It seems things are getting worse rather than better when it comes to weather. Here in Seattle it has been a cloudy, rainy, cold spring. I would argue more than usual. In other parts of the country they are having record heat waves, a greater number of tornadoes and thunderstorms, etc.
There are those who say there aren’t any more storms than usual; that all this crazy weather has happened before in our history; that we shouldn’t be alarmed. They say just keep shopping and driving your SUV… keep the economy going. In my opinion, these people are delusional. I would say to them the following: Get your head our of the sand and do your research! There are reasons to be concerned, and we do need to change our ways.
And of course, there is the other side of the spectrum… The Biblical Doom and Gloom people. These are the people that think the end is coming. The whole package: Jesus, the Beast, the Arab with the blue turban, and 666.
Now, I believe in the right to free religion, so I think people can believe in whatever floats their boat. I just get a little queasy when these people start getting into politics and making decisions for the rest of us. I don’t think we have to worry much about this here in Seattle. But other parts of the country are flooded with these religious extremists.
Regardless of these two extremes, we have to be aware of what is going on. People: the weather is changing! There is no denying it, the research proves it, quit pretending. Check this out. Now, this is no reason to go nuts and start burning animal testing facilities or tying ourselves to trees. We need to act maturely and swiftly in the face of a very serious problem. First we need to understand what is causing the problems. Here is a little fact I found out recently that was surprising… Out of all the CO2 gases being emitted, only about 6% are from vehicles on the road. The vast majority is from coal-burning power plants supplying power to buildings and homes. A good approach to this problem is to focus on Green Building and Green Design practices, and push the legislature to pass incentives and tax breaks for using these technologies. More on that subject in future posts.
We can also approach these problems from a more universal perspective. I think that what we are experiencing right now all over the globe is an opportunity for personal and social growth never before seen in history. We finally have the incentive to eradicate poverty and war once and for all. We have the opportunity to become a peaceful civilization; and future generations can look back on this time and say: “they were the ones who did it.” This is our time. Do you truly think it is a coincidence that we are alive in such a time in history? I don’t. I believe it is the time to seek the truth within yourself, and once you find it, share it with the rest of us. The truth will set us free… or so they say.
Ok, I’m off my soap box now. What do you think about this?
Rafa
My only comment is that alienating anyone because they have religious beliefs plainly demonstrates that your a bigot. It utter nonsense to lump all people of religious belief into being brainless and not concerned for the planet. Quiet the contrary. I don’t see you making too much of those radical greens that destroy property in the name of being green. There are crazies in all walks of life. Try not being a bigot and you might convince a few more that this planet is actually worth saving. How about positive message that is inclusive to all even if they don’t share your opinions?
Hi Christopher. Thank you for the comment. I think you’re right in the sense that I did let my prejudice come out towards religious fanaticism. And I agree with you as well that not all religious people are the same. I certainly know there are many fine people out there who are religious and trying to do great things for the environment. I will admit that whenever I hear people Bible thumping and talking about repentance, my anti-religion feelings flare up. I begin having flashbacks of mean little nuns in Sunday school telling me how I’m going to go to hell if I don’t spit out the chewing gum. The problem I see with religious fanatics is that they are usually too quick to judge and tell everyone else what the right thing to do is. This wouldn’t be a problem if everyone just minded their own business; but when someone across the country is trying to change the rules for everyone else based on their own religious beliefs it becomes a problem. This may not be exactly what you are referring to, and if so, my apologies. I also think those people committing crimes in the name of the environment – also called eco-terrorists – are no better than any other criminal and should be punished to the full extent of the law. However, religion aside, the problem we are facing with the environment is a problem based on scientific evidence and facts that cannot be solved by people shoving their beliefs and opinions on the faces of others. We need to approach this problem with practical, scientifically based actions, like driving less, consuming less, recycling more, etc.
About your “bigot” comment, I find it hard to believe that you know me so well based on a single post. Human beings are complex creatures, driven to act, feel and talk by many different things. Before you start calling people names and accusing them of being this or that, I would encourage you to search within yourself and find out who you really are. It’s hard to know who other people are, when you don’t really know who you are yourself.
Rafa