Cleaner, Greener, Leaner

We're killing our planet. We are. Can it recover? Probably, but if things don't change, it will only recover after all the planet-killing humans are dead, boiled away in space on an overheated planet, or after the next major war eliminates everyone.

I'm not going to quote scientific articles here, mostly because this is a BLOG, not a scientific journal. However, I have studied this, and the fact that so many people are waiting for "more science" is just a subtle way to maintain a current lifestyle without thinking about it.

WHILE waiting for "more science", it certainly doesn't hurt to stop trashing the place!

We see and know that air pollution is bad. Why should we wait around for "more science" to clean up the air? Fish are over-harvested and are smaller now than they were years ago for that reason. Why should we wait around for "more science" to set realistic limits? Or to curtail water pollution?

The planet IS warming. The oceans ARE rising. Do we want to wait until we have measurable feet of rising oceans to begin changing things? Because by that time it may be too late! I get that the people on the "wait and see" side expect that this is a phase. If the planet has been through this before, we aren't to blame. But the fact of the incredible speed with which this warming and rising has happened - since the industrial revolution, roughly - should indicate that even if this is a phase, it has been exacerbated by human involvement.

Lightening our footprint is never a bad idea.

Water is a finite resource.
Oil is a finite resource.

Learning how to purify water to make it potable will ultimately be more valuable to more people than simply digging more and deeper wells until we run completely out.
Testing and finding better fuel sources than oil is a great idea and one that needs to be encouraged instead of making the alternative energy sources more expensive.

I do not have the answer. For every solution there is another drawback. But surely we have to try? I feel utterly helpless in this regard. AND I feel like a lone voice sometimes, based upon my peer group.

Today's post brought to you by the prompt "something you feel strongly about".