Conservatives and global warming
What really started me thinking tonight was something my boyfriend told me. Apparently, his English class got into a brief discussion about global warming this past week, and the teacher made it known that she believed it was all a conspiracy and lies cooked up by someone. Maybe it’s just the liberal streak in me, but I really don’t know why people are making such a huge deal about global warming these days, as in, “oh no, global warming can’t possibly exist!” Seriously? I’ll admit, Al Gore’s “documentary,” An Inconvenient Truth, was cliched and unintentionally funny at some points, but at least it helped to promote awareness about the issue. And all the scientific data is there to back up the statements. And no, global warming is not something new nor is it something people just made up for the hell of it. It’s a natural process that’s been happening for billions of years and years; the Earth has always gone through alternating periods of ice ages and global warming.
The problem today is that all the human activity in the last two hundred or so years – starting with the Industrial Revolution and coming right up to the present-day “let’s make nuclear bombs and spill chemicals into rivers and drive around in big ol’ Hummers” atmosphere – has accelerated the warming process. And scarily enough, past data has indicated that there’s always an intense warming period right before the advent of a new ice age. Now, I don’t know if we’re headed into the next ice age, Day After Tomorrow-style, but either way, does it really matter if global warming exists or not if it helps to promote environmental consciousness? What could possibly be wrong with wanting people to care more about the environment?
I’m no tree-hugger, but is it so hard to get up your lazy butt and toss something into an actual trash can instead of just leaving it on the ground? Or collecting your empty water bottles in a bag to recycle? How about car pooling or god forbid, even biking (especially since people are getting so fat in this day and age, why not save the environment and lose a few pounds while you’re at it?) It will not kill you to try any of those, I promise you, because I do all those things myself and I’m one of the laziest people you will ever met. I’m the girl who will lay there and contemplate if I really need to use the restroom, just cause I don’t want to leave my warm, fluffy bed, so if I can find the will to do the things that I mentioned, so can you. So all those whiners just need to shut up, stop complaining about left-wing conspiracies, and actually care. Cause, you know, we all have to live on this planet, and it’d be nice to keep it green and pretty instead of turning it into some apocalyptic wasteland. My thoughts for the night…
Ugh — people disgust me sometimes. It’s especially infuriating when you see a public trashcan and the insane amount of trash piled up around it!! WTF??
And how can you NOT notice the difference in weather and temperatures caused by Global Warming? We’re smack dab in the middle of April and people are STILL wearing scarves and shit. Pollution FTL.
I really appreciate your opinion about this since I think the same about global warming. I try to do as much as I can against it and it makes me angry to see people just denying and denying all the time…
I am with you on the Global Warming issue. If people would only do the little things- it would make such a big difference.
What infuriates me the most is when people are talking about global warming and make comments about how they are just one person in the world- how is their contribution going to make a bit of difference. If only they knew..
I’ve gotta agree with you! I’ve stayed kind of blind to the hype about global warming.. but I agree that the fact is – everyone needs to just do their part. It’s easy to pick up after yourself, not litter, carpool when possible, and recycle the obvious recyclable things. It’s just too bad that people wouldn’t do these things BEFORE there were such obvious signs of “global warming”.
I agree with you on the laziness of today’s society. Seriously, take the whole trash step furhter and recycle things that can be recycled. Ugh. And I don’t think that the apathy comes entirely from conservatives and repudlicans. I think there is a large amount of liberals who are all talk and no action… or just don’t even care. Global warming exists throughout the entire political spectrum, i don’t care who you are. I think its just ignorance… not party choice.
I’m with you :) It’s annoying because people these are just too lazy to do even the smallest things to “save the world”. They just don’t realize that the world gives us many things. We live in this planet, it provides us everything that we need… and those are the only things that we need to do in return, in order to preserve the Earth. A person who does those things can make a real difference. And hey. Who says global warming doesn’t exist? It does! Why do people deny it?
I have to admit I was one of the people who had to see The Inconvenient Truth before I realized what a big issue global warming was becoming, and it’s unfortunate that it’s not being taken more seriously. I thought it was hilarious that your boyfriend’s teacher thinks the whole idea is a conspiracy. Regardless, people should definitely start caring more for their environment. :(
That’s what I have thought as well. Like how can people just not care about the place where they are going to bring their children? HOW hard is it to not throw trash into a forest but save it in your car until you reach the first trash bin. Those spoiled people just annoy me, really.
Agreed! The funny thing is it seems to be too much to ask people to be somewhat considerate of their fellow citizens, much less the environment. It can’t hurt to care, even if it’s just in a small gesture or two.
Everything is about global warming these days. Even my dad started talking to me about saving everything. Including turning off the 40-watt bulb on my room, and I had to tell him my lil brother was there so I didn’t do it even before he told me so.
I really agree with what you said. Every person has to do their part because we are all living in this world.
I cannot believe that some people think Global warming doesn’t excist!
It’s so weird how the Republican party’s stance on this issue has changed recently from “No way, it doesn’t exist,” to “It might exist, but it’s too much money.” Honestly, it’s the consumerist culture that’s causing global warming… everything has to come in individualized packaging and be completely disposable. No one want’s to reuse or clean out their cleaning supplies and get biodegradable, non-harsh chemical cleaners. I think the scariest kind of people aren’t those who think that global warming is a hoax but those who understand the consequences of their lifestyle and yet still don’t change.
Here’s what I want to know – does global warming somehow diminish the Right Wing religious majority’s faith or something? Is it easier just to cry conspiracy than have to change any of your daily routine, even if it means depleating natural resources and making our habitat unlivable?
Apparently, the answer is a resounding “yes”, which is what you get when people believe everything the controlling political party tells them – religiously.
I totally know how you feel on this issue. Global warming is a serious topic and people are just ignoring the problem cause they think it doesn’t affect them.