Global Warming: Crusade of the common man

I would hope that the picture to the left is easily recognizable. The Grand Canyon is the greatest representation of natural beauty in the country, and perhaps the entire globe. Last April I was fortunate enough to take a trek through its wild landscape. Seven days without television, radio, or any kind of outside contact allowed me to emerge with a great sense of the natural world around me. When life slows down and all you think about is eating, sleeping, and walking, you get to thinking about what really matters. I concluded the following: Global Warming is a serious issue and if we as Americans don't clean up our act these environments we hold dear will not survive. With that said, it is not our responsibility alone, nor can we be expected to solve it withouth the cooperation of the entire international community.

As I walked into Bender Arena this past Friday I did not know exactly what to expect. I knew that I was going to have the chance to listen to author Mike Tidwell talk about his experiences in the African nation of Zaire, now the Democratic Republic of the Congo. What I did not expect was a lecture rooted in a much deeper and broader place. It became apparent that what Tidwell learned through his writing of The Ponds of Kalambayi was still relevant today.

What struck me most was his passion for global warming and climate control. He noted that third world nations in Africa and the Middle East, while contributing nominally to carbon emissions, are paying the heaviest price for climate change. It's true that the world is a large place and therefore it is no surprise that some countries never seem to see prosperous times. However, as reiterated many times in should-have-been-president Gore's documentary An Inconvenient Truth, and by Mr. Tidwell himself, this issue of global warming a moral issue, the single greatest obstacle our generation faces.

While nations toil over religion, political power, oil, or nuclear power, we must ask the simple question, "Why?" Why waste all that energy when instead we ought to unify our intellect and technology in solving this issue. It's not hard and we have what it takes. It's not solely the responsibility of businessman, world leaders, or MIT scientists. This is an issue that rests with every citizen in every country. The new Simpons Movie pokes fun at this issue with a satirical film they call, An Irritating Truth. Painfully enough, this is the reality among most people; that this issue is just too big or little of a deal for them to make a difference. In fact, it is quite the contrary. Anyone who has seen the Vice President's film would be hard pressed to sit back and do nothing while the world melts around them. In fact, a simple visit to the Climate Crisis website http://www.climatecrisis.net/takeaction/whatyoucando/ yeilds simple, no brainer ways to make a positive impact. My top three personal favorites:

1. Adjust your thermostat a mere 2 degrees warmer in the summer and cooler in the winter. Seriously, when was the last time you went outside and said, "Gosh, it feels like 75," only to look and realize that indeed it is 77 degrees. That's what I thought, you haven't.
2. Change out you incandescent lightbulbs and use compact fluorescents. They save you money and energy. That's the thing about working toward a sustanable climate...it doesn't cost you extra money! In fact, most of the things that are helpful save you money in the long run. Solar panels mean less money spent on fossil fuels. Hybrid cars, while perhaps more expensive out of the gate will be invaluable when you go to fill 'er up. When I visited Denmark, I couldn't go a mile without seeing a crop of windmills. This kind of stuff just makes sense.
3. Turn of lights and appliances when not in use. I know this sounds stupid but if you count how many lights are on unecessarily, you'll see what I mean. Likewise, leaving your computer or hair dryer plugged in when your not using it also takes extra energy.

Ok, so it may not be a mass alien invasion a la Tom Cruise in War of the Worlds or Will Smith in Independence Day, but it is the next best thing to a Global Crisis. This issue effects everybody and everybody contributes. No one can afford to be neutral. Perhaps I am alone in this wish, but I still want Boston to be above water for the next Wworld Series. In this age of globalization and world relations, priorities need to be set. Otherwise, there will be no world left for us.