Current Problems and Questions on the Environment

However, recent cases have shown that nations around the world are contaminating the globe’s atmosphere as they use it in efforts to clear waste. As more nations are becoming industrialized due to the globalization of world economies, there is a greater amount of discharge from different types of production. In brief, the degradation of the global atmosphere is caused by practically everyone around the world. Unlike countries which have specific boundaries that specify territorial restrictions, the atmosphere does not have an owner, it literally belongs to every individual that steps foot on this planet.

Therefore it is important that the general public becomes aware of the consequences that may emerge because of environmental mistreatment. According to the popular journal article, “The Great Climate Sellou” by Ruth Conning, it seems as though the issue of global warming is being put on the back burner by Washington and its administrators. There is more focus is on issuing new nuclear loan guarantees and opening up the Eastern seaboard to new offshore drilling.

Conning states, “given a historic opportunity to do something about the biggest threat to the health of the entire world, President Obama and the Democrats ultimately decided to do nothing” (20). Truth is that the government’s attention is no longer on environmental issues UT on other pressing issues associated with immigration and the economy. As newspaper headlines are no longer filled with disastrous oil spills across the globe, Democrats deserted their work on passing some form of legislation that tries to improve the effects on climate change.

Get quality help now

KarrieWrites

Verified

Proficient in: Environmental Science

5 (339)

“ KarrieWrites did such a phenomenal job on this assignment! He completed it prior to its deadline and was thorough and informative. ”

+84 relevant experts are online

Hire writer

As the world gets warmer, oil-soaked birds are ignored establishing a huge unawareness by society towards the preservation of the Earth Furthermore, although much blame is given to the Obama administration, Republicans have some part to do with it as it has also disregarded the environmental topic. As stated by the author, “On the one side there were the Democrats Kerry, who led climate-change negotiations in the Senate, and Obama, giving industry everything it wanted and on the other side were the Republicans, also demanding favors for industry, but fearful of looking even slightly concerned about the future of the planet” (21).

Even though there are a few beneficial energy projects taking place that could accomplish some sort of cutback in emissions, the budget does not say much on what Obama and his administration will do to effectively decrease the discharge of carbon elution by the largest emitters such as power plants and automobiles. Of course one needs to not hold Obama fully accountable for the government’s failure to act.

Reality is that without some sort of mutual effort and agreement between both chambers in Congress, the House and Senate, practically nothing can be passed in Washington. Consequently, the President is at the mercy of the House and especially the Senate on many key issues making him fully dependent. However, according to Conning, the good news is that environmental groups are not just standing with their arms crossed as the world slowly collapses afore our very eyes.

As stated by the author, “Greenback, Friends of the Earth, and the Rainforest’s Action Network, along with some other groups, formed a breakaway coalition called Climate Reality Check, which abandoned the nationalization tactics of the mainstream environ groups and began to criticize weak emissions reductions targets and other compromises by the Obama Administration and Democrats in Congress” (21). These efforts show that even though the political terrain may be getting difficult for many activist, environmental awareness is not abandoned signifying that we better start owe before it is too late.

Although there is still a long way ahead of us in establishing a comprehensive climate reform, the key for success in finally accomplishing full environmental regulation is for society to act as one as it involves every single one of us. As we are all aware, our global environment has always had climate issues as personal burden. We, as individuals, need to play a role to impact our global climate for the better. In Zinnia Salsa Mahout Housing article, “Housewife’s Awareness of Global Climate Changes and its Relationship with Behavioral Practices Associated with Some Resources in the Home Environment” one of his main focal points is on the correlation between housewives and the global climate.

He presents his research indicating that the more knowledge a housewife has about the global environment in terms of the uses of its natural resources in their home, the better the impact is on the global climate. For the most part women have always played the prominent role in the household, “managing the family needs inside the house and dealing with most natural resources” as stated by Yogis (70).

