One thing about studying environmental science topics such
as global warming is an overwhelming feeling of inevitable doom facing our
future. I’ve been at this for a number of years now and have looked at it from
just about every angle and, it’s bad. My friends and I are way, way past “is it
real?” and on to “We suck.” So, I always ask myself, “Why do I keep studying
and learning?” The debate is over. O.V.E.R. I guess there must be some small
glimmer of hope, or maybe since I only have one class left for this degree, there is little
reason to stop now. I don’t know for sure. I know that I despise conversations
that attempt to change someone’s mind about anything – that’s just not who I
am. I prefer to live a life of attraction rather than promotion. I’m not even
going to get in to the “What is climate change?” thing. I’ve been reading it,
writing about it, and preaching it ad nauseum for a long time now. As David
Roberts said in the Ted talk, it’s pretty simple to understand. The cause is
fossil fuels (cheap energy.) That cause is unending consumerism. That cause is
capitalism. And that cause is greed. (Those last two are my viewpoints.) The
question is now not whether climate change exists, but what can we do about it?
I guess the essence of change starts at home, so I want to live in more of a
way that supports what I believe in, and I have a long way to figuring out just
what that looks like in modern America. Alas, that’s my goal and to have a
degree or three to stand behind the rhetoric during my life.
I have been to Fiji. Reefs are already seeing changes from
water temperature increases. They will be devastated in the future. An entire
culture was built on this inter-tidal area. As I write, the Philippines have
been hammered by more intense tropical storms and these storms are predicted to
rise in frequency and intensity. Rise in seawater will devastate rice production
and food supply. I find it interesting that scientists talk about the rise in “temperature”
because it is something people can grasp. But, with water having such a high
specific heat index, the amount of added ENERGY in our Earth’s system is
enormous and will certainly be the cause of much future storm devastation. Here
at home, the Southwest will probably be too hot to live in.
So, as for the future, I am not very optimistic. I know that
isn’t popular, but I am not all doomsday either. I think we should try. Can we be more efficient? Surely. Will that
help? Surely. Is it enough to keep civilization from facing severe consequences
from over-consumption? Only time will tell, but if history is at all accurate
(which I believe it is,) it shows us that many civilizations have completely
collapsed due to over-consumption. The Assyrian and Mongol empires both
collapsed because they were based on a society of constant, unending growth
(like our capitalist society is today.) I don’t actually think this takes any
science to understand – it is common sense. We can look at our past and,
hopefully learn, but I have not seen much evidence to make me believe modern
humans are capable of learning from their mistakes. Does this make me a cynic?
I like to think of it more like a viewer of facts. Just because I happen to be
a member of the species, which I believe will become extinct due to its own
tendencies, should not skew the observations I see. Humans are a nice
experiment in natural selection, but in the end, I think we will be a
short-lived one. Generally, species never survive the test of time. Why should
we think we are any different? It actually offers me great comfort. There is
definitely something much larger than I, or any other human, governing the ways
of life and death, species creation, and species destruction. If we could come
back in a million years and see what’s going on, in hindsight, it would
probably be no surprise at all. The planet will very likely have new and wonderful
species.
Again, I know this is not popular, but I don’t believe we
are capable of enacting change in climate through social pathways. Where do I
think that leaves those of us who think this way? With a way to get ready. A
start in changing our minds about what things will look like in 25 years and
perhaps a vision, to help those who will listen (or observe,) toward living
happily in spite of the environmental damages that have been done. How do I get
up in the morning to face such spectacular doom? Life is a gift. I enjoy it and
part of enjoying it is attempting to live IN nature and not in spite of it. I
like to see myself, and all humans as a PART of nature and not separate from it
in any way at all. And even though I don’t feel very positive that enacting
change will be possible, it doesn’t mean I don’t think we shouldn’t try. That’s
the one thing we seem to have that is different from other species – an
imagination of the future.
What I am sure of is that our political system in the U.S.,
which we use to enact change, is severely broken. I watched it unfold. That also may not be a popular viewpoint, but
something has shifted in my lifetime (born in the 60s,) and it looks like the
basic ideological differences between “I got mine” and “help everyone.” Oddly,
the “I got mine” group thinks they are helping everyone by “getting theirs” and
creating an “ever-growing” economy. The problem with that idea is that our
planet and resources are finite and the economy cannot sustain growth forever.
If it doesn’t balance and become in-tune with natural systems, it will
collapse. And I DEFINITELY don't think market economics will "balance" anything out. That's what got us in trouble in the first place.
No comments:
Post a Comment