[JimJohnson]

Originally Posted by Jazuela

I agree with the ideas, opinion, and sentiment you present in this post, 100% Just a little factual disagreement. The underlined section. Human action with regards to fossil fuels isn't "causing" the change. It is one major contributing factor to the speed of the change. Industry as a whole has a huge impact on climate change. It would be insane to expect our species to halt industry.

But it is not insane, and in fact, it is probably the ONLY sane consideration, to try and change our approach to industry.

Yes producing windmills and solar panels and electric or hybrid cars uses up a lot of fossil fuels and produces pollution.

But once these products have been made, they cease to continue using those fossil fuels, and they cease to produce pollution. Electricity -can- be generated without fossil fuels. And you can use that non-fossil fuel to charge batteries. I feel this is key to a new industrial revolution, which I also feel must occur if we want our planet to support our species in the next thousand years.

No, I won't be here to see it. Neither will your kids, or their kids, or their kids. But I personally don't want to spend the rest of my life with the attitude that "who cares, I won't have to deal with it, not my problem." That's not how I was raised.

If I can do even just one LITTLE thing to change how I approach waste, pollution, and the climate, then I'll do it. I don't feel I need to live in a cave off the grid and only eat what I can catch, in order to take personal responsibility for my part of this worldwide project. I can push for recycling legislation. I can join a club that re-uses, re-purposes things that might otherwise be thrown in a trash heap somewhere. I can get a couple of small rain barrels and use those to water my inside plants instead of tap water. I can buy my spring water by the gallon and just pour what I need into a re-useable smaller bottle to carry around with me. Or better yet, buy a filter for the faucet.

I can drive less, walk more. I can use my gas golf cart instead of the gas-powered car for short drives, since I use less with the cart.

I can buy more natural fiber clothing and fewer synthetics.

I can plant oxygen-producing plants. I can buy only trigger-spray household products instead of aerosols. Or I could even make my own, it's not especially difficult.

Big things, little things. If you can't afford or don't like the looks of solar panels, that's okay. Recycle more, that can be your part.

If EVERYONE did SOMETHING to help, we would see a shift in perception and approach to the situation. It would inspire more preservation, and less waste. The little thing you do, can inspire your neighbor to do more, which would inspire his neighbor to do more, and soon you have the entire neighborhood producing significantly less waste and contributing more to a healthy environment.

And then the next neighborhood notices how awesome it is, and they start taking steps. and so on and so forth.

It's only when people say "screw this, I won't be alive to see a change so why should I even try?" that everything comes to a stop and any attempt becomes futile.

Wonderfully said. I hope everyone will read your post. I understand that some will get confused because it is a complicated issue. Also, we actually have those that don’t care what happens to future generations. Third world nations cause a lot of the problem because they are trying to survive. Americans cause a lot of the problem because of selfish greed. Many drive gas hog cars and just don’t care. Many of us consume enormous amounts of food just because it’s there. Many of us have homes far bigger than we need and have the air conditioning running day and night, just because we feel privileged. Point is, it seems to be easier to overuse in all aspects of our life rather than at least TRY TO HELP.