Monday, August 20th, 2007...12:00 pm
Collective responsibility in easing nature’s wrath
Natural acts of mass destruction – from Hurricane Dean’s rampage across the Caribbean to the surprisingly powerful earthquake that struck Peru’s southern coast last week – clearly have taken their places as inevitabilities of our time.
Although some would argue that the world has always experienced bouts of extreme weather and other devastating phenomena, the frequency and intensity of such developments now should persuade all but the most stubborn that something unusual is happening – and that humans bear a good share of the blame.
Indeed, some serious scientists ominously warn of even worse calamities to come, such as the potential loss of Greenland’s ice sheet in a few hundred years, accompanied by sharply rising global sea levels.
Thus, as we rush to aid victims of the latest tragedies, we must also think more urgently and deeply about proactive ways to counter nature’s fury before it is too late.
Unfortunately, some people have trouble imagining how their world might look in a century or two. Caught up in their busy lives, they can barely see beyond the present day’s agenda. Others ignorantly embrace indifference. And the skeptics, of course, refuse to worry.
That leaves the responsibility to the rest of us; there is much to do.
At the individual level, opportunities abound. The Guardian Unlimited’s website features a helpful article titled “Top tips for the lazy environmentalist.” It notes that being “greener” essentially means using less energy and suggests steps that many of us could take:
● Switching to a green energy supplier.
● Changing to energy-efficient lightbulbs.
● Using less hot water.
● Turning down the heat.
● Not leaving appliances on standby.
● Using less paper.
● Recycling.
● Eating less meat and more local, organic food.
● Making use of a smart meter to measure energy consumption.
● Getting involved and staying informed.
To read the entire article, visit http://lifeandhealth.guardian.co.uk/ethicalliving/story/0,,2049870,00.html.
At the nation-state level, the task is more complicated. Persuading countries that climate change poses one of the greatest threats to international security – as British officials attempted at the United Nations Security Council a few months ago – will not happen easily.
Predictably, representatives of fast-developing, energy-inhaling nations such as China have protested, adding that the Security Council should restrict its focus to promoting international peace. They miss the point. The issue of climate change endangers the peace and security of the entire planet; there is no better place to discuss it.
In truth, if, because of climate change, various dire scenarios unfold, we will have to contend with massive coastal flooding, unprecedented migration, plagues, disruption to food supplies, and more competition – and conflict – than ever over resources such as energy and water.
In economic terms, the possible impact has been likened to World War II or the Great Depression. Even short of those kinds of world-altering events, the danger of climate change to global security is abundantly evident.
Climate change cannot and should not be restricted to the category of “environmental problem.” It reaches into every aspect of life. If we fail to rise to the challenge, we seal our fate. But if we, as individuals and as nations, work consistently and collectively, we stand a long-term chance of easing some natural acts of mass destruction.
1 Comment
October 18th, 2007 at 11:29 pm
I just read your insightful article regarding population decline and concur with much of your analysis. I recently attended a ‘going green’ conference where the 9.3 billion global population statistic was supported by many. Even if global growth rates slow to a crawl, it is quite conceivable to achieve that headcount in the given timeframe, or even less, given the current population…
Resources and the environment are the next fronts for warfare. Today, China has fresh water to supply only about 600 million people, less than half of its population. It has to import the rest. The Middle East and numerous other populated desert regions the same. I’ve heard many times the next oil wars will be fought over is clean drinking water. Lets not forget water is required to irrigate the crops and livestock necessary to feed this burgoning population.
Environment… Apparently, if we don’t halt the increase of our carbon footprint and start reducing it by 2015 (it may be sooner, I don’t have my notes in front of me), we will have done irraprable damage to our planet, our collective home. I’ve seen the commentators on CNBC complain of watery eyes and itchy throats by the end of the day reporting from Beijing, this just in one day. The list of the effect to each one of us is endless. If we were to dwell upon this too much, it seems Armageddon is inevitable.
But therein lies the beatuy of humanity, within us. Our ability to adapt, innovate, and evolve… I have recently started a renewable energy company to be part of the solution. I’ve had the opportunity to attend many conferences over the recent months and there definitely seems to be a much overdue culture shift occurring. A lot of capital is flowing into this sector to find solutions to our problems, before we ‘have sealed our fate’.
Yes, it is our mess we made in the first place. Now we have to clean it up. I often wonder why we can’t do things correctly in the first place. Why can’t we be responsible global citizens concious of our actions to our environment? I use environment very loosely to encompass our surroundings, relationships, tangibles, intangibles etc. We can blame it on capitalism (topic for another day), or our pop culture, or whatever.
Actually, let’s blame irresponsible capitalism where the bottom line is the only line we consider. If we can have a moment of clarity, how did the organic industry even come about when that is how it is supposed to be, and used to be, in the first place? Promotions of buildings and products to be toxic free? We tend to live in paradoxical cycles all througout as a society.
Capitalism isn’t all bad. After all, it is one of the driving forces behind this ‘green’ shift that is occurring. Fortunately or unfortunately, it depends upon your prespective. Fear and greed are the primary forces driving free markets. Prices for energy from fossil fuels are going up, making it more attractive for the ‘renewables’ to be adopted into the marketplace. Hopefully these markets will mature at a quick enough pace where we can bring the costs of the renewables in parity with fossil fuels in developing countries. Their paradigms are drastically different where their economics don’t justify the higher price for renewables. Someday we will arrive at a different more concious motivation.
Faster evolution is requisite for all our sake. We share the same back yard.
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