Ignorance of the affect humankind is having on the world we live on has habitually decreased the urgency and intensity with which environmental problems need to be addressed. Based on the past two weeks' readings, it's clear that the information, studies, and science is out there and available to the public, but the lack of mainstreaming of these global issues has become the norm of today's media.
Broad and mainstreamed enviro-campaigns have proven successful in the past, like the creation of national holidays Earth Day and Arbor Day, so why can't a national rally for a greener way of life bring about contemporary change? With more education of global green issues, greater innovation is capable. This is not to say that Moore's Law will directly correlate to reducing impact, but scientific advances can create positive change if responsibly used and widely installed.
Interesting innovations and creative implementations are a profound way to solve environmental problems through fostering education and raising awareness.
To conclude, something fun to watch, demonstrating what's actually possible with the help of a little infrastructure and a lot of smarts.
http://wimp.com/solarhighways/
I disagree on what the source of our problems with the environment is. The issue becomes the cost of trying to fix what we have already broken, and from there it simply boils down to an issue of value. Some times it simply isn't possible to do the environmentally friendly thing.
ReplyDeleteThe clearest example of this to me would be driving a car. For many it simply isn't possible to not drive to and from work, that leaves them with only the option of driving. And if that person is at a somewhat low socio-economic status they maybe can't afford a new car let alone a hybrid. They value their car and the ability to do work over limiting their environmental impact.
I think that most people who you talk to in the first world would most definitely acknowledge that we have a problem with our impact on the environment. But it comes down to what I can do about it, if I stop driving my car or start paying more for groceries grown locally it will have a minuscule impact on the environment, even if we all did it at the same time. But it has a large negative impact on me, the loss of a job due to not getting to it, the loss of income due to spending more on food. I think rather than more education it is going to take a radical shift in values (valuing our children's future and other peoples lives today more and our comfort now less)to start to impact climate change in any real way. To be fair this does tie in with education though, but I don't want to waffle too much at the end.
Also this is Channin's post because I didn't get an invite (not your fault probably mine).