By Suzanne Maxx ©
Although Anthropogenic Climate Change is hard to pronounce, it is an even greater challenge to present the information so more people can really understand.
The fact that average citizens still misunderstand this topic was demonstrated to me when I was walking in Malmo, Sweden for the train to Copenhagen, Denmark to the U.N.’s COP15. I met a middle-aged Texan who was travelling on business, while he helped me navigate my luggage through the snow, he said laughing loudly:
“It’s hard to believe there are these people in Copenhagen for a conference on global warming when there is record cold and snow fall, how silly! We had a snowball fight yesterday, and I kept thinking how could they be so foolish?”
This was one of the moments that I was feeling embarrassed about Americans’ lack of illumination on this subject. I tried to explain that it is the name, “Global Warming” that confuses people– Climate Change/Global Warming presents in extreme weather conditions. I wish I could have explained it to the Texan in Sweden as well as Al Gore did in the New York Times Op-Ed piece this past Sunday –and with as much patience.
Even if one doesn’t comprehend the science of Global Warming, what is hard to understand is how people can actually think that we can pollute our air, or our water, or land, without consequences. We live here and the earth is alive. It is our home.
To learn more about where we are with these issues check out “State of the Planet” 2010. I have been to this annual event over the past few years and it continues to be quite cutting edge: informative, plus this year they are actually going global. It is hosted by Columbia University’s Earth Institute, directed by Jeff Sachs to connect voices globally to meet the challenge on Climate Change and Economic Recovery.
EPA’s endangerment findings confirm that we now have massive amounts of scientific evidence validating that; “Green House Gases (GHG) are harmful to our health”. How can our future and our children’s future not be a priority? How can we better value our basic resources? We must realize that pollution doesn’t just disappear.
The peaceful warrior cry of the environmental movement is urging us to take action now since each of us has a role and can do something for our world and the future of humanity. The creation of strong climate/energy policy on both a national and international level is needed”
World Team Now is teaming up with many of our Clean Energy Week friends, and rallying together to ask you to call your Senators today (and for the next 72 hours) to express the importance of getting some solid “energy legislature” passed in Congress this year. This is a critical time to get Clean Energy Legislature in the USA. We are joining a powerful Clean Energy Campaign along with our allies, 1Sky and Alliance for Climate Protection and others…
Once we have solid legislation here in the USA that enables us to take responsibility for our actions, we may have a chance at gaining respect from the international community. From this position we will increase our chances of gaining cooperation on a global climate policy prior to 2012 when the Kyoto Protocol expires. Please act now and if you don’t know how to reach your Senators’ office click here.
Again, that daunting question, “How can humanity live in better balance with its resources?
We at World Team Now are focused on demonstrating clean energy solutions and raising public awareness. Show trust in our democratic process and take action so that the kind of clean energy solutions we spoke about on World Team Now’s Renewable Energy Interactive Teleconference, as part of Clean Energy Week can become both accessible and affordable.
Call your Senators and support not just World Team Now, but also our global environmental movement. This helps to create green jobs, better ecology for our local environment, and a cleaner earth. Ask for some solid Clean Energy Policy in order to make solar, wind, tidal, and geothermal more accessible. This in turn will eventually make it more affordable. Between now and Earth Day’s 40th Anniversary, April 22nd –let’s have more to celebrate!
