Published in the Sept. 21 issue of the 100 Mile Free Press:
http://www.bclocalnews.com/bc_cariboo/100milefreepress/
Once people got past the initial alarming hoopla surround climate change,
some British Columbians tried to see a silver lining.
With all the blame focused on global warming for problems like the spread of the pine beetle and the potential drowning of the city of Richmond, some thought, “Well, at least there will be more sunny days.”
But with unseasonably cool temperatures, residents are starting to wonder whether the tropical paradise they thought climate change would bring is actually a potential arctic nightmare.
But maybe that’s what people need to wake up to the problem; if the threat of heat didn’t cause them to make personal, environmentally-friendly changes than perhaps the prospect of being banished into an eternal ice prison will.
Driving an older, unkempt car is frowned upon now because of its heavy carbon output; but those same people who object to gas-guzzling vehicles drive gas-powered mowers around their lawns and leave their vehicles running while they run into convenience stores. Essentially, they make up for it.
Political leaders don’t offer the best example of green living, either; the amount of travelling they do just for photo ops could be halted and the resulting energy saved could probably bring down the price of gas by 10 cents.
And now, with election campaigning, office helpfuls and hopefuls will be offering more carbon into the atmosphere than their speeches do in office.
But stopping the spread of Yukon-like weather is only half the incentive.
Usually things good for the environment go hand-in-hand with things good for a person’s health: cycling, using push mowers and avoiding fast-food drive-thrus.
Hopefully, with all the ominous problems climate change threatens us with, there will be positive change for people as a whole.
Perhaps obesity levels will go down with the increase in forced physical activity; maybe air quality will improve and asthma incidents will decrease.
For those inland, more frequent frost may be a better motivator than fun-in-the-sun.
Of course, the opposite might be true for those on the coast — especially for those who can’t swim.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
We really don't know if global warming is a true fact or not.
We really don't know if the emissions of CO2 are really dangerous. However, as a man and as an american, I would feel really guilty (in spite of what they think about ut) for the impact we have on the planet. If it's true...then something will have to be done...on the long run.
If it doesn't affect more than volcano erruptions or normal tectonic activiy, then why should we bother.
But they talk about global warming as the big topic and give lessons on ecology (Europeans) without doing what they preach. No one important and powerfull talks about all the other problems. No one says that all the farmers are using pesticides, which are dangerous for our health.
I agree, if people would act properly there would probably be less cancers and less deseases.
Montsanto is one of those problems.
Post a Comment