1. Why, in spite of significant evidence and possible consequences to the global climate, do people continue to ignore Global Warning as a threat?
2. Will our society ever begin to understand and make efforts to try to stop Global Warming. Why or why don't you think so?
3. What do you you think would be a big first step in slowing Global Warming and the global climate change it would bring about?
I think that most people ignore the Global Warming due to the fact that they think it will not affect them in their life time. Many also say that global climate change is actually not happening because of man-made actions but most of the facts point towards it being a man-made consequences. There is also the truth that if a big business company wants to make a lot of profit, they will not try to spend loads of money to prevent the pollution. Like what we read from the textbook, most economists only care about money and do not think about the consequences they bring to the environment and other people. I think that even though the EPA has already made a lot of Acts and restrictions to the pollution problem, they need to do more in terms of actions. There are cases where companies found loopholes in the acts like the case of the Clean Air Act which required industries to add scrubber to their smaller smoke stacks. Companies calculated that instead of adding scrubbers, they should just build longer smoke stacks and save money. It took the EPA many years later to find out and reinforce the act. By then, the pollution has gone up too much. With the way people are harming the environment, our earth will run out of resources very soon.
ReplyDeleteI think a big first step in slowing Global Warming should be the limiting of greenhouse gases and changing to alternative resources. Like what we said in class about the wind turbines. Although they may be expensive to make at the moment, but in the long run, they will pay for themselves. We can't only think about the present but we should also start thinking about the future and what we can do to make it better for the future generations.
Before I make any comments, I have a few questions. Is the only way that heating of the earth is monitored through temperature tracking? If we continue using fossil fuels and living the same lifestyles, what will the temperature of the earth be like in 50 years? in 100 years? I think that it is very interesting that this article quotes "the greenhouse effect" as "a matter of scientific fact". I feel as if although there have been so many studies and research, people are still inclined to question the validity of the greenhouse effect and global warming as a whole. Maybe it is in part due to denial, that many people do not want to change their lifestyles now. Or maybe it has to do with the fact that many of the effects of global warming may not present themselves until much later. Also, some of these effects are reversed or diluted by other variables in the environment. This article references this idea when it talks about "sulphur particles and other pollutants that shade us", showing that increases in temperature are not always felt, and how "forests and oceans absorb around half of the CO2 that we produce", which masks the increase in CO2 in our environment. I also believe that, as I referred to in class, there is a stigma that comes along with fighting for environmental issues. I think that many people consider work for the environment as a far-left movement or as a fad. Because of these assumptions, it is difficult to come to a consensus, something that is necessary when change on a greater scale is needed. I think that it is important to realize which would have a greater impact, personal decisions or government regulations. If the answer is personal decisions, then the focus should be on education and influence/incentives for people to change their habits. If the answer is government regulations, then the focus should be on finding ways to regulate companies and industries to make more environmentally friendly products. I think that it needs to move forward in an organized, efficient plan where people learn about the science behind the greenhouse effect and the warming of the earth and are influenced greatly to make changes in their personal lives and the government.
ReplyDeleteI agree that society has neglected to accept Global Warming as a serious threat to the environment because of the belief that it will not effect life on earth until future generations. I find this so ironic because people today are responsible for the issues and furthermore, damaging effects of climate change are already occuring. I agree with Jenna that people are not willing to change their lifestyles or want to leave the 'burden' of becoming more green to someone else. I feel that drastic action towards lessing greenhouse gasses and monitoring Global Warming will not take place until it is too late and a lot of environmental destruction has already occured. It is really sad to think that destruction occuring now that the article mentioned such as glaciers melting, crop destruption, strong hurricanes, and coral reef degredation is not enough to draw the concern of the world. I agree with the article that the world has to start using renewable fuels and utilizing all the abundant resources we have such as wind and solar power. I feel that the idea of "mega engineering the planet with giant mirrors" to gather solar polar is a very unrealistic first step to reduce climate change because it is too drastic of a move and would take too much time to put into action. I think the best way to slow down climate change would be to pass more enforced legislation limiting the amount of allowable emmissions and requiring that every home/business/city start to use new forms of
ReplyDeleteEven though there is significant evidence showing that Global Warming is a threat, people either do not have enough education about the topic, or even though they know it exists, they chose to ignore it. Changing their ways to help the environment means that people have to spend more money than is probably available to them and it means they have to want to change. If the people accept that Global Warming is a threat, then that forces people to take responsibility, responsibility that people don't want. This also means that the government has to start changing their ways to try and save the environment. I think it is nearly impossible for people to fully understand the treat and risks of global warming. I think that people can have a certain mindset that Global warming doesn't exist, or at least it doesn't apply to them, so they will never try to change. What i mean by 'doesn't apply to them' is that some people probably think that they aren't being super 'unenviornmental' and that what they do, isn't hurting the environment. But the reality is, almost everything we do, whether it is driving a car or leaving the lights on when we are out, harms the environment in some way.
ReplyDeleteAs the article stated, our first step should be reducing the greenhouse gases. Whether that means burying them in the ocean or finding alternative sources such as wind and solar; we need to start soon. I think, because people are so unwilling to accept Global Warming and change, we should not find a way to promote wind and solar energy, without making it a life and death situation.
In response to Jenna's question, I think that the earth will be so unbearable in 50 to 100 years. Not only with regard to the temperature, but as well as the population and the rising sea levels...ect. If we don't start changing now, or at least in the next 10 years, then we will have a serious problem on our hands.