Climate Change Soap Box
Not so long ago, I mentioned something about polar bears dying because the ice they hunt on is melting sooner than usual to my oldest Monkey. (Saw it on a doco, incidentally on this same doco, a mention was made that krill stocks in the ocean are down by 80%. I found this extremely alarming, you don't need a degree in ecology, we all studied food chains in high school, 80% is a lot, this has got to be bad.)
He asked, "why?"
I said something along the lines of global warming, electricity generation etc.
He looked in to my eyes, and his were pools of hurt, anger, outrage "Can't we just tell them to stop?" He was just about in tears, and so was I. I could not meet his gaze. I looked away. I changed the subject.
Now I know a lot of scepticism exists about global warming being generated by man or not. I don't wish to argue about this.
Let's just assume for a moment that the majority of climate scientists are wrong, that the current trend of global warming is out of our control, and has nothing to do with our past or current activities.
It still doesn't make sense to heat your spa all year round regardless of whether you are using it or not. It still doesn't make sense to orientate your house for full summer sun, and none in winter. Your hip pocket might notice, if nothing else.
Global warming is not the be-all and end-all of environmental issues. (Well it might be if it is true.) Here are some others; species extinction, air quality, polluted waterways, salinity. These are not abstract concepts, it is about the earth beneath your feet, the air you breathe, the water you drink, the food on your table.
12,000 people died in London in 1952 in the Great Smog.
(Do you think they could give a toss about the wider implications of burning all that coal when the very air they were sucking into their lungs was poisoned?)
It's about not crapping in your bed. We all live on Earth, it is our home.
Could you look into the eyes of your child or grandchild and say, "Several highly regarded scientists believe global warming is caused by human activity, and I am willing to gamble on your life that they are wrong."
I haven't got the time or the desire to turn this into some kind of highly persuasive, well researched, meticulously worded argument. It's just something I'm thinking about. It's just my blog.
I'm not saying I'm perfect, I'm not saying I'm not a hypocrite, I'm just saying I'm going to try a little harder. One small step at a time. (It took me almost a year to get into the habit of always carrying reusable shopping bags.)
I want to be able to meet my children's gaze with a clear conscience.
He asked, "why?"
I said something along the lines of global warming, electricity generation etc.
He looked in to my eyes, and his were pools of hurt, anger, outrage "Can't we just tell them to stop?" He was just about in tears, and so was I. I could not meet his gaze. I looked away. I changed the subject.
Now I know a lot of scepticism exists about global warming being generated by man or not. I don't wish to argue about this.
Let's just assume for a moment that the majority of climate scientists are wrong, that the current trend of global warming is out of our control, and has nothing to do with our past or current activities.
It still doesn't make sense to heat your spa all year round regardless of whether you are using it or not. It still doesn't make sense to orientate your house for full summer sun, and none in winter. Your hip pocket might notice, if nothing else.
Global warming is not the be-all and end-all of environmental issues. (Well it might be if it is true.) Here are some others; species extinction, air quality, polluted waterways, salinity. These are not abstract concepts, it is about the earth beneath your feet, the air you breathe, the water you drink, the food on your table.
12,000 people died in London in 1952 in the Great Smog.
(Do you think they could give a toss about the wider implications of burning all that coal when the very air they were sucking into their lungs was poisoned?)
It's about not crapping in your bed. We all live on Earth, it is our home.
Could you look into the eyes of your child or grandchild and say, "Several highly regarded scientists believe global warming is caused by human activity, and I am willing to gamble on your life that they are wrong."
I haven't got the time or the desire to turn this into some kind of highly persuasive, well researched, meticulously worded argument. It's just something I'm thinking about. It's just my blog.
I'm not saying I'm perfect, I'm not saying I'm not a hypocrite, I'm just saying I'm going to try a little harder. One small step at a time. (It took me almost a year to get into the habit of always carrying reusable shopping bags.)
I want to be able to meet my children's gaze with a clear conscience.
posted by crafty at
12:06
6 Comments:
I agree. Actually, I want to be able to meet my own gaze in the mirror with a clear conscience while I'm at it.
What is that saying about not owning anything, but rather just being guardians of it for our children?
I agree. Whether or not the scientists are right or wrong (my head hurts just thinking about the permutations of that statement...) there are things that just don't make sense - like using more power than you really need - and it just takes a bit of consciencous effort to tackle some of those. Hard to change old habits though.
I agree, too! When I was little I thought everything had an easy solution... if children in Africa are starving, why can't I box up my left-overs and send them over? We too, are trying to do the small things so that we can use our resources wisely. We have raised our thermostat so that our house is just in the comfortable zone, not ice-cold in summer, or really warm in winter, we keep the lights off as much as possible,we recycle, got the sedan instead of the SUV, and try not to make too many unnecessary trips. Small things, but hopefully, if we ALL do small things, it will have a big impact!
I love the passion & honesty of children, especially 6-year-olds. They make me want to be a better person. And they help us think about our society, not just about ourselves.
Great post.
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