Living Beyond Our Means
We hear about it everyday, we should lead cleaner and more efficient lives.
The message used to be coming from groups trying to help preserve our environment, but this message is not just coming from environmentalist anymore but scientist and business men as well.
Economist are starting to see the economic impact that climate change and resource depletion is going to have if we keep down this same path.
According to CNN.
com; "We have now reached a moment where four words - the earth is full - will define our times.
This is not a philosophical statement; this is just science based in physics, chemistry and biology.
There are many science-based analyses of this, but they all draw the same conclusion - that we're living beyond our means.
" Global Footprint Network, for example, calculates that we need about 1.
5 Earths to sustain this economy.
So pretty much to sustain the economy we live in now we need 50% more Earth.
And it isn't just this one organization saying this.
Usually cautious agencies such as International Energy Agency and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, have both released reports stating that by 2050 are world will be defined over the fight for resources.
Financial leaders are also sounding the alarm.
Chinese Environment Minister Zhou Shengxian said; "The depletion, deterioration and exhaustion of resources and the worsening ecological environment have become bottlenecks and grave impediments to (our) economic and social development.
" So we all knew this was going to happen at some point right? How do we stop it? To be honest I don't think the problem will become even close to being solved until it is in our face screaming at us.
As humans "growth" is ingrained into our minds.
We are so used to living this lifestyle; the only thing that is going to change the way we do things is an utter economic collapse.
Usually great disasters have to occur before we start taking threats seriously.
Take for example WWII, America long delayed joining the war, because many did not it see it as a threat.
They thought our loses in the war would be greater than our gains.
It took a massacre like Pearl Harbor to wake us up to the threat these nations posed.
Major reforms in energy efficiency and expansion of alternative energies must happen to avert disaster.
This is why expanding domestic drilling for oil really isn't going to help much.
Putting aside the fact that this oil will eventually run out, there is much data that says we will not be able to drill fast enough to keep up with our current demand while raising production for the growing world.
Drilling for oil is like putting a band-aid on a stab wound.
It might stop the bleeding at the moment, but eventually infection will set in and kill you.
America burns up one fourth of the worlds oil supply, and we are leaving the days of cheap oil.
No longer can you expect to not feel pain at the pump.
Do I think this will lead to the end of America, and possibly the human race...
sure don't, but we are facing serious issues in very near future.
Issues that make what we are facing now seem pity.
We are a smart race though, I am sure we will figure it out.
Changes are already being made.
Major lifestyle changes will occur in the next 50 years, hopefully they will be slow changes not caused by a one day disaster.
We can no longer relay on oil and things like deforestation, water depletion, and air pollution should all be things that are on the political agenda.
We as voters set the agenda so make sure it isn't something we continually look over because it isn't a pressuring issue at this very moment.
Let's not wait tell it is to late.
-Jerred McKee
The message used to be coming from groups trying to help preserve our environment, but this message is not just coming from environmentalist anymore but scientist and business men as well.
Economist are starting to see the economic impact that climate change and resource depletion is going to have if we keep down this same path.
According to CNN.
com; "We have now reached a moment where four words - the earth is full - will define our times.
This is not a philosophical statement; this is just science based in physics, chemistry and biology.
There are many science-based analyses of this, but they all draw the same conclusion - that we're living beyond our means.
" Global Footprint Network, for example, calculates that we need about 1.
5 Earths to sustain this economy.
So pretty much to sustain the economy we live in now we need 50% more Earth.
And it isn't just this one organization saying this.
Usually cautious agencies such as International Energy Agency and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, have both released reports stating that by 2050 are world will be defined over the fight for resources.
Financial leaders are also sounding the alarm.
Chinese Environment Minister Zhou Shengxian said; "The depletion, deterioration and exhaustion of resources and the worsening ecological environment have become bottlenecks and grave impediments to (our) economic and social development.
" So we all knew this was going to happen at some point right? How do we stop it? To be honest I don't think the problem will become even close to being solved until it is in our face screaming at us.
As humans "growth" is ingrained into our minds.
We are so used to living this lifestyle; the only thing that is going to change the way we do things is an utter economic collapse.
Usually great disasters have to occur before we start taking threats seriously.
Take for example WWII, America long delayed joining the war, because many did not it see it as a threat.
They thought our loses in the war would be greater than our gains.
It took a massacre like Pearl Harbor to wake us up to the threat these nations posed.
Major reforms in energy efficiency and expansion of alternative energies must happen to avert disaster.
This is why expanding domestic drilling for oil really isn't going to help much.
Putting aside the fact that this oil will eventually run out, there is much data that says we will not be able to drill fast enough to keep up with our current demand while raising production for the growing world.
Drilling for oil is like putting a band-aid on a stab wound.
It might stop the bleeding at the moment, but eventually infection will set in and kill you.
America burns up one fourth of the worlds oil supply, and we are leaving the days of cheap oil.
No longer can you expect to not feel pain at the pump.
Do I think this will lead to the end of America, and possibly the human race...
sure don't, but we are facing serious issues in very near future.
Issues that make what we are facing now seem pity.
We are a smart race though, I am sure we will figure it out.
Changes are already being made.
Major lifestyle changes will occur in the next 50 years, hopefully they will be slow changes not caused by a one day disaster.
We can no longer relay on oil and things like deforestation, water depletion, and air pollution should all be things that are on the political agenda.
We as voters set the agenda so make sure it isn't something we continually look over because it isn't a pressuring issue at this very moment.
Let's not wait tell it is to late.
-Jerred McKee
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