Right now the we are faced with a major crises, that demands our attention and action. Unlike global warming, where it is controversial and heavily debated, this is definitely something real, and definitely something we are responsible for. We are the ones that created this problem, and we are the only one’s that can fix it.
What I’m talking about is oil, the other fossil fuels too, but I’m focusing on oil, and not just on the level of pollution.
Not too long ago we discovered oil. It was right here, more or less on the surface. We figured out that we could easily take it and use it to make electricity, and plastics, and to make the engines run in our cars and in our factories. While every president since Nixon has said we need to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, every president has seen us use more and more. (Linked to clip from the Daily Show with Jon Stewart) At this point, oil dominates every aspect of our lives. (Linked to good news article)
Look around the room you’re in. See, how many things are made from plastic? How many things use electricity? How many things were made in a factory that used fossil fuels to power their machines? Everything. The problem is, no, the crises is, that all the easy oil is gone. There is no more oil that is easy to get to. But our lives are so built up around it, that we will, and we are, doing anything to get it. We’re spending all our country’s money to buy it from other countries, and we’re digging down deeper than a human could survive to find it. It’s expensive to buy, and it’s now becoming extremely dangerous to dig for. The oil spill in the gulf needs to be a wake up call.
People are thinking, “I’m glad that whole ordeal is over.” and going back to living the same way they did before it happened. It’s not over. People died, animals died, nature suffered, and the economy took a massive blow. And that’s just the beginning. Life is in danger, the planet is in danger, and nothing has been resolved.
It’s obvious that digging for oil is dangerous, people can see that and understand that. But we just think, “So let’s work out the kinks. Let’s do it right next time so no one else gets hurt.” But how long is that going to last? How long until we’re trying even crazier and even more dangerous things, to squeeze out the earth’s last drops of oil? And how many people and animals and plants will suffer and die along the way?
The earth is in a crises right now, and the only way to get out is a massive shift in thinking, and a massive change in the way we live our lives. Something comparable to when we first adopted the idea that the earth was not the center of the universe but actually rotates around the sun. It’s great to be environmentally conscious- to drive a fuel efficient car, and recycle, and turn off the lights when you leave the room. But the truth is, these things are just compromises, and don’t actually solve anything. The fuel efficient cars still use fuel, and the recycling bins are made of plastic and picked up by trucks, and the lights still come back on.
Don’t be discouraged, these things are still very important. They don’t permanently solve anything, but they will buy us some time. I think that humans are in general a species of short term problem solvers. Land fills and pollution are great examples. We bury our waste underground or send it into the air, out of sight- not our problem anymore. But our waste doesn’t go way. And just because the spill is apparently over, doesn’t mean that this earth crises is over. We need permanent solutions, not landfills and fuel efficient cars. It doesn't matter if it's foreign oil or oil in America. It's still oil and it's no longer an option that is reliable, responsible, or safe. We need renewable energy, and we need creative thinking, that can get us off of oil, completely and permanently.
I don't know exactly what's going to happen, but I ask you to keep an open mind. Times are changing, they need to, and by fighting it you’re only helping fuel the earth crises. That’s Dustin’s View.
Pictures From:
http://frogsaregreen.com/tag/bp-oil-spill/
http://www.greendiary.com/entry/bottles-recycled-as-fertilizer-container/
http://ase.tufts.edu/eco/TWOprojectsII.htm
What I’m talking about is oil, the other fossil fuels too, but I’m focusing on oil, and not just on the level of pollution.
Not too long ago we discovered oil. It was right here, more or less on the surface. We figured out that we could easily take it and use it to make electricity, and plastics, and to make the engines run in our cars and in our factories. While every president since Nixon has said we need to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, every president has seen us use more and more. (Linked to clip from the Daily Show with Jon Stewart) At this point, oil dominates every aspect of our lives. (Linked to good news article)
Look around the room you’re in. See, how many things are made from plastic? How many things use electricity? How many things were made in a factory that used fossil fuels to power their machines? Everything. The problem is, no, the crises is, that all the easy oil is gone. There is no more oil that is easy to get to. But our lives are so built up around it, that we will, and we are, doing anything to get it. We’re spending all our country’s money to buy it from other countries, and we’re digging down deeper than a human could survive to find it. It’s expensive to buy, and it’s now becoming extremely dangerous to dig for. The oil spill in the gulf needs to be a wake up call.
People are thinking, “I’m glad that whole ordeal is over.” and going back to living the same way they did before it happened. It’s not over. People died, animals died, nature suffered, and the economy took a massive blow. And that’s just the beginning. Life is in danger, the planet is in danger, and nothing has been resolved.
The earth is in a crises right now, and the only way to get out is a massive shift in thinking, and a massive change in the way we live our lives. Something comparable to when we first adopted the idea that the earth was not the center of the universe but actually rotates around the sun. It’s great to be environmentally conscious- to drive a fuel efficient car, and recycle, and turn off the lights when you leave the room. But the truth is, these things are just compromises, and don’t actually solve anything. The fuel efficient cars still use fuel, and the recycling bins are made of plastic and picked up by trucks, and the lights still come back on.
Don’t be discouraged, these things are still very important. They don’t permanently solve anything, but they will buy us some time. I think that humans are in general a species of short term problem solvers. Land fills and pollution are great examples. We bury our waste underground or send it into the air, out of sight- not our problem anymore. But our waste doesn’t go way. And just because the spill is apparently over, doesn’t mean that this earth crises is over. We need permanent solutions, not landfills and fuel efficient cars. It doesn't matter if it's foreign oil or oil in America. It's still oil and it's no longer an option that is reliable, responsible, or safe. We need renewable energy, and we need creative thinking, that can get us off of oil, completely and permanently.I don't know exactly what's going to happen, but I ask you to keep an open mind. Times are changing, they need to, and by fighting it you’re only helping fuel the earth crises. That’s Dustin’s View.
Pictures From:
http://frogsaregreen.com/tag/bp-oil-spill/
http://www.greendiary.com/entry/bottles-recycled-as-fertilizer-container/
http://ase.tufts.edu/eco/TWOprojectsII.htm
That really made me think! thanks Dustin!! i definitely will keep an open mind now.
ReplyDeleteUnderbart Dustin!
ReplyDeleteDet är så fantastiskt att ha ett barnbarn som tänker tankar som jag själv har tänkt.
Det gläder mig och skrämmer mig. Vi, alla på jorden, borde ha förstått det här och gjort något åt det tidigare. Det är bråttom.
Kram
från mormor
dude, you need to be an editorial writer when you grow up.
ReplyDelete