I’ve been freaked out about the effects of global warming for a long time. But the latest report jointly issued by just about every credible scientist in the world has me seriously worrying about the world my little girl will grow up in.
In case you’ve been living under a rock the last couple of days, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released a report today in Paris forecasting “a steady rise in temperatures and sea levels for centuries because of human-caused global warming,” according to USA Today. (You also can read all about it in the New York Times, BBC News, the Washington Post, or just about any other news outlet on earth.)
We’re talking islands, coasts, and major cities disappearing under water. Major droughts and heat waves. Crazy tropical storms and hurricanes.
And this isn’t some distant future possibility. Scientists are predicting these scenarios for this century. So we’ll have to deal with it, but more frighteningly, our kids and grandkids will, too.
Of course, the Bush administration is a hopeless cause to do anything about this. But thank God the next presidential election is only 20 months away, and a new U.S. president can tackle the problem in earnest. In the meantime, let’s take action to turn things around–before it’s too late.
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5 thoughts on “Worrying About My Daughter’s Future”
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The difficult thing for most people when talking about global warming is overcoming the sense of hopelessness. The reality of the situation is that we CAN make a difference and turn around the effects of global warming … but it will take effort from virtually every nation and it won’t be a “quick fix.” Even if every country in the world stopped burning fossil fuels today we would still be living with the effects of Global Warming for most of the 21st century, maybe longer. It’s hard to imagine that even if we start doing what we should to save the environment our children will still grow up in a world full of environmental chaos — freak storms, flooding of coastal cities and islands, increased skin cancer rates, increased infertility, etc.
People who just bought that new beach house don’t want to think about the fact that the beach (and their new house) probably won’t be there in 30-50 years. That’s unthinkable because it’s unprecedented in our history. Unfortunately, ignoring the problem doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.
I know this isn’t happy to think about, but as a loving parent you should “worry about your daughter’s future.” We are living through the greatest “unnatural” disaster in history. But don’t just worry … do something. I’m not just talking about recycling or driving fuel-efficient cars. I’m talking about working with your employer, local businesses and schools to reduce their impact on the environment, contacting local, state, and national politicians and demanding action.
We might be too late to make the world a better place for your daughter, but we might be able to help your granddaughter.
Oh, yeah. I’ve had some major “what is my daughter’s world going to be like?” freak outs these past few years. We’re looking into what we can do to help the environment. But yeah. The folks who have been in power lately say they’re about family values and pro-children and all that, yet we’re rapidly screwing up our childrens’ futures.
One thing you might try doing is to advise her on the part human overpopulation plays in global warming; the systems, resources, et al required to support this excess.
It’s a very tough thought.
As a mom, I too look at my sons and wonder (worry!) about the world they are inheriting. I agree with anonymous that overpopulation is an issue; however, I think even more than that is our consumer culture. How can such a small population (relatively speaking) use so much of the world’s resources? It’s really been bothering me and I’m trying very hard to educate myself around living simpler and making less of an impact. It is very hard to go against our cultural grain…
If you are truly worried about global warming, check out the TRUTH at this site that was recently on DrudgeReport.com , and begins, “Global Warming, as we think we know it, doesn’t exist.” http://www.canadafreepress.com/2007/global-warming020507.htm