The Truth About Pollution: The Big Guys Aren’t the Only Ones to Blame
There’s no way to say it nicely!
Image created by author, using Gencraft.com AI
Yes, we’re absolutely screwing up the planet.
🏡 I’ve regained my health after a heart attack. Nature’s wisdom and some smart Lifestyle Changes brought back success in my Life & Business. If you want to learn about my proven steps subscribe to the FARMISH Mindset newsletter.
No sugarcoating it. Only if you're an ignorant (….) let’s keep it civilised here.
I’m sure you heard about it.
Plastics are clogging the oceans, and toxic chemicals are poisoning the soil.
And now heavy metals are messing with the sky? Can it even get worse?
It's like we’re on some hellbent mission to turn Earth into a dystopian wasteland. But what’s worse, it’s like we’re pretending there are no consequences. Until there are…
I mean, how did we get here? Do we really believe we can pump this much crap into the world?
And walk away unscathed?
Sure, nature is patient—it has been dealing with attacks since time immemorial. But let’s not kid ourselves. Nature operates on a much longer timeline than we do.
In 100,000 years, Earth might still be here, but will we?
But Who’s Gonna Start Change?
That’s the million-dollar question. And the answer gets interesting. Because it’s simpler than we might think.
Small business owners—you—have the potential to change things. Forget the big guys. They’re too busy to please interests. Things and deals we hardly ever heard of.
Big corporations love to hide behind profits and faceless boards. But small businesses? You have the agility to act. To innovate. To do better without drowning in the corporate bullshit.
The bottom line? It’s on us.
So why isn’t anyone held accountable for this mess? Why isn’t someone responsible for the pollution that’s literally choking our planet? We need answers. And we need them fast.
Let’s have a look at some of the worst issues.
Plastic Seas and Poisoned Land: How Did We Get Here?
Let's start with the basics—plastic pollution. We all know the story. Plastics are everywhere, and I’m not just talking about your grocery bags or soda bottles.
No, it’s much worse. It’s like an iceberg. You see only what’s on the surface. But not with plastics. Because it’s everywhere. And I mean it literally.
We’ve got plastic microbeads in beauty products, and plastic fibers in our clothes. And plastic wrapping around everything. We’re peeling oranges to repack them in plastic foil!
It’s bad. From garbage piles on the Mount Everest tracks to the seafloor in 11’000 meters deep.
Microplastics have been found even in human breast milk. Yeah, we’re literally ingesting plastic. From birth on!
If you believe this doesn't have any consequences upon you. Good luck.
Regeneration IS the Answer
Our farmland. The base of human existence! Yes, because everything you eat is grown at least partially on 15 cm of soil.
Yes, a lousy 15 cm of soil determines our existence!
Think about that. Wouldn’t protecting this crucial element of life be a good idea?
But we’re far from it.
Agriculture has gone from the most natural thing to an industrial toxic fest. Pesticides, herbicides, and chemical fertilizers are all over the place. And they’re not nearly as harmless as the big players want you to believe. They destroy the soil and microbiome we rely on.
To grow our food.
We’re killing the earth to make food. In return, food slowly kills us. Irony at its finest. If it were funny I’d laugh!
The Sky isn’t The Limit
Did you look up lately? Where once were clear blue skies and puffy clouds are now stripes.
Stripes that remain for hours. That stretch and cover the blue that once inspired thousands of songs.
What remains is a depressing gray. And that’s part of the goal.
Photo taken by author, Transylvania, September 2024
Chemtrails, cloud seeding, geo-engineering, call it as you wish. The words are only a distraction from what it really is. Intentional chemical pollution.
I’m old enough to remember how fast the white lines behind airplanes disappeared. In any weather condition, it takes no longer than 10 minutes. And in my youth, we never saw planes flying zickzack lines to entertain us. Never.
The fanatism around “saving our climate” let some believe in strange “solutions”. Like spraying the sky to cover and block sunlight. To fight sunwaves heating up our planet. What could possibly go wrong?
Let’s pretend this is a good idea. At what cost? Imagine the thousands of tons of chemicals to do so. Are they staying forever in the air? No, of course not. Airpressure, rain and snow bring them down. On our farmland and heads.
Like the saying about airplanes goes: they always come down…
Farmer worldwide already measure a disturbing increase in heavy metals in their soils. Some are talking openly on LinkedIn about it. Others fear the haters, who don’t comprehend it could be true.
Weird chemicals are found in soils.
They’re coming from somewhere.
We are literally playing with forces bigger than we can comprehend.
Photo taken by author, Transylvania, September 2024
Who Is Responsible for This Shitshow?
We’ve got to ask—where’s the accountability? Shouldn’t there be someone, anyone, responsible for this? Who’s making sure the factories dumping waste into rivers get fined? Who’s stopping oil companies from leaking into oceans? Who’s telling these massive corporations that no, they can’t continue to pollute like it’s 1950? Who’s giving the orders and routes for the chemtrails?
