Aldrnari
Legacy Name: Lote

Rinae Rih-NAY [Dedicated - Fighter - Hippieish]

Rinae turned her attention away from the rain she watched glumly through the window. She shook her head and sighed. Helping to organize a Subeta Day event was a start, but she really wished she could do more. She really wanted to join the Ocean Oracles, the ocean conservation organization that fought for so many species over Subeta's seas. Or maybe join some other group that protected the forests, or a group that stopped illegal minion trade. It was all so important that it hurt her heart sometimes to have to choose. She went to as many rallies, town halls, online forums, and fundraisers, for as many environmental issues as she could. She even sold up cycled clothing and jewelry online to try to raise money for the cause. But it always left her feeling like she should be doing so much more, especially when she saw a news report about the latest numbers on climate change or a story on yet another species thought to be going extinct. She sighed and looked back to her laptop to read over her speech one more time.

"It doesn't make sense, why those who live in a place, the only place they have to live, don't care about that place. There's only the one planet we have to live on. That's it. There is no 'plan B', no magical alien physician coming to save us, no viable colony on another planet in this system to move to. This planet that we are all on is all we have. It's our home. And yet some of us don't take care of it. Why? Don't we care about ourselves? Our children? Each other? What about the other species besides our own? Don't they have just as much right to have a clean, safe world to live out their lives?

I don't know about you, but I kind of like breathing clean air, drinking fresh water, being able to go out and enjoy a hike in a pristine forest or a swim in an ocean that isn't muddled with garbage. Don't get me wrong. You don't have to go out right this minute and do something massive - join a campaign with some organization or another, tie yourself to a redwood to keep it from being cut down, camp out on a oil rig to keep it from functioning. Those are great things, mind you, but there are other, smaller things, that we can all do in our daily lives to make this planet a better place for all the life on it.

Start a recycling program in your home, place of work, or school. Even just start by recycling things that you, yourself, use. Stop buying bottled water and instead get yourself a reusable bottle that you can refill. A reusable coffee mug as well, for that matter, as most shops are happy to fill one instead of using their throw-away cups. Make sure the items you buy - clothes, toys, office supplies, etc. - are made from recycled materials, are organic, are earth-friendly in as many ways as possible. When you go to the grocery store, or any store really, bring a few reusable bags with you and carry your shopping in them instead of getting plastic bags. Quite a few places sell nice reusable bags for cheap and many places will either give you a bag discount or charity donation for using them! When you're going somewhere close to home, walk or ride a bike. If you're traveling somewhere further, see if you can share a ride or use public transport. If you do have to use your own vehicle, it may be worth investing in an electric car or at least a hybrid so that you can use more earth-friendly fuels. There are so many ways, these and more, that you can help the planet every day. They don't take much effort, but they are worth so, so much in the long run.

So whatever you do, however you choose to care, please, please choose to care about our home. It's the only one we have."

Rinae sighed again, closing her laptop. It wasn't a prize-winner, for sure, but it got the point across she thought. She got up and stretched, heading out to find some sign-making materials for the rally. As long as she kept working, maybe some day the planet would be a better place for everyone.