What if we treated the problem, not just the symptoms?
Thu, Feb 04 2010 at 8:02 AM EST
Photo: Joe Mohr Cartoons A note from Shea: I'm out-of-pocket this week, working on a project in Iowa, and I've asked a few of my green blogger friends to help me by writing some guest posts. Enjoy this piece from Jeffrey Davis from The Fun Times Guide to Green Living (as well as right here on MNN). I'll be back in action next week.
“I was surprised to find out that I am a planet f*&$er … and I have bad news for you, you are all planet f*&$ers too,” said Saul Griffith as the room erupted in laughter at last year’s Greener Gadgets Conference. Unfortunately, he was right … but have we effed up the planet beyond repair?
The cartoon above — its cleverness knows no bounds — brings some much-needed humor to a bleak situation. The cartoon, by talented eco-cartoonist Joe Mohr (@GreenCartoons on Twitter), originally appeared on environmental politics site Red, Green, and Blue. The cartoon mentions the fact that we seem to be our own worst enemies when it comes to fixing the planet that we most likely screwed up to begin with.
Sometimes the problem with fixing a big problem is to focus on the big solutions. Sure, you apply for new health insurance and what happens? The biggest problems that you need insurance to cover are the same problems that aren’t covered because they’re pre-existing conditions.
What if that problem that needs attention is something serious and life-threatening like heart disease or diabetes?
We can tend to waste so much time worrying about how we’re going to take care of the big problems, when we’d be better off focusing on the smaller things. Stop focusing on the diabetes; instead, focus on exercising and eating healthier. Doing those two simple things will take care of the bigger problem … fancy that.
Air and water pollution, toxic waste, global warming and carbon emissions are all very real, very big issues we face as a world and a race … but they’re not the problems, they’re the symptoms. Those conditions are the result of our poor choices and our ignorance. We didn’t just look up one day and realize, “Crap, we’re screwed.” Those things evolved slowly, over time.
What’s one of the best ways to fix them? One step at a time … and simple steps, at that.
What would happen if you set a goal to recycle half of the waste you currently throw into your garbage can? That’d be a huge step for you as an individual. Congratulations. What would happen if a million people set that goal? That’d be a huge step for the planet. Again, congratulations. Go humanity, w00t!
One thing I’ve learned in life is that obligation only carries you so far. We don’t REALLY want to do things just because we have to. We want to WANT to do things. So you want to live greener? Make it fun. Don’t try to do it all by yourself; be the change you want to see in the world. (Didn’t someone famous say that? Ghandi something or other …)
On the other hand, it could be that no matter how hard we try, the planet is actually fighting our fight against climate change. In which case we’re all going down … but we can still have a little fun while we’re at it.
The cartoon above — its cleverness knows no bounds — brings some much-needed humor to a bleak situation. The cartoon, by talented eco-cartoonist Joe Mohr (@GreenCartoons on Twitter), originally appeared on environmental politics site Red, Green, and Blue. The cartoon mentions the fact that we seem to be our own worst enemies when it comes to fixing the planet that we most likely screwed up to begin with.
Sometimes the problem with fixing a big problem is to focus on the big solutions. Sure, you apply for new health insurance and what happens? The biggest problems that you need insurance to cover are the same problems that aren’t covered because they’re pre-existing conditions.
What if that problem that needs attention is something serious and life-threatening like heart disease or diabetes?
We can tend to waste so much time worrying about how we’re going to take care of the big problems, when we’d be better off focusing on the smaller things. Stop focusing on the diabetes; instead, focus on exercising and eating healthier. Doing those two simple things will take care of the bigger problem … fancy that.
Air and water pollution, toxic waste, global warming and carbon emissions are all very real, very big issues we face as a world and a race … but they’re not the problems, they’re the symptoms. Those conditions are the result of our poor choices and our ignorance. We didn’t just look up one day and realize, “Crap, we’re screwed.” Those things evolved slowly, over time.
What’s one of the best ways to fix them? One step at a time … and simple steps, at that.
What would happen if you set a goal to recycle half of the waste you currently throw into your garbage can? That’d be a huge step for you as an individual. Congratulations. What would happen if a million people set that goal? That’d be a huge step for the planet. Again, congratulations. Go humanity, w00t!
One thing I’ve learned in life is that obligation only carries you so far. We don’t REALLY want to do things just because we have to. We want to WANT to do things. So you want to live greener? Make it fun. Don’t try to do it all by yourself; be the change you want to see in the world. (Didn’t someone famous say that? Ghandi something or other …)
On the other hand, it could be that no matter how hard we try, the planet is actually fighting our fight against climate change. In which case we’re all going down … but we can still have a little fun while we’re at it.
Jeffrey Davis writes about simple, fun and easy ways to live green at The Fun Times Guide to Living Green (@FunGreenTips on Twitter). He thinks eco-snobbery sucks, but people rock. He writes for a host of other green media websites, and his first book will be hitting shelves later this year. Catch up with him and all his writing on his official Facebook fanpage.”
Are you on Twitter? Follow me (@sheagunther) there, I give good tweets.
And if you really like my writing, you can join my Facebook page.
Link
EMAIL
Stumble
Tweet
The opinions expressed by MNN Bloggers and those providing comments are theirs alone, and do not reflect
the opinions of MNN.com. While we have reviewed their content to make sure it complies with our Terms and Conditions,
MNN is not responsible for the accuracy of any of their information.
| « Previous The Prius-driving vegan vs. the meat-eating bicyclist: Who is the better environmentalist? | Next » Exploring the deforestation of the Amazon Basin by bike |
The Wrong Problem
Man pollutes the earths atmosphere with Mega Tons of Co2.
The Ocean pollutes the earths atmosphere with Giga Tons of Co2.
Now.. there is the problem..