favorite past time is hiking to the rivers and waterfalls. Last summer I was standing on a cliff, my body was weighted down, tying me to the small ledge below my feet. The beautiful scenery laid out beneath me was highlighted by the majestic blue-green waterfalls that crashed down, churning the water directly underneath into a frothy white as it mixed into the clear, cold emerald river. I felt frozen for a moment as I stared over the cliff into the gorge below, my heart pounding as if it was going to beat out of my chest. When I leapt off the cliff, the wind rushed across my face, the thrill raced through my veins, and I felt free. The seconds I was suspended in the air seemed to transform time. The brisk water then surrounded my body, and I was immersed in the overwhelming beauty around me. I love being outdoors, living this life to its fullest. This orb of wonder is magnificent and filled with seemingly impossible beauty that benefits everyone. I hope that throughout your life you, and all those who come after me, will experience earth’s natural phenomena and breathtaking landscapes, witness magnificent animals, and enjoy a healthy environment.

Our earth is filled with unique and majestic landscapes. If given the opportunity to experience the wonders of this planet, go for it. I would love for you to run in the lush forests, play in glowing beaches, swim in the crystal-clear waters, cliff dive, climb mountains, explore the waterfalls, ride horses on the beach, and watch the northern lights. With every choice to connect with nature, comes a new adventure and an opportunity for learning. Each landscape carries a personal smell, feel, and taste. Every place you explore is unique and will affect you differently. Just like music, nature has a way to calm and change your emotions. Earth has an amazing purpose as it holds the most precious gift of all, life! This planet contains the fragile life of plants, animals, and humans, providing a perfect balance for us all. Daily, nature breathes in fresh life and restores balance with each sunrise and sunset. However, our planet needs our help. She needs our protection. Already, I worry about our future landscapes. Forests used to be hundreds of miles long, but today buildings and livestock farms are swiftly seeping into the scenery of the forests. I hope your generation understands how important the environment is and does their best to protect not only the land and water from destruction and pollution, but protect all the living things contained within.

Animals are beautifully, majestic creatures. They bring joy to the world as well as provide balance to the environment. Mother Earth has provided homes to so many beautiful creatures throughout time. However, humans have killed many over the years, eventually leading to the extinction of some. Tasmanian Tigers, Baiji White Dolphins, Pyrenean Ibex, and Steller Sea Cows are all beautiful creatures that we will never see again. Dodo birds were some of the friendliest birds alive, but their trust in people led to their destruction. Hundreds of animals are in jeopardy each year. Dolphins, koalas, and bumblebees are all fighting for their futures. If we are not careful, they could become extinct forever. Their loss would destroy the opportunities for your generation to interact with and witness such creatures. I pray that they still exist for you. Not only would the loss of such amazing creatures be devastating, but we would kill some of the most needed souls on earth. Without bumblebees, the delicate balance of our ecosystem will crumble. Our plants would start dying, leading to chaos. I want you to be able to enjoy all of the creatures who call earth home. I want you to have a chance to see manatees, dolphins, monkeys, tigers, cheetahs, and whales. I hope your generation has the same opportunities that my generation has and that we bring about significant changes to this planet before it is too late. I pray if you have this problem, your generation is less ignorant and does not blindly sit silently while precious life is destroyed. We have to start protecting our earth better. Our choices not only affect animals, but decisions we make impact the entire earth, the environment, and the sustainability of life.

I want you to experience the wonders of the world while living in a healthy environment. Today our earth is dying, and we are becoming ill. This is happening because we are allowing ourselves to stop caring. Many have stopped fighting for the future and only look at today. Our lack of will to fight is not rational. Often, we are unwilling to change our ways due to greed or a lack of faith that one person can make a difference. Whatever the reason, I pray for the future that we wake up and stop allowing harm to be an acceptable outcome for this planet. Livestock is raised for profit, and wasted meat is viewed as an acceptable loss. Food is tossed daily into trash cans, not given to those in need. Money gained, not waste or the loss of an animals’ life, is the primary concern. Money is also the driving force behind much of our landfill problems. The creation of long-lasting and more environmentally friendly buildings, appliances, vehicles, and toys are not good for gaining new sales. So cheap products with short life spans are manufactured instead. Water is difficult to obtain for some regions of the world and they treat it with respect, while others act like water is ubiquitous. Many habitats are rapidly being destroyed, which causes an imbalance in the ecosystem. Air quality is in need of assistance and the demolition of greenery only aids in the further destruction to the lungs of our planet. Pollution is contaminating our water and food, destroying the air we breathe and causing diseases to creatures and ourselves. As humans, it is our duty to protect the earth and animals, since we will never be able to get back what we’ve lost.

I hope, in 2099, you are enjoying the earth’s timeless beauty, exotic animals, and have achieved a secure environment. Hopefully, by the time this letter reaches you, changes have been implemented. I pray society came together and fixed the destruction we so ignorantly caused. Furthermore, I pray that any changes still needed will be fixed and if you have been able to create a safe environment, you will preserve that beauty for your future and all that follow.
 

For this world, I wish you all the best,