For instance women deal with power and household appliances as they do daily routines such as the general cleaning and every day cooking. Decorative plant resources are also used as they decorate the house to not just impress visitors but to have a higher standard of living. Of course water resource cannot be forgotten about as it is a key component almost everything we eat or drink. Last but not least women in general manage house wastes resources as they are usually the ones to determine what is still in use and what can be considered as garbage.

Moreover, Yogis goes on to say that by gassing awareness on correct behavioral practices towards the environment, it will drastically cut down on inadequate behavior such as exaggerated consumption of home resources (71 ). Examples of these type of behavior may range from leaving the water running when brushing one’s teeth to leaving lights on that are not in use for an extended period of time. Furthermore, he argues that correct practices will have a trickle-down effect on children.

This idea does make sense as children start to develop a full conscious of their surroundings in the adolescent stage. Not only is childhood radical in understanding what the necessary steps are in trying to preserve the earth for future generations, it is practically the only stage that will permit these customs to really take root. As time passes, each generation will be better than the previous in taking the proper decisions for world protection and it’ll turn into a way of life rather than a job to be accomplished.

Concentrating on housewives is a tremendous thought not only because it impacts the usage of proper practices on natural resources but also takes note of everyone else in the household. When it comes to the love of one’s family, leaving the world a better place for the future of our children is a visible consideration. In the article “Lessons from Lost Worlds” by Jarred Diamond, the author comes to an awareness of the global environment after the birth of his twin sons.

He argues that while he was growing up there was talk about environmental problems occurring around the year of 2050 but he never gave it enough thought since he wouldn’t be alive at that time. Although the year 2050 was unreal for him, he could not say the same about his children as they would have reached the GE of 63 in the year 2050. In brief, this awareness made him realize that the state of the world during the middle of this century will have a tremendous effect on his children and of course for other children across the nation.

As the lives of future generations are threaten by world conditions Diamond comes up with a set of lessons that we may be able to grasp from past events in different societies that are similar to the one we are facing in today’s world. Diamond introduces with a historical perspective as he states: Many past societies collapsed partly from their failure to solve problems animal to those we face today- especially problems of deforestation, water management, topsoil loss and climate change. The long list of victims includes the Nazis in the U. S.

Southwest, the Maya, Easter Islanders, the Greenland Norse, Mycenaean Greeks and inhabitants of the Fertile Crescent, the Indus Valley, Great Zanzibar and Angora Watt. The outcomes ranged from “just” a collapse of society, to the deaths of most people, to (in some cases) everyone’s ending up dead (417). The present global environment is experiencing problems that suffer much rater consequences than what the Indus Valley, Maya, the Nazis, etc. Faced. Those societies experienced a downfall with a population that is practically nothing compared to our present-day population which is indeed much larger.

In addition, a larger population indicates that consumption is at a much larger rate which will lead to a much more catastrophic demise to our population if it is altered in any negative way. Furthermore, the collapse of numerous societies in the past makes it clear that misfortune and ultimately collapse was not avoided by its population although it could have. The question is, if past societies saw environmental problems building up that would fundamentally lead to the destruction of their empire, why was absolutely nothing done about it?

Diamond makes a humorous remark stating that generations in the future will be asking the exact same question about our generation now which is why it is necessary to not commit the same mistakes done in the past and take initial action (418). He concentrates on short vs.. Long term effects that harm our society but may not be completely obvious for the typical American citizen to point out. As Americans o whatever they can to leave a wealthy lifestyle in the short run, harm is committed on everyone else due to this selfishness.

So when trying to get Americans to recycle and look out for the community, it’s best to emphasize that it’s good for them individually instead of indicating the broad benefits. In today’s world or at least in the United States motivation is driven by self serving acts, something that needs to change urgently. Nevertheless, hope is not lost for Diamond as he states that problems we face today are fixable in the sense that they do have an attainable solution. Diamond says, ‘the risk we face isn’t that of an asteroid collision beyond our ability to avoid.