The economy, the environment or jobs – which is more important to you?

By David Dawson

If you have a mortgage, lots of payments and a young family, then understandably you would most likely say your job is the most important.  However if you were retired living on a pension with your mortgage all paid off, then probably the economy would be your priority so as to guarantee your pension.

But if asked which is more important to your grandchildren or your as-yet unborn great grandchildren, you would probably say the environment should have top priority.

This is the dilemma we are all in.  Global warming is a fact.  Greenhouse gases have almost reached the point of no return, yet every day we humans drive our cars as if there was no problem.  We see the effects of global warming every day with erratic storms and droughts across the world, yet very few people are prepared to change their behavior for the long term good of the planet.

Politicians are supposed to be our leaders.  Most politicians are in the category of having a mortgage and payments themselves, so their top priority is getting themselves re-elected by adopting policies that are not necessarily good for the environment.  Their main priority is short-term-thinking around the economy, job creation and getting re-elected.

The human race's inability to take decisive action against all the greenhouse gas emissions is really worrying.  Why isn’t there a huge popular revolt against the policies of our so-called leaders in favour of environmentally sound policies.  Why can’t the few get the message out to the many?  Who or what is blocking the message?

We are about to cross over into unknown territory for our species.  Carbon Dioxide levels are about to exceed 400 parts per million in the atmosphere, and it doesn't look like slowing down anytime soon.  The planet itself is not about to disappear just because we will pass this 400 ppm level: it will still be here – it will just be uninhabitable for humans.  This concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere has not been seen in the last 3 million years, according to climate scientists.  And when scientists use to the word "worrisome", they are actually screaming DO SOMETHING!

As many of you know, we are already well past the "safe" limit of 350 ppm CO2, and according to many, we have already locked in 2 degrees of warming for at least the next one hundred years – and that is only if we don’t add to the problem.  But we are.  At 400 ppm and beyond, the global warming gets scarier and scarier, being more unpredictable each passing year.  Australia is well ahead of Canada in public awareness of global warming as well as in action and some of the information here is from http://www.greeningofgavin.com - a blog well worth visiting if you want to be inspired.

For me in my ‘twilight years’ the planet will still be habitable for the remainder of my life, but I worry about the world my grandchildren will have to tolerate.  I drive my car as little as possible, I grow as much of my own food as possible so as to avoid food being trucked long distances (and so I know it is chemical free).

So I won't go on about what you can do to prevent climate change as it is already too late for that.  It is already changing and will only get worse.  What we can do now is limit the severity of the change by changing our lifestyles and giving priority to the environment rather than jobs, jobs, jobs.  A job for your grandchildren is no use in an unlivable environment.

Politicians, leaders and everyone, please note - the environment needs you.