Earth: Why It Matters To Me (And Should Matter To You)

Earth

Why It Matters To Me (And Should Matter To You)

     I, like most of us, live on planet Earth. Home to millions of species and covered in breath-taking beauty, Earth is an anomaly that has capabilities unseen throughout the rest of the universe to date. This is our home. More importantly, this is our only home.

     I grew up on a small farm. My family kept a beautiful garden in which we grew corn, tomatoes, beans, and all of the other vegetables young children love to consume. I vividly remember standing under towering, brilliant sunflowers; that moment was captured in a picture that my parents adore (mostly because my mini self was sporting a dark purple black eye; I always had black eyes). With a variety of farm animals, two older brothers, and acres of land to explore, how could I not?

     In the fall and winter, my brothers and I always watched Nova and Nature, which fed my curiosity about the world and universe. However, in the spring my parents would put the TV away and we were ushered out the door until we were needed for chores, lunch or dinner. Consequently, my brothers and I were always outside exploring the woods, swimming in ponds, trying to catch creatures we encountered, or playing with chicks and baby goats in the pasture. The horses, goats, cows, chickens, and everything else we cared for provided me with all the wonder I could muster. I was taught to value all life, from the proper way to carry a chick to how to help a pepper plant stand tall again after it got trampled by an escaped goat. This enlightened foundation solidified my deep love for Earth and all of the plants and animals on it.

 
     As I grew older, I realized that there is a widening disconnect between us and the world around us. We see the life that surrounds us as passive and irrelevant to our own because we don't have time to think otherwise. We forget that we share this planet with millions of species, most of which, we could not survive without. Most importantly, we forget we are at the mercy of mother nature. We are powerless against hurricanes, tornadoes, forest fires, rising sea levels, and flooding rains. So when scientists prove that we are the cause of the growing strength and abundance of these natural disasters, it is in our best interest to take preventative action. We know what is happening. We know why it is happening. We know something must be done.

     Global warming is a serious problem. It is not something to worry about in the future, it is happening now. The abundance of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is trapping heat, steadily raising the temperature of the planet. Arctic ice is melting at record speeds and the region may have it's first ice free summer within the next couple decades. Soon, growing deserts and droughts will cause food and water shortages. In the past century, the sea levels (on average) have risen eight inches. Not scary enough? If the sea levels were to rise about four more inches, large populated parts of Southeast Asia could be consumed by the ocean. Furthermore, the oceans' circulation systems have been effected and if permanently altered, will create drastic weather changes that could trigger an ice age. Do you remember what survives ice ages? Not much.

     We must act now. We have the technology to end our dependence on the fossil fuels that are causing global warming. A great place to start is pushing for the electrification of transportation. A multitude of carbon emissions come from our different forms of transportation. Switching to electric cars, trains, and busses would greatly reduce carbon emissions. Unfortunately, special interest groups are fighting to ensure we continue our dependence on the trillion dollar fossil fuel industry. This is the reason why solar panels, electric and hydrogen cars, wind energy, and other alternative, renewable energy technologies are not readily available to the public. They are expensive and inaccessible to the average American. If we are to tackle global warming, we need to make alternative, renewable energy technologies available to all people. 

http://14joshko.wordpress.com/2012/05/21/one-world-essay-easy-on-the-gas-pedal/

   
     In order for this to happen, we need to educate and engage others. My goal is to provide information regarding electrifying transportation: what it means, why it is so important, where we can begin, and what it has done for those who have already incorporated it into their communities. Our future depends on us taking proactive and preventative action now.

     We fall in love watching sunsets. We are awed by the oceans. We get chills watching thunder and lighting storms. We admire birds as they glide through the sky. We are lulled by the rain and energized by the sun. We do this because we are a part of nature. We do this because we are connected to everything around us in ways we don't understand. This is our home; an anomaly filled with beauty and life. We need to take responsibility for the destruction we have caused. Despite our differences, we all want the same things. We want to do what we love, lead healthy and happy lives, and see those we love do the same. Global warming does not discriminate and if left unattended to, it will prove catastrophic to humans and thousands of other species in ways we cannot imagine.

     I want future generations to explore nature as I did as a child, to forever marvel at what they don't know and to grow into adults that figure out what no one else could. As a species, we need to concentrate on innovation, peace, and prosperity. To leave future generations a world impoverished by ignorance, greed and apathy would be devastating. We are very capable of changing our direction, and every individual that decides to help change the world, will.

"Everyone, everything is hopelessly indebted to everyone and everything else."

(CS Lewis, God in the Dock, pg. 85-86)