Greenpeace

I volunteer at a small environmental non-profit that is dedicated to climate change education and awareness. It's in a small town so I have no choice but to drive. How ironic. A car-driving environmentalist.

Anyhow, just as I was getting gas at the gas station the other day, it occured to me the kind of panic and protests that would happen if all of a sudden there was no gas left. Not a drop. My boyfriend asked me the other day why I always insist on having a full/semi-full tank of gas in the car. It didn't occur to me til then that I had an innate instinct that prepared me for the worst case scenario. Why wouldn't I considering all the apocalyptic videos, articles, blogs and opinions out there regarding climate change. It's hard not to think that the world really isn't coming to an end. So what now? It would really take something as drastic as running out of gas. Why don't we try a test run and see what happens? See how people react? It will take something drastic as a crisis for our attitude to change. 

We really do believe that we are immune to natural limits and that if catastrophe happens, it will happen somewhere else. It will not affect America, because somehow America is immune. That's the attitude anyways. That being said, if we did run out of gas our immediate response would be to get back to coal. Coal would be our savior. Coal would be our salvation. But coal would also makes matters worse much quicker. The earth would heat up faster and any innovation and renewable technologies would probably not save us considering the rate of coal burning. So why do we keep thinking that we are immune? In today's world where everything is interconnected why would climate change not be? The interdependcy was evident when the financial market collapsed. Why can't we understand that we are not immune to natural limits? We have been disconnected from nature for so long and this is what the result is. 

I volunteer at a small environmental non-profit that is dedicated to climate change education and awareness. It's in a small town so I have no choice but to drive. How ironic. A car-driving environmentalist.

Anyhow, just as I was getting gas at the gas station the other day, it occured to me the kind of panic and protests that would happen if all of a sudden there was no gas left. Not a drop. My boyfriend asked me the other day why I always insist on having a full/semi-full tank of gas in the car. It didn't occur to me til then that I had an innate instinct that prepared me for the worst case scenario. Why wouldn't I considering all the apocalyptic videos, articles, blogs and opinions out there regarding climate change. It's hard not to think that the world really isn't coming to an end. So what now? It would really take something as drastic as running out of gas. Why don't we try a test run and see what happens? See how people react? It will take something drastic as a crisis for our attitude to change. 

We really do believe that we are immune to natural limits and that if catastrophe happens, it will happen somewhere else. It will not affect America, because somehow America is immune. That's the attitude anyways. That being said, if we did run out of gas our immediate response would be to get back to coal. Coal would be our savior. Coal would be our salvation. But coal would also makes matters worse much quicker. The earth would heat up faster and any innovation and renewable technologies would probably not save us considering the rate of coal burning. So why do we keep thinking that we are immune? In today's world where everything is interconnected why would climate change not be? The interdependcy was evident when the financial market collapsed. Why can't we understand that we are not immune to natural limits? We have been disconnected from nature for so long and this is what the result is. 

I've decided to start this blog for many reasons. But mostly I feel the need to educate, inform and raise awareness to the climate change issue. Today, we live in a world of many problems, obstacles and challenges. It is what is, depending on your perspective. As an informed, educated and well traveled individual, I feel the need to share my knowledge and inform the misinformed about some of these issues, climate change in particular. So here we go...

I'd like to address leadership as an issue of great importance. Remember the day Obama was elected? Remember the joy in the air? Remember the hope we all felt that everything was going to change, that we no longer need to worry about the future. Well...where did it all go? 

President Obama needs to take more immediate steps to ensure that the misinformed American public is getting the right information about climate change. Educate! Educate! Educate! Educating the public will make it easier to convince the politicians and see a hint of change. After all, if we are to preserve the American technological leadership we have no choice but to change. More importantly we have to preserve a livable climate. Delaying an aggressive conversion to green energy dangerously increases our chances of reaching tipping point. We all look forward to immediate action now!

Sign this petition and tell Obama to educate the misinformed! 

http://www.change.org/actions/view/obama_please_educate_and_lead_on_climate_change 

Til next time...

Naty