Maniates states that, “Never has so little been asked of so many at such a critical moment.” This statement struck me, because it is the truth, and I have to say, that I completely agree with Maniates argument.
Society is not paying attention to the problem at hand. But, then the question hits…why? Is it because we as a society don’t care? Is it because we don’t have enough education of climate change and greenhouse gases? Or is it because as a global society everyone is too consumed with economic growth and the building of a nation, that a problem like climate change is overlooked or underrated?
In the United States and all over the world, consumption and economic growth are part of the problem. People will consume in order to help the environment, but not at the cost of lowering the national GDP or their comforts of home. So yes, someone may buy a hybrid car to contribute to ending global warming, but they are not going to stop using air conditioning, taking long relaxing showers or buying a plethora of water bottles – the problem though is that buying a more fuel efficient car, using less water or less plastic…can still be categorized as being the bare minimum of change.
As we discussed in class, developing nations, such as India and China, are beginning to build up their nations – these countries are wanting to live like those in the U.S. do. But, as we said in class, if everyone opted to live like us, the Earth would quickly spiral to a downfall. However, the same ideal can be applied to the outlook of fixing the problem. If the global society continues to think that the bare minimum is enough, and just by switching a light bulb out or unplugging their appliances when not in use, our planet will regain order. We as a global society are obviously very naive.
In 2007, I attended Live Earth, a concert for climate change. I was 18 at the time and I remember global warming wasn’t a huge concern, although I was educated on parts of the issue. Sitting in my seat I remember the plethora of celebrities and dignitaries that spoke and performed. It was great to see so many people that I looked up to passionate about saving the Earth, but honestly, I could have cared less, and was only concerned and excited about watching my favorite artists perform. The fact is though; I feel many in the audience felt the same way I did. This wasn’t a concert to end climate change; it was just a concert where we could be entertained…like any other concert. But, what I do remember is the promotional videos that were played and the speeches that were made all revolved around the premise that “doing a little could go a long way.”
With a problem so large and out of control, it is easy to understand why the promotion of “saving the Earth a little at a time” would seem less overwhelming. This way of thinking gets everyone involved, no matter your socio-economic class, or understanding of the problem at hand. It’s the first step to moving forward to the larger changes that need to be implemented. As Maniates said, “we need to be looking at fundamental change in our energy, transportation and agricultural systems rather than technological tweaking on the margins, and this means changes and costs that our current and would-be leaders seem afraid to discuss.” These large economic, governmental, technological and societal changes will all occur eventually, but when they do, will it already be too late?
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