The common man and the Green debate
October 30th 2007 03:20
Let me say upfront when it comes to green issues I am a very practical person, if turning off a light will save both money and the planet I’m in like flynn. However convincing me to ride a bike to work or ride a bus that will take me out of my way, cost me more and provide little flexibility would be a struggle.
Why do I have this skepticism about such things of import, maybe it’s the rushed manner that we have been informed ? I know the green tree loving members of the koala brigade have been telling us for years but in reality it’s a recent story that this 100 million year old world has been broken over the last 100 years and we really need to fix it.
Maybe it has something to do with the idea that as a child I was taught to find solutions, seek new and diverse scientific answers to man-kinds problems. That nothing was beyond a solution if we truly want to find it, and anyone that said different didn’t want the solution enough. Be optimistic.
A few questions that spring to mind :
Why would a car maker already be thinking of a fuel that runs on pollution if the world was about to end ?
If a host of internal scientists be working on a new space engine that will reduce the time it takes to travel around space, how come they can’t come up with a device that satellites could drive in orbit to reverse the effects of global warming ?
If we can spend Trillions of dollars on a weapons system to stop ourselves fighting each other, how come the same amount of money isn’t available to stop us all dying ?
If I plant a tree in place of the tree I cut down yesterday am I ahead on green credits ? and what happens if the tree dies can I plant another and still get another credit ?
Instead of spending more money on light globes that save me money, If I would feel better as a person saving a life in the third world is this wrong ?
If the world was about to fold up its table and go home unless we the consumer does something dramatic, why would we be trying to solve all manner of cancers ?
Okay so the end of the world scenario is a little irrational, we are talking about small impacts not big ones but that would undermine the impact of the message!. Unless the population of consumers believes they can make a difference, how will government and business ever convince us buy all those green friendly products ? The eggs that are magically better for the environment, the toilet paper that is more efficient in wiping your bum because its been used once already (recycled not reused).
Be clear on who can do what, what cost it has on you as a person, family and community before you just say yes please give me more of less, for more of what I have less of.
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Al Brunswick
Romance Writers
