Global warming has been an issue that is becoming more prevalent.
As a stay at home mom I am either chasing my toddler around or watching PBS shows like Sesame Street. I try to watch at least thirty minutes of national news just so I can keep up on current events.
On Monday night there was a brief story about a UN study regarding global warming. It reviewed some of the risks we are facing if we don’t make changes. The interviewee mentioned that although we have had a challenging winter, 2013 was the warmest on record and that this trend will continue to occur unless humans make changes. After that short story the news moved on to the next issues of the night.
Although we have heard about global warming for years this brief story pointed out the scientific predictions of years ago. Warmer temperatures and harsher storms are beginning to happen. I have watched the news a little more deliberately the last few days to see if there would be any follow up and haven’t seen anything.
I guess following the conscious uncoupling of Gwyneth Paltrow or Nick Cannon using white face to promote an album are more important than the long-term sustainability of our planet. Since the television news was not going to provide me with any more information I found some quiet time while my son was sleeping to search the internet and found an article with the details of the UN report.
As I read through this article I was amazed that global warming has taken such a back seat in our daily discussions. Within the report it says, “Increasing magnitudes of warming increase the likelihood of severe, pervasive, and irreversible impacts.” It also points out that climate change will help create new pockets of poverty and “hotspots of hunger” even in richer countries, increasing inequality between rich and poor.
As I sit at home watching commercials about the starving children in other countries and celebrities asking us to donate money I am confused. What about this issue of global warming? The devastation from storms in New Jersey and Oklahoma recently. It isn’t being talked about on a national stage and I realize things aren’t going to change in our country until these celebrities are affected on a personal level. I rarely get involved in political debates, but I do appreciate that our current first family is trying to teach people about the importance of growing their own food. Unfortunately they do it with the help of a large staff and the help of tax payers which the average American doesn’t have.
Daily I live my life chasing my son, I do tend a garden and try to live a life that will help maintain the health of our planet. I know that this will help teach my son about the importance of “green” living, but I worry that unless society changes my lifestyle isn’t going to help the next generations.
