The issue of who should bear the responsibility for reducing pollution has sparked ongoing debate. While some believe that individuals must change their behavior to protect the environment, others argue that only governments and major corporations can implement large-scale solutions. In this essay, I will explore both views and present my opinion.
On the one hand, people argue that citizens are the main factors that have caused the amount of gas emissions has rise. As an illustration, most employees commute from their homes to their workplaces using private vehicles. This behavior contributes to urban congestion and increases air pollution. Moreover, people who argue that individuals have a responsibility believe that changing people’s habits, such as plastic bag usage and plastic bottle usage, requires a significant change in personal behavior to have an environmental impact.
On the other hand, there is a perspective that the government has a responsibility and plays the main role in decreasing pollution. The government must provide and enforce the environmental policy and build facilities to reduce the effects of pollution. For example, the Indonesian government lends many transportation facilities, such as pedestrians and public transportation, to change their citizens’ habits to use LRT or MRT rather than personal vehicles. If this is sustainable and continued, it can reduce air pollution also traffic congestion in the urban city.
In conclusion, although individuals can make meaningful contributions by changing their habits, I believe that governments and large companies hold the primary responsibility. Through effective policy-making, infrastructure development, and public education, they are in a stronger position to drive large-scale environmental change.