Dear Planet Earth,

The other day, I heard the news that a 2,239 square-mile iceberg broke away from your beautiful continent of Antarctica. While I know it’s normal for your ice to shift and break apart, the size of the newly separated ice concerns me; it breaks my heart. You’re changing so fast. You’re taking a turn for the worst, and it’s all our fault. There’s no easy way to say this, but us humans are destroying your magnificent oceans, vast desserts, mystical forests, and monumental mountains. Planet Earth, I am sorry on behalf of the human race.

I’m sorry that carbon pollution is at an all time high.

I’m sorry that we dump 14 billion pounds of trash into your ocean every year, resulting in the death of over a million seabirds and 100,000 thousand sea mammals.

I’m sorry that we are destroying your rainforests at a rate so fast that there won’t be any left in 100 years if we don’t change.

Dear Planet Earth, I’m so sorry. You have given us the only home we’ve ever known, full of everything we could ever need and more. Why don’t we appreciate you? I dream of the day where us humans love you as much as we love ourselves. We’ve been abusing your lands and waters, as if they’re commodities belonging to us. The greed of the human race is only increasing, and it’s killing you.

The fact of your fate that breaks my heart the most is that we are all too aware of how much we’re hurting you. We know you’re sick, but we place our greed above your health. We are completely aware of our actions, yet we pretend to be oblivious. We look away from your pain instead of trying to help. We continue to blast fossil fuels into your atmosphere, destroy your lands, and pollute your oceans.

How many more species must we kill off before we make a change? We’ve placed us humans on a pedestal above all others, which I will never understand. We are convinced we are the greatest species ever to exist, and all others are simply lesser. We have killed off so many by robbing them of their resources, and we continue to kill off more every day. When will this stop? When do we realize that we are not above nature, but a part of nature. When do we wake up and realize that we need other species for our own survival?

Dear Planet Earth, please listen to me when I tell you that some of us humans are on your side. Although we are hurting you, please don’t give up yet. You have an army fighting for you. A small army perhaps, but you have an army, and we are growing. Some of us treat you with the love and respect you deserve. We are fighting for you, and we will protect you.

The other day, I read a quote that went like this:

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.” (Margaret Mead)

Although we have made you sick, we are going to heal you. A small group of us has started this process, and our movement will continue to grow, I promise. There is no excuse for our ignorance anymore. It’s time to act. We will show the rest of the human race how beautiful you are, and allow everyone to become immersed in your wonder. Humans must fall in love with you again, finding a reason to save you. We must get outdoors, explore, adventure, and become passionate about all that you are.

There are ways that every one of us can save you. If we all take small actions, we end up with billions of right actions taken. I am only one person and I can’t do everything, but I can do some things.

Dear Planet Earth, please don’t quit yet. We’re going to fix the pain we have caused you, and we will all fall in love with you again, I promise.

Love,

Your biggest fan