sunnykerr

So, today was Earth Day. This week is Earth Week. And, for a person who cares about her own impact on the environment, I was a little ashamed to be reminded of that only when I got to the metro and the escalators had been shut off. Heck, at first I thought it was yet another power outage. But, when I got to work, and the lights were half off, someone filled me in.

The question I put before you all is this: This whole global warming bit. Is it a fad? Do you think it's real? Do you think it's a scam? And why?

Also, either way, do you think Earth Day/Earth Week helps at all?

*Ledi*

I don't know whether Earth Day/Week actually help, but to me it's more about what it symbolizes. I mean, we can't start making big changes fast - that would be impossible - so maybe these are the baby steps to something much bigger?

migamoo

I think it's more symbolic of how some people would like to live, and I'm sure it might help in small ways, but as a whole, I don't know for sure.

notthatfarapart

Global warming is real and it's a threat to all mankind: it affects on everything, both human society and nature.
The air we breathe is like toxic, it's ruined and poisoned - and it's all our own fault. Frankly, I don't think that the global warming can be stopped now, it has already gotten way too far that it has reached the point where the epidemic warming is unstoppable.

I've seen an unmistaken sign of global warming. Like in my country, we didn't even have a real winter. It went on months and I really felt like that the air actually didn't know whether it should be cloudy or sunny, cold or warm. Some days it rained, some days it snowed and other days the sun shone. And then winter finally came. Late, though, but still it came - even when there was a moment I thought it wouldn't. Now, it's summer and I hope it will last. I'm afraid to look forward to the future. Global warming is a huge thing, but let's just face it that nobody gives a about it. Politicians, all they do is talk but they don't do anything. In the next 100 years or so, the era of mankid will be over. Luckily I'm not there to see it, but the next generation will be. Think about that, people.

One person cannot change anything. And like I said, I don't see a possibility that global warming can be stopped. However, I do believe that we can slow it down if we just try.

TheAngel

I have trouble looking at Global Warming in black and white terms. I believe global warming exists, I'm not so sure it's human involvement that's doing such horrible things. After all, the end of the last ice age was caused by global warming before humankind had much influence on the nature of the environment. There are also a number of scientists that are saying global warming isn't as bad as people are making it out to be. I'm finding it so difficult to decide what to believe. That being said, you have to look at it logically, we have a limited number of resources so recycling and intelligent use of natural resources is a very good idea. We have very limited fossil fuels so alternate fuel sources are important. And yes, I believe that the atmosphere is dangerous, but is it causing global warming. I swear, everything I read tells a different story. It's hard to decide what is right and what is wrong. Some people are saying that the estimates about global warming are related to computer projections that could easily be false, others are saying that we have another five or ten years before there's a very significant impact.
With regards to winter weather, I know we had a worse winter than we normally do, much more snow but it wasn't quite as cold. I know there was snow in Iraq for the first time in ages, so is that still global warming or what? How do we know the Earth isn't simply taking its normal, pendulous course? It's all just too complicated for me to make a real assessment about global warming, but I do what I can, by recycling, driving a fuel efficient car, and I plan on getting a hybrid next. So I do what I can, that's all anyone can do I suppose.

vc318

I can't understand why all of a sudden "Going Green" is the word on the street. Why hasn't this been going on before? Even though the intentions are all good, however, I think it's an attempt to pull the wool over our eyes. While people are losing their jobs and food/gas prices are going up, a marketing scam is in place to get people to spend even more money on "supposed" eco-friendly methods such as eco-friendly household cleaners and even organic bed sheets! And if these things are so good for the environment, why do they cost more? Like people have extra money lying around for that. I'm all for recycling and such, but in all,, I think the "Go Green" aspect is a cheap ploy to con people into thinking that what they're buying is really that safe and better for the environment. You really don't know who's telling the truth anymore especially when it comes to saving our planet.

sunnykerr

Well, that's it. Admitedly, I'm a fairly environment-conscious person. We recycle in my house, we have the power-saving lightbulbs, we bring our own bags to the grocery store, I don't own a car (mind you, that might also have a little to do with the fact that I can't drive ), as much as possible we avoid products that have "hard" chemicals in them, etc...

A lot of that comes from my parents, who raised us that way.

So maybe a part of me is a little indignant at seeing so many people jump on the bandwagon as though the environment is just the latest trend.

And it is totally true that the last ice age had zero to do with human involvement.

My knee-jerk reaction is to go, "Environment good, humans bad." I'm trying to move past that and see the whole, rather more complex, picture.

I do think we have an impact on the environment. I don't know how reversible it is. But I know we have one. Just from the different in the quality of air here in Montreal than what it was back home. Clearly, the bigger city has more polution and it has an impact.

