“If the global temperature rises by 2 degrees
Half of the species disappeared
“In 77 years, humanity will become extinct.”
Warnings about the climate crisis are dire, but most are quickly forgotten. This is probably because it does not cause any direct damage to us right away. Rather than reducing disposable plastic for the sake of the planet and humanity 77 years from now, it seems reasonable to make affordable and convenient choices for myself and my family now.
There is an actor who has been calling for ‘environmental protection’ for about 30 years. Park Jin-hee (46) is a prolific actress who has continued her solid career by appearing in 14 movies and 27 dramas since her debut in 1996. He had as many requests for interviews as his fame, and whenever he was asked about his interests, he answered “environmental issues.” Reporters at the time must have been puzzled. At that time, the discourse on environmental protection would have been unfamiliar and unfamiliar.
In 2024, when Jinhee Park became an actor for 28 years, environmental issues have become a familiar issue to all of us. The climate crisis is serious, but because we have not taken it seriously, it threatens not only our future but also our present. It is relatively recently that Park Jin-hee, who has been speaking with the same voice for a long time, began to attract attention. Have the things he said and put into practice finally become a pressing issue for us? Recently, “Breakfast” met with actress Park Jin-hee, who is more often referred to as an environmental activist.
A strict ‘activist’ in his 20s, a message from a fan who enlightened him
Jinhee Park’s interest in environmental issues was largely influenced by her mother. It is said that my mother, who had a girlish mentality, felt the changes of the seasons more closely than anyone else. Growing up watching his mother admire and delight in the sight of street plants blooming and bearing fruit, nature has been in his heart since he was young.
“My mother’s words and actions instilled in me the thought that ‘nature is precious and beautiful.’ I also came to feel that it was something beautiful and precious and that I had to protect it. I was in the 4th grade of elementary school. My homeroom teacher said, ‘You guys might have to buy water later.’ When I was young, I thought why would I buy water that comes out when I turn on the faucet, but now I just buy water. As those experiences accumulated, I realized that the environment was really changing rapidly.”
Nowadays, there are many celebrities who openly express their positions or opinions on political and social issues, such as Socialtainers (celebrities who speak out on social issues) and Politainers (entertainers who express political opinions). However, even when Park Jin-hee was active in her early 20s, there were many people who viewed young female actors negatively when they expressed their opinions or beliefs about social issues. Environmental issues were an unfamiliar social topic.
“I think I didn’t care what others thought because I thought it was right (even if people didn’t like it). On the contrary, I got angry when others did not follow what I believed to be right or pointed out that I was wrong. “At that time, I was at an age full of passion and energy.”
![The story of 28-year-old actress Park Jin-hee suffering from climate depression [BreakFirst]](https://dimg.donga.com/wps/NEWS/IMAGE/2024/12/19/130680610.1.jpeg "The story of 28-year-old actress Park Jin-hee suffering from climate depression [BreakFirst]")
He was more passionate than anyone else and wanted not only himself but also others around him to join the environmental movement. At the time, there was an unspoken rule among the staff members who followed Park Jin-hee’s schedule: ‘If you go to the 5th floor or lower, always use the stairs.’
Even though the schedule was tight and there was a lot of luggage to carry, Jinhee Park and the staff are said to have walked up and down the stairs carrying a lot of luggage. When filming for a movie or drama began, the on-site staff were given tumblers and promised never to use disposable cups.
There was a time when I stopped using shampoo to reduce plastic use. Nowadays, many eco-friendly products such as soap-type shampoo bars are available, but at that time, shampoo was only sold in liquid form in plastic containers. To avoid using shampoo in plastic containers, I wrapped it in flour, used vinegar instead of rinse aid, and even made my own lye. It is said that there was a time when he tried ‘No Poo’ (refusing to use shampoo) by asking not to use shampoo at all for a while.
When I think about it now, it was a time when I was extremely strict, not only to myself but also to others.
“I applied a lot of products to my hair for filming, but the hair stylists had a hard time because I didn’t use shampoo. ‘Sister, can I please wash my hair with shampoo?’ It wasn’t sustainable. In the end, I had no choice but to use shampoo again. There was a lot of trial and error. “I had faith and did my best, but it couldn’t be perfect.”
There was something that made him change his mind. I posted a post on social media saying, ‘Let’s use a tumbler instead of a disposable cup,’ and a message was sent to a fan who saw the post.
My parents run a small paper cup factory. I know we shouldn’t use paper cups for the sake of the planet, but if paper cups don’t sell, it’s going to be difficult for our house.
“At that time, I really felt like I had been hit in the back of the head with a hammer. I only looked at one side, thought this was right, and only ran forward. I can’t see the other side. However, environmental issues are issues that need to be considered from multiple perspectives. The pros and cons, individual choices, interests, etc. are complexly intertwined, but I just thought, ‘I have to go in this direction because it’s right.’ A lot has changed since I received that message. I have come to accept that even if I think I am right, others may feel uncomfortable or have opinions that are not the same as mine..”
