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The world is fast approaching a turning point in human history. The rainforests, the lungs of the world, are being cut down at the rate of 20 to 50 million acres a year, leading to greater desertification and increasing the threat of global warming. The world is also running out of fresh water, with 17% of the population lacking access to clean water. Global oil production could peak as early as 5-10 years from now, with drastic consequences for both our industrial economy and our ability to grow enough food to support us. Exacerbating all of these issues is the ongoing problem of global warming, with mounting costs in lives and money.
Yet most people are oddly sanguine about the impending ecological crisis, if they even acknowledge there is a crisis. It seems that the majority of Americans continue to embrace greed and materialism, with no consideration of the grave impact our way of life will have on the planet and future generations. Are people simply ignorant of the long-term implications of global warming, or how the world is running out of vital resources? Possibly, but I think there's a larger problem in our society. People simply don't care, or at least not enough to actually change their behavior.
Now why is that? Well, I think it starts with our education system. Obviously it would help if there was more of an emphasis on the environment, or at least on the long-term impact of human behavior. But more fundamentally, our education system no longer encourages children to think critically on issues or use their imaginations, instead emphasizing following directions and regurgitating material for tests. Such a mindset does not lead students to become actively engaged citizens. If we demand that our children suppress their individuality and original thinking, we can hardly be surprised when they become apathetic about democracy in adulthood.
What's more, we allow schools to treat students like second-class citizens. They are not given the right to privacy, or free speech, or any other constitutional rights. They are not allowed to freely express themselves, either verbally or through their appearances. This is done in the name of security, of course, but such treatment does not lead to adults who know how to function in a democratic society.
Beyond the impact of our education system, we have a corporate structure that robs people of any power or control over their economic lives, either at work or as consumers. As workers, most Americans have very little say concerning the nature of their work, or the decisions made at the corporate level. Outside of work, the airwaves are dominated by commercial messages that seek to turn us all into passive consumers of products, ignoring our democratic responsibilities. Citizens have the power to demand limits on corporate power, and to enforce good corporate behavior. Consumers, however, only have the power to choose not to shop at a given store. Given the size of modern corporations, it is no wonder that most feel that "consumer power" is essentially pointless.
The lack of power over our economic lives leads to a lack of responsibility for our behavior. We continue to consume more of the earth's dwindling resources than any other country, with no effort to prepare for the future. But there's good news, as every individual DOES have the power to change their own lives, and that such decisions can have an impact on the whole society. There are numerous actions each person can take to lessen their impact on the environment, most importantly the relative energy efficiency of one's house and means of transportation.
I know it's frustrating, trying to break through the wall of political apathy that so many Americans have built around them. But cultural change starts with the individual, and every new friend or family member that becomes convinced to practice a new way of life builds momentum to a sustainable future. As a way of starting, embrace sustainable and environmentally friendly actions in your own life, no matter how difficult it may seem at first. It might also help to start pointing out to your friends and family members the actual impact global warming and other ecological issues will have on their lives.
This is not just a feel good exercise, but also rather an important first step in creating a sustainable future. If we are to survive in the post fossil fuel era, it will require more than government legislation or new technologies. We must also change our culture, from an unrelenting emphasis on economic growth to one that lives within the limits of nature. I would recommend Thom Hartmann's Last Hours of Ancient Sunlight, for a more in depth discussion of both environmental dangers posed by our way of life and the need for cultural change.