Monday, 6 October 2008

Global ignorance?

The hot and controversial topic of the last few decades is the environment and what we should be, or not be, doing to cut down our emissions. I have to admit that even though I listen and read about the damaging effects our lives is having on the environment, daily on the news, I haven't changed much about my day to day life. I know that I, like many others, would never out of choice exchange my car for a bike or miss a summer holiday abroad to cut down on CO2 emissions because these are big changes to our everyday lives. But does this prove that we are an ignorant nation?

If so, then can we really afford to be one? When according to the Environment Agency the planet may not have warmed as fast as it has in the past 25 years. This 'hot topic' which is undoubtedly a very serious one hasn't been a regular part of our parents and grandparents lives. It takes a while for people to get into a routine of putting their recyclables into separate boxes for collection, to remember to turn their washing machine down to 30 degrees or to switch everything off by the mains and not leave it on standby.

The credit crunch will admittedly mean that people are more cautious about how much their electricity bills are but more needs to be done to help future generations. According to the BBC Weather Centre we are already seeing change and will continue to do so, but if predictions are correct then our climate will be a very different place in the next ten to twenty years as it is now.

Sources: http://www.bbc.co.uk/climate/evidence/too_late.shtml
http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/yourenv/639312/?version=1&lang=_e

1 comment:

Kim Ross said...

I've not commented on a blog yet, but I find a certain point you've raised interesting, about switching a car for a bike.

With the lifestyle we have (and typical British weather!), it's not plausible to use a bike. Even some environmental campaigners use cars/train/planes to get places, like campaigns.

I don't think everyone is necessarily ignorant, it's just that time efficient transport is something we actually need now.