The birth of two children… Back to being a ‘passionate activist’
She turned 48 this year and is the mother of two children, ages 11 and 7. An inflection point came in her life as an environmental activist when she met her current husband in her late 30s, married him, and had two children, four years apart.
“As soon as my first child was born, I decided, ‘I have to work hard (in environmental activism) again.’ I have been in love, married, and had children, but the environment in which this child will live is not healthy. I have become more desperate than before to create an environment where my children can breathe healthy air, drink healthy water, and eat healthy ingredients.”
Just because he engages in environmental activism doesn’t mean he’s doing anything grandiose. I try to live an eco-friendly daily life and introduce my way of life to my family and people around me. Use a bamboo toothbrush instead of a plastic toothbrush, bamboo salt instead of toothpaste, and a shampoo bar wrapped in paper packaging instead of liquid shampoo in a plastic container.
Although the mother is somewhat unusual when it comes to environmental issues, the children are naturally learning from their mother’s life and values. Just as young Park Jin-hee took after her mother’s love for nature.
“One day, my second child caught a frog in front of the house. What did the eldest son say after seeing that? ‘What if an animal is caught carelessly? ‘Would you like it if someone captured you and took you to that person’s house to live?’ I felt proud inside. “My older sister is teaching my younger brother environmental education even though I didn’t ask him to. (laughter)”
Children also have their own lives and values, but aren’t they being forced to follow their mother’s way? I was concerned that I might be overly assertive of my own thoughts and beliefs to my young child, who has difficulty forming his own opinions yet. Fortunately, his worries were for naught. It is said that children these days are more interested in environmental issues than adults.
“One day, my eldest child went to the swimming pool, so I sent him a shampoo bar. Then my friends became interested. When the child said, ‘My mom is interested in the environment, so we always use this at home,’ the children praised it for being so great and came home to brag about it. “I gain strength by thinking, ‘A lot of things are changing in places I don’t even know about.’”
A word in my head that shows my helplessness, ‘It won’t change’
Despite the great efforts of many individuals, the climate crisis caused by global warming is serious. According to a study published earlier this year, the global temperature has already exceeded 1.5 degrees compared to pre-industrial times, and if the current trend continues, it is predicted that it will exceed 2 degrees by the end of the 2020s.
Although he tried his best for a long time, he was said to have suffered from ‘climate depression’ as he watched the reality that he could not prevent. Climate depression is a type of depressive disorder defined by the American Psychological Association in 2017, and refers to symptoms of negative emotions such as fear, anxiety, and helplessness due to climate change.
It includes not just fear of natural disasters, but also a variety of emotions, such as helplessness at not being able to prevent climate change and anger at humans who have destroyed the environment. Although I have lived an eco-friendly life in my daily life for over 30 years, I am overcome with a sense of helplessness that I cannot prevent disaster caused by the climate crisis.
“If the average temperature of the Earth rises by 2 degrees, there is nothing humans can do. Scientists believe that the temperature has now risen by about 1.5 degrees, but from now on, even if all factories around the world close and people just lie at home without getting in their cars, the temperature will rise by 0.5 degrees. “I fell into a feeling of helplessness that there was nothing I, as an individual, could change.”
I continued to have anxiety symptoms that made my heart flutter and I also suffered from insomnia. It was said that he felt uncomfortable in his daily life. The way he was able to recover was the same way he overcame the helplessness, frustration, and pessimism he felt while participating in environmental movements in his daily life over the years.
| So are you going to quit? |
“I asked myself. As always. When I asked that, the answer, as always, was ‘No, that’s not true.’ Okay, if you’re not going to quit or don’t be depressed, let’s do what we can. Yes and now My conclusion was always the same.”
I used to be embarrassed by the title ‘environmental activist’, but now I accept it with gratitude. Rather than falling into helplessness and depression, I want to be more proactive and ‘do my best with what I can’.
It is said that his activities as an environmental activist have become busier than before. Recently, he gave a keynote lecture on the topic of ‘climate change and environmental protection’ at the opening ceremony of the ’28th World Korean Business Convention’ held in Vienna, Austria. He appeared on various entertainment programs to introduce eco-friendly lifestyles and participated as a speaker in several lectures. We speak out more actively than ever before about environmental issues.
“In the past, there were many people who worked much harder than me, but I withdrew because I thought I was an environmental activist and that I was not taking up the position. But on the other hand, I think there was a cowardly side to it. Wasn’t it because he was afraid to do it right that he just dipped his toes and hid? Since I am now called more an environmental activist than an actor, I will study, act, and practice properly. “To the point where I feel like I am not ashamed to be called an environmental activist in front of people and my children.”
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