Dear Rosalie,
You never knew me, because you died during the Third World War. I am your grandchild—the last branch of your family tree. I write this in secret, to free myself, even though I know that if anyone ever finds these words, I will be executed for violating the Civil Code of my State.
I know my mother gave me a name, but I no longer remember it. Today, we are only numbers in the eyes of the Government. All States constantly fight over the planet’s remaining resources. I’ve learned we are currently going through a mass extinction of the human species, and if we continue like this, there will be no humans left on Earth in 100 years. It’s terrifying. We live in fear, hunger, and loneliness.
They say that in your time, you could breathe outside without an oxygen mask, look up and see a blue sky, drink clean water, and eat food that came from the earth. I’ve never known such a world.
Apparently, it wasn’t too late during your lifetime to take real action to protect the environment and ensure sustainability. In line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals 7, 11, and 13, you could have:
• Chosen walking or biking for short trips by renting a bike from the University of Leeds’ Bike Hub[1] during your exchange, or by using the Beryl bike and e-scooter service[2]
• Taken the train instead of flying within Europe—studies from 2024 show that UK passengers on short-haul holiday flights emitted the equivalent of 22 metric tons of CO₂[3]
• Changed your diet to reduce meat consumption and opt for plant-based alternatives
• Cut down on waste by using reusable containers and bottles, and avoiding over-packaged goods
• Reduced your home energy use by turning off unused lights, lowering heating and air conditioning for a more moderate indoor temperature, and using warm rather than hot water for showers and dishwashing
• Participated in university-led community projects to support sustainability—gardening workshops to increase green spaces, community art projects, local clean-up events, or clothing swap workshops promoting the circular economy[4]
• Joined student groups at Leeds University Union that champion sustainability, like Green Action[5] and Plant Society[6]
I know it’s too late now, but maybe, if you had taken these steps when you had the chance, the Earth wouldn’t be like this today. Maybe my mother would still be here. And maybe—just maybe—I’d still remember my name.
#3120-33768
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[1] https://sustainability.leeds.ac.uk/get-involved/reduce-your-environmental-impact/sustainable-travel/active-travel/bike-hub/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
[2] https://beryl.cc/scheme/leeds
[3] https://www.leeds.ac.uk/news-environment/news/article/5699/switching-planes-for-trains-to-decarbonise-holidays
[4] https://sustainability.leeds.ac.uk/our-work/students-in-the-community/community-projects/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
[5] https://engage.luu.org.uk/groups/K4T/green-action?utm_source=luuorguk&utm_campaign=clubsocpage/
[6] https://engage.luu.org.uk/groups/WWYKK/plant-society
