| I thought I was pretty clever coming up with this | | | | massive changes to Earths life support systems. |
| "Why Should I Bother..." theme but when I began | | | | It's this one that really gets me going and is my |
| to do my research, of course I found out that it | | | | third point for this article. |
| wasn't an original thought! | | | | My third reason for learning about and responding |
| The most striking thing I discovered was a piece | | | | to climate change by developing a more |
| written by Michael Polin for the New York Times | | | | sustainable lifestyle is because you are responsible |
| "Green" edition in early 2008. I found it to be a | | | | and you are the leader on this in your home, in |
| wryly funny and thought provoking article and it | | | | your community. |
| started a couple of good conversations around | | | | - We are all responsible and not only for our |
| my dinner table and in the coffee shop. | | | | over-consumption of the worlds resources - the |
| So, why would anyone, the average everyday | | | | statistics that keep getting quoted are for the |
| kind of Earth dweller, bother learning about and | | | | USA and they are as follows: 5% of the worlds |
| responding to Climate Change or Global Warming | | | | population consuming 25% of the worlds |
| by developing a more Sustainable Lifestyle? | | | | resources. One quarter of the worlds resources. |
| I'm supposing that there are as many answers to | | | | I'm assuming most of the rest of the developed |
| that question as there are people on the planet so | | | | world follows a similar pattern and I'm prepared to |
| I'm going to pick just a few that may be | | | | take responsibility for that. I am now standing up |
| common for many living in places like the USA | | | | and stepping forward, will you come too? |
| and Canada, Europe and the UK, South Africa, | | | | - We are responsible for our families and our |
| Australia and New Zealand. | | | | communities. We want our kids and our parents |
| Of course one really has to look into Asia these | | | | and our friends to live happy and healthy lives. We |
| days with huge cities in Malaysia and places like | | | | can do that without continuing our quick step |
| China and India becoming more and more | | | | march to collapse of our culture and our species. |
| industrialised... | | | | We can do that without continuing our reckless |
| - We (meaning our governments, economies, | | | | and mindless stripping of the Earths resources. |
| institutions) are having difficulty supporting the | | | | We can do that without our devastating impact |
| needs and wants of less than 1 billion people who | | | | on all the other valuable and worthwhile living and |
| are currently living a "first world" lifestyle and yet | | | | breathing animals and plants we share this spec of |
| that same less than 1 billion people seem unwilling | | | | dirt, this shining jewel in the sky that we call |
| to look to ways to make that possible. | | | | home. |
| - Despite the debate on climate change and global | | | | Our Governments don't lead on these kinds of |
| warming, it appears that there is a kind of uneasy | | | | issues. Maybe once upon a time they did but in |
| consensus amongst the scientists and politicians | | | | modern times, Governments have tended to |
| that it is real and that most of the posturing is | | | | 'watch the market' so to speak and do what they |
| around whether or not "we" are making it worse | | | | think will be popular. So they are not going to |
| and if so, how much. | | | | take the lead on this issue, unless they think you |
| So my first reason for why you should bother | | | | want them too. |
| learning about and responding to Climate Change | | | | If you make it clear to your political leaders that |
| by developing a more sustainable lifestyle is ... | | | | you want them to respond to climate change in |
| because you can. | | | | real and meaningful ways, they will. I'm afraid, |
| If you are reading this article you are most likely | | | | rolling up to vole once every four years is not |
| one of the most well educated, well fed, well | | | | going to be soon enough, or loud enough. |
| catered for people living on Earth today. | | | | Whether you currently believe in climate change |
| - You have an amazing brain and are the most | | | | or not, it will effect you. |
| well placed to utilise all those resources that have | | | | Whether you currently consume a lot or a little, |
| been poured into your life to learn about and | | | | you can do more. |
| respond to THE most pressing environmental, | | | | Whether you think there will be a political shift, a |
| political and social crisis that has ever fallen to | | | | technological breakthrough or a grassroots |
| people to do something about. | | | | revolution - climate change is happening. Water |
| - I have access to so much information, so much | | | | shortages, food shortages, energy shortages are |
| data, so much communication choice that it is | | | | all going to impact your life, your family, your |
| easy for me to find out about this subject. It is | | | | community. I hope we have a few years left to |
| easy for me to find the one piece of it that will | | | | mitigate those events, to plan for them, to have |
| be interesting to me, that will make it matter to | | | | support mechanisms in place and develop |
| me, that will allow me to become engaged in the | | | | alternatives and replacements. |
