I guess it's part of being human. We tend to look out our windows, and make conclusions about the entire planet. And, it's easier too. How many of us really want to believe that sea levels could rise and flood our major cities...or 200 million people could be climate refugees? Turns out 2009 wasn't even the hottest of all time either. Just 6th or so. Nothing to worry about.
It doesn't hurt of course that hundreds of millions of dollars is being spent to encourage our ambivilence. Muddy the water, so to speak, with doubt. Relatively simple...just nudge people in the direction they already want to go.
Who would do such a thing? Well, let's follow the money.
Flush with record profits of the past few years totaling in the tens of billions (remember $4 plus gas?), oil, coal, natural gas and other industries that stand to benefit by the status quo (and their proxys in DC by the way), are doing all they can to insure you don't believe what you're being told. Scientists....what do they know?
And it's working. Recent polls released in Newsweek magazine show just 57 percent of Americans believe the world is warming. Down from 71 percent last year. And even fewer...just 36 percent believe human activity is to blame.
In that Newsweek article, Al Gore is interviewed about his just released book "Our Choice." Despite these numbers, he says he still believes the tipping point is nearing, when governments, led by the U.S., will take bold action to address climate change. Have to admire him for that. I hope he's right.
Here's the rub. As Gore says "reality really has a way of knocking at the door." Humans sadly are more moved by emotion than fact. Will it take a dramatic disaster...say a continent-sized chunk of Antarctica slipping away...before people are swayed?
Disturbingly, 80 percent of CEOs and CFOs say they would not take action to make their factories run more efficiently and save money in the long run....if it hurt their next quarter bottom line. Way to go guys.
Is that just incredibly myopic, or is it truly insane? I'll leave that to you.
Let's just hope the rest of us don't need a full preview of doomsday to get moving. And that, in our actions in the next few years, we show a bit more wisdom, and a bit more respect, for the generations that will come after us.