But it's also clear to me that a lot of people (and I don't know any of them personally, so I'm not naming names) use this as a way to be trendy or as a cause celeb. In short, as an ego trip. And that's pretty repulsive to me.

TheAngel

See, I'm skeptical of those "eco-friendly" products. For example, those lightbulbs that are so great for the environment contain mercury which seeps into soil and ground water sources if not disposed of properly. Yes, it's a trace amount, but imagine the millions of those bulbs that are disposed every year, that kind of makes up for it. So what's safe and what isn't?

sunnykerr

I hadn't thought of the mercury. Mostly because the lightbulbs are still holding strong. Besides, I figure all the thermometers and various instruments who use mercury are probably seeping their own, right?

I mean, that's part of the point of what I was trying to get at. I try to do my part. I don't go insane over it.

Plus, those lightbulbs are kind of insane in the long-lasting department. I don't know how much they wind up truly saving in energy, but it's kinda cool to not have to think about getting my hands on new lightbulbs. Unfortunate side effect of walking everywhere: Everything is kinda far!

Wildfire Girl

at your title, Sunny.

I've noticed, on a personal note, that green has become "popular" lately. And while I don't like the idea of environmentalism or conservation being a fad, at least it draws more attentin to conserving our resources.

sunnykerr

Well, hey, caught your eye, didn't it?

It's a weird thing, though, isn't it?

It's like, since the environment's been a concern of mine pretty much since the womb (through parental osmosis and all that), there is a part of me that's all "this is not a fad, doofuses!" Which makes no sense because, even if people do it as a fad thing, they're still doing it, you know?

Bleh. My brain hurts.

goodnightboy

I'm sorry if I sound cynical here, but I honestly think that this sudden activism and awareness of the green issue is a fad. It really is. Global warming, its signs and its consequences have been around for years. The reason why people are interested in it is because celebrities have come out about it and it's in the media, so suddenly it's cool and hip to be environmentally conscious. It's ridiculous.

And about Earth Day or Earth Week - I think it's more symbolic than anything else. Sure, people unplug, or walk instead of drive, for a day - the next day they just go back to their environmentally unfriendly lives. Having an Earth Day or Earth Week is just an easy way to pat your conscience and think "I've done my part" because it doesn't bring about real change. Real change only occurs when people as a whole start making a change to their lifestyles, and I don't know how that's going to happen but I'm sure it won't be as easy as an Earth Day or an Earth Week.

And to go a bit OT, one thing about organic food, or organic products? Sure, they're good for the environment and they also help people work in fair conditions - which I'm not in any way downplaying - but they're also expensive. Which means some people can't afford them. It's easy to say "Grow organic food!" but it takes time for people to switch crops and sometimes farmers don't have the money for these grains so it's not that easy - it's not easy at all.

~Unfaithful~

I believe in the whole global warming situation only because as a child, I remember tons of snowstorms with lots of accumulation and getting to sled. We haven't seen that here in a long time.

sunnykerr

I believe in it just because of the freaky weather we've been getting since my teenage years. I'll always remember the first time it rained in February. It was so out-of-this-world unreal that the sound of it woke me up in the middle of the night.

And we always used to get the first real snow on my mum's birthday, which is October 21. Now, we're lucky (well, whatever, I'm not a huge fan of snow) if we get any by Christmas.

We went a few winters with so little snowfalls that the ski resorts had trouble. This year, it snowed so much that every municipality in the province bankrupted their snow-removal chest. It snowed so much that street signs were buried. And then it got so cold that the maple-syrup season was completely compromised and yields were half of what they normally are.

Normally, after the winter is over, we get about a week of rain in late April, and then the temperature is in the mid to high 20s (Celsius) till June or July. So far, the temperature went above 20 on exactly two occasions. And the forecast doesn't have it repeat that feet for the foreseable future.

So I don't know what's causing it. I don't know what any of it means. But it's clear to me that something's off.

goodnightboy

It is. It most definitely is, don't get me wrong. Even here in the tropics I know things are off because year after year the temperature just keeps rising. It used to be 30 degrees Celsius, now it hits 33, 34, even 35 with alarming regularity. I'm not saying that global warming isn't a problem, because it clearly is - especially when you see that in some countries, parts are being flooded while others are suffering a drought, sometimes next door to each other.

It's just that, IMO, in light of such a grave situation I really don't see how Earth Day and Earth Week can be anything more than symbolic - how does not driving for a day help when you don't intend on making it a permanent part of your life? And yes, I am aware that some people do - they don't drive for a day and realise, hey, I don't have to drive all the time - but that's sadly a minority.