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Quote by: Slevin57  I don't think that government polices are going to create sweeping change.
We need to change the way people think. I never throw things on the ground, I keep it in my car or find a trashcan. But I also drive an SUV. And if a recycling container is not available, then I'll just throw it in the trash.
I think as far as recycling we should adopt the Canadian approach and make it standard to have recepticals for both.
Recycling is what everyone things about with the Environment. I think it's a good starting point to greater education.
I don't think we should just devote our time to fixing global warming. Soil erosion is actually a greater problem than global warming right now, you don't' see people out throwing grass seed now do you?
If we are going to learn, it needs to start on the individual level. |
The governer of California (Arnold) once got some protests about dirving his SUV (as personal vehicles are a major cause relative to greenhouse gasses and Global Warming trends). But he got his face on the cover of TIME magazine as a leading environmentalist because of a number of laws and programs he is putting into effect in California. Which will also move us in the direction of bio-fuels instead of fosil fuels. As a Republican governor working with democrats he is showing everyone that government can take action and can make major strides towards the solutions outlined by scientists and environmentalists. He is overcoming the myth that we can get nothing done via poltics.
It is wonderful that you would take the personal responsibilty to dump your trash in the right place to keep our highways looking beautiful. But such trash is not causing global warming nor health hazards for natives in the northern Canada. (with exception of an oil can perhaps).
The only individual that can have a major impact on making changes are the individuals who own or manage industries that polute, individuals who provide dirvers with the fuels they need for transportation, and individuals who can effect laws and regulations via poltical roles as our leaders.
To try to make people think they can create the changes needed by individual actions of personal responsibilty is vastly understating what must be done from a collective prespective. Although every little bit helps those little bits are not a big enough effort. Individuals who support organized environmental projects or who vote for envrionmentalistic canadates or who speak and write about this topic in a constructive manner, are also important as a "starting place". But asking people to just recycle cans is not enough to cut the mustard. And in a way it is a deception promoted by those who do not want people to demand changes in industry and transportation, and so forth. What you have suggested sounds nice and even somewhat logical but it falls short of the more realistic solutions called for.