And do the people in charge really believe they’re not affected?
The truth is, we’ve created a system where responsibility gets so diluted that no one’s held accountable. Governments create loopholes by diluting laws. Big businesses find ways to dodge responsibility. And after all, let’s shout it loud out. Yes, consumers turn a blind eye! Because the problems are often invisible. They have consequences only in years to come. And because they think one person can’t make a difference. And so we all just keep going.
Because it’s so fu%king convenient, right?
Let’s summarize:
Profit Over Planet: Big companies prioritize their profits. They’re focused on keeping shareholders happy. Nothing more or less. Quarterly targets for the win! Environmental responsibility? That’s way down the list of priorities. Because, let's face it, going green is often expensive—at least in the short term.
Lack of Regulation: Governments talk a lot about protecting the environment. Especially in voting years. But let’s be real—there’s still a massive lack of regulation. And when there are regulations? Then the enforcement is weak. Many industries are left to regulate themselves. The outcome is the mess we have today.
Consumer Apathy: We’re not off the hook either. We love our convenience. Many of us don’t give much thought about our food. Example? Worldwide McDonalds fries are the same potato breed. Russet Burbank. The fact that the farmers can’t step on their land for weeks after spraying them? Nobody knows. The chemicals used, changed over time. The toxicity remained. It’s all a scam. One that you should know as less as possible about.
Most of us know close to nothing about the impact our daily habits have on the environment. We don’t ask where our products come from. Maybe what they’re made of. But even when we do, it’s easy to feel like one person’s choice doesn’t really matter. Because it’s a grand scheme of things.
The Consequences Are Real, and They're Coming Fast
Nature may be patient. Don’t confuse patience with passivity. There’s a difference. We’ve all seen the signs—sick people, extreme weather, species going extinct at record rates.
These aren’t random occurrences. They’re warning signs. Ignoring them will likely have a huge price.
But sure, Earth will survive, even if we don’t. 100,000 years from now, the planet will probably look a lot different. Greener maybe? It might have healed itself from our damage. Will there be humans around to see it?
We act like there’s always more time to fix things. Seems to be the most destroying human flaw. We are really bad at guessing the time. Every year we kick the can down the road, it gets harder to reverse the damage.
Small Business Owners Are the Key to Change
Quite depressing, right?
But here’s the good news—small business owners have the power to make a real difference. We can’t rely on big corporations. That’s for sure! They are slow to change (and frankly, resistant to it). Different thing with small businesses - we are nimble. You can pivot quickly, try new things, and lead by example.
Less Resources, More Impact
Imagine if every small business started focusing on
reducing waste.
Using fewer resources, and
creating products that don’t leave a negative impact on the planet.
Small businesses might not have the scale of Amazon or Shell. But combined, we have a massive impact. Small businesses make up a significant part of the economy. If you’re mindful about production, sourcing, and sustainability? The ripple effect could be game-changing.
Mindful Services
It’s not about products either. Services can be just as destructive—or as sustainable. Are you running your business in a way that’s mindful of the planet? Let’s ask for a second?
Can you find ways to offer your services with less energy use? Or less waste? Or more consideration for the environment?
Hell, maybe you could even take the lead on educating your clients about sustainability. It’s all about thinking big while staying small.
Convenience Without Undermining Human Intelligence
We’ve become addicted to convenience. Everything has to be fast, easy, and disposable. But that mindset is literally killing the planet. The challenge for small businesses is to provide that convenience without catering to consumer laziness.
How can you create products and services that are easy to use but still respect the intelligence of your customers? Trust me—people are waking up. They want to do better, but they need someone to show them the way.
Where Do We Go From Here?
We can keep pretending that someone else will fix this. We can keep pointing fingers at big corporations. Or all the governments. Or “those other bad people” who are trashing the planet. Or, we can accept the uncomfortable truth: we’re all responsible.
But here’s the unconvenient silver lining. If we’re all responsible, then we all have the power to fix it. And for small business owners, that means taking a hard look at how you run things. And making changes where you can. Where impact is visible.
Call To Action
Let’s stop waiting for someone else to take responsibility.
Nobody will.
The time for change is now, and it starts with you. If you run a small business, ask yourself this:
How can I produce with less waste?
How can I offer my services in a more sustainable way?
What’s one thing I can change today that will make a difference?
We’ve got to stop asking “Why isn’t someone doing something about pollution?” But start asking, “What can I do to make a difference?”
Because if we don’t, there might not be much left to save.
We all have to make changes, as individuals, communities and organisations as well as nations. The biggest challenge to change is behaviour. As you say, maybe doing something less convenient. On the positive side for businesses, more sustainable is often more efficient, too.
Thank you for pushing us to rethink our own behavior 👍... and take responsibility.