| subject. So Do You. | | | | You can do something today and everyday that |
| Michael Polin, in his New York Times piece wrote | | | | will lessen the impact on you and your family. You |
| primarily around food - that is what he does,that | | | | can do other things that will help your whole |
| is his passion, his purpose. He wove his awareness | | | | community. If you become really interested, |
| of his responsibility as a citizen of the world and | | | | empassioned even, you can support people who |
| his passion for food, into something empowering | | | | are doing things that might just help the whole of |
| for others who were looking for a way to | | | | life on this planet. |
| respond to climate change. | | | | Where can you start? At home as always. |
| So can you. You too have a passion and a | | | | - Change your light globes, re-cyle everything you |
| purpose, you too have access to all the | | | | bring into your home - compost, recycle services, |
| information and communication resources I have. | | | | free-cycle networks, charity stores. Reduce the |
| You too can empower yourself and others to do | | | | amount of waste you produce and take |
| something today. | | | | responsibility for it's disposal. |
| My second reason for why you should bother to | | | | - Look to your consumption patterns and habits - |
| learn about and respond to climate change by | | | | you can cut your energy consumption by turning |
| developing a more sustainable lifestyle is because... | | | | off lights and appliances that you are not using |
| it is easy. | | | | right now, by walking to your friends house, by |
| It is so easy, I get frustrated with people | | | | riding your bike to school, by doing more than one |
| (governments, corporations and others with | | | | thing when you take the car out, by car sharing |
| vested interests) trying to make it sound so | | | | or pooling, by using public transport even once a |
| difficult. | | | | week. |
| I get frustrated with people like me and you who | | | | - You can create a healthier you by changing your |
| tell me that it's too big a problem and what can | | | | eating habits - eat at home more often, grow |
| one person do about it? | | | | some of your own food, even herbs on a |
| I get frustrated with people who moan and say | | | | window ledge have health and climate change |
| that it's the responsibility of 'them' to fix it and | | | | benefits. Cut down your consumption of meat - |
| why are 'they' taking so long! | | | | up to 25% of your carbon emissions are coming |
| - At the end of the movie "An Inconvenient | | | | from meat consumption. That is an enormous |
| Truth" Al Gore came up with something so | | | | amount - try one vegetarian dish every week |
| simple, so easy for everyone to do that most | | | | and see if you discover a new family favourite. I |
| people probably missed it. It was to change all | | | | bet by the end of the year you can halve your |
| your lighting over to energy efficient globes. Just | | | | meat consumption and not even miss it. |
| a little thing. How on earth could that make any | | | | - Share what you are learning with people you |
| difference? | | | | know. If you found something that is great for |
| - Every little thing will make a difference and it's | | | | your family or for you personally, share it with |
| those things that you have total control over. You | | | | someone you love. You would do that if you |
| have the power in your life, in your home, in your | | | | found a great deal on shoes somewhere right? |
| workplace to make a lot of little changes, little | | | | It's only natural to share good ideas, great |
| adjustments, little suggestions. Little things are | | | | recipes, fun activities and so this part of the |
| easy and YOU get responsibility for getting them | | | | process will be even easier. |
| going in your home and your neighbourhood. | | | | - There are so many more things you can do. |
| - There is a LOT of information on how to cut | | | | REDUCE, Re-Use and Re-cyle are the words you |
| your consumption of electricity, gas and oil on the | | | | can use to remind yourself of your new |
| internet, in magazines, on television shows. All | | | | commitment to life on earth. REDUCE is the most |
| these things will cut your energy use which will | | | | important component. We all just want to be |
| reduce your personal emissions that are adding to | | | | happy and healthy, we can do that without |
| the problem of climate change. They are easy to | | | | consuming all the 'stuff' we currently consume - |
| implement, some of them are free, some will | | | | take a look at your life, your family, your |
| save your money, some are just little changes to | | | | community and see what consumption patterns |
| the way you behave. ALL of them make a | | | | you can reduce while at the same time increasing |
| difference. | | | | your levels of happiness and health. |
| The issues we are facing with climate change and | | | | What a challenge, what a reward. Climate change |
| global warming came about one drop at a time, | | | | could be just the opportunity we need to |
| one layer at a time, one thing after another until | | | | re-envision our whole lives and the way we live |
| finally something changed and a sequence of | | | | them. Now I'm feeling grateful to climate change, |
| events began to occur that is resulting in the | | | | go figure. |