Climate change. It's daunting in a way. Most of us know that it is a problem, just not the scale of it. Most of us know that it's affecting us in one way or another, just not exactly how it is. We learn that the polar ice caps are melting and endangering the polar bears and that there is a hole in the ozone but that is mainly the extent of it. We remain aware but ignorant, with climate change tucked away in the back of our brains situated between long division and juggling. That's the problem. We are aware, but not aware enough.
I fall into the category of most. I knew that climate change was an issue, just not how pertinent it is. I
knew that it was going to have an impact on the Earth, just not how immediate and grim it is. We are finding out more and more about how severe of a problem climate change brings us. We are also finding the error was believed to be true about climate change. We have been certain that climate change is a problem for a while. We are certain that it is affecting the planet that we live on. Following this certainty is uncertainty. For example, what we previously thought to be safe levels of carbon
dioxide in the air, are not in fact safe. And they're on the rise.
What is safe then? Have we already passed these limits? What is going to happen now as a result of this?
We have remained uncertain and unaware for far too long. As it turns out, climate change is something that not just our current generation should be worried about, it's something that both our parents and grandparents should have been worried about as well. It has been an ongoing problem and it is only going to continue to worsen.
And we are most certainly not. Most of us are okay remaining ignorant and in the happy routine of our lives. We need to wake up. We need to become completely aware of what is going on around us, and the effect that we have on it. Earth has already changed, and it is going to continue to. That is exactly what Bill Mckibben is doing through the first chapter of Eaarth. Through all of the crazy statistics and future scenario's he's preparing us for what has already been happening. He's making us aware.
I agree that needing to wake up is crucial when it comes to dealing with climate change. As McKibben stated, climate change isn't just a problem that will arise for our grandkids, it's something that we deal with right now, and it's something that our parents and grandparents have dealt with as well. I think there is an element of denial as well as a lack on information in general on climate change, but this is what we must wake up to and face in order to cope with the changes.
ReplyDeleteI also feel like I am not aware enough. I've known about climate change for a long time. I've grown up hearing about this threat, but not understanding the science behind it. I want to know how fast these changes will take place, what is causing them, and how to stop it. I hope McKibben will begin to answer these questions in the next chapters of Eaarth.
ReplyDeleteLauren, I think what you said about most of the population being in the dark is correct, especially the United States. I think there is a lack of education and a lack of visibility on climate change in the United States and that is something that needs to be addressed.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting how you talk about uncertainty because it's true! Technology is evolving so fast that we don't know what is bad for us until we've been using it for years. As you said, our grandparents should have been worried about climate change, but how would they have known that their industrial progress would be killing the planet for their grandchildren? It would take years and years of scientific advances to actually realize the devastation they would cause, which we now know about and I'm sure we still have much more to learn.
ReplyDeleteThe unknown is probably the worst part of this. I suppose the Western world may not be as aware as the nations that put up with these natural disasters. Technology and engineering is trying desperately to find alternative energies, but the process is slow. At least there is progress.
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