Winnebago
2007-05-17, 22:03
I've been pondering for some time now on the rather one-sided information we've been given by the media on the subject of climate change and things like that.
All we read in the papers, see on the news or click by on the internet is that the world seems to be doomed. The ice on the poles is melting, rainforrests are disappearing, desserts expanding and seas rising. Within years, humankind will perish because of floods, famine or some aother apocalyptical disaster, unless we do something right now.
"What can we do?" does the suddenly aware consumer ask. (Who is this question aimed at? Well, just about anyone that seems to know more than the average person) Well, you could start with buying some of those new Philips lightbulbs that save energy. Get rid of that fuel-guzzling SUV, and buy one of those hip Toyota Priusses(or is the plural Priuae?). It happens on a larger scale as well. Power companies get energy from bio-energy and windmills. Politician's use our fear of the environmental apocalypse in their advantage to gain populairity. Government use it to justify higher taxes.
But are our worries concerning the environment justified? Media tell us the ice on the southpole is dissappearing quickly. The truth is that the ice on Antarctica is actually growing and the sealevel is dropping. We hear about the rainforrests being cut down. Truth is that there are more trees at this planet right now than there ever have been.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying we should go on and rape this planet, fueldrunk as we all are. Plowing our SUV's through rainforrests, letting our factories vomit thick black clouds of poisonous gases into our atmosphere; it doesn't take a genius to see that can't be good.
What I would like though, is objective information on the state of our planet. Powerful people benefit to much of the current 'environment-hype', misusing our concerns for their own good. We should be more critical towards media that try to imprint the 'world-is-going-to-die!' message into our heads. We need to think for ourselves, and allow more critical opinions concerning the environment to be brought up as well. Don't let Greenpeace sweep messages of that nature under the carpet.
All we read in the papers, see on the news or click by on the internet is that the world seems to be doomed. The ice on the poles is melting, rainforrests are disappearing, desserts expanding and seas rising. Within years, humankind will perish because of floods, famine or some aother apocalyptical disaster, unless we do something right now.
"What can we do?" does the suddenly aware consumer ask. (Who is this question aimed at? Well, just about anyone that seems to know more than the average person) Well, you could start with buying some of those new Philips lightbulbs that save energy. Get rid of that fuel-guzzling SUV, and buy one of those hip Toyota Priusses(or is the plural Priuae?). It happens on a larger scale as well. Power companies get energy from bio-energy and windmills. Politician's use our fear of the environmental apocalypse in their advantage to gain populairity. Government use it to justify higher taxes.
But are our worries concerning the environment justified? Media tell us the ice on the southpole is dissappearing quickly. The truth is that the ice on Antarctica is actually growing and the sealevel is dropping. We hear about the rainforrests being cut down. Truth is that there are more trees at this planet right now than there ever have been.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying we should go on and rape this planet, fueldrunk as we all are. Plowing our SUV's through rainforrests, letting our factories vomit thick black clouds of poisonous gases into our atmosphere; it doesn't take a genius to see that can't be good.
What I would like though, is objective information on the state of our planet. Powerful people benefit to much of the current 'environment-hype', misusing our concerns for their own good. We should be more critical towards media that try to imprint the 'world-is-going-to-die!' message into our heads. We need to think for ourselves, and allow more critical opinions concerning the environment to be brought up as well. Don't let Greenpeace sweep messages of that nature under the carpet.