the world owes us nothing
we owe eachother the world
-ani difranco
we owe eachother the world
-ani difranco
It's great that the environment has become such a hot topic in the media. I'm not sure how well it has stimulated actual conversations on the topic, but to some degree, people are more aware of certain issues. I think it's wonderful that it is becoming more visible on the political scene, but with the media coverage comes the buzz words.
Going Green
Carbon Footprint
Intensity Emissions
and worst of all....
The Environment
Apparently this word didn't even exist (in the sense that we use it now, to describe where we live), until the 60's. I'm pretty sure it was with Rachel Carson and Silent Spring and all that. But seriously, people talk about it now like it's "an important issue in the next election". Reporters ask questions about what you are prepared to give up to "help the environment". Everyone gets all high and mighty, talking about what they will do to help this poor, helpless thing, the environment.
It's not altruistic to take measures to not destroy the place that you live. Starship Earth sounds ridiciulous but it's a great analogy. This is where we live. You aren't making sacrifices in your quality of life in order to benefit some abstract concept of "The Environment", you are trying not to mess up the place that you live so much that you won't be able to live there anymore. I guess it's difficult to wrap your head around the complexity of the interconnections between the weather, the plants and the animals (including us), but it's not that hard to understand the general concept- it's a delicate balance. I don't pat myself on the back for not dumping my garbage on my neighbour's lawn, or not peeing all over my house. I do these things to protect my environment. Yeah, sometimes it's hard. I have to go pee and I'm upstairs. It would be easy to just go in Sarah's room, I could just close my door and I wouldn't even smell it. But I don't, because I'm an eco warrior.
Environmentalism isn't altruistic and it isn't idealistic. Well, it's altruistic in the same way it is to feed your kids and not set your friend's house on fire. We aren't "taking small steps to help the environment. It is a more practical and selfish endeavour than anything else. All the "Environmental Actions" I take are for ME.
Going Green
Carbon Footprint
Intensity Emissions
and worst of all....
The Environment
Apparently this word didn't even exist (in the sense that we use it now, to describe where we live), until the 60's. I'm pretty sure it was with Rachel Carson and Silent Spring and all that. But seriously, people talk about it now like it's "an important issue in the next election". Reporters ask questions about what you are prepared to give up to "help the environment". Everyone gets all high and mighty, talking about what they will do to help this poor, helpless thing, the environment.
It's not altruistic to take measures to not destroy the place that you live. Starship Earth sounds ridiciulous but it's a great analogy. This is where we live. You aren't making sacrifices in your quality of life in order to benefit some abstract concept of "The Environment", you are trying not to mess up the place that you live so much that you won't be able to live there anymore. I guess it's difficult to wrap your head around the complexity of the interconnections between the weather, the plants and the animals (including us), but it's not that hard to understand the general concept- it's a delicate balance. I don't pat myself on the back for not dumping my garbage on my neighbour's lawn, or not peeing all over my house. I do these things to protect my environment. Yeah, sometimes it's hard. I have to go pee and I'm upstairs. It would be easy to just go in Sarah's room, I could just close my door and I wouldn't even smell it. But I don't, because I'm an eco warrior.
Environmentalism isn't altruistic and it isn't idealistic. Well, it's altruistic in the same way it is to feed your kids and not set your friend's house on fire. We aren't "taking small steps to help the environment. It is a more practical and selfish endeavour than anything else. All the "Environmental Actions" I take are for ME.
