Being big sometimes means being a bully and that certainly seems to be the case with the US.
It seems that those countries prepared to be responsible in the playground of life and share the resources of the world, could end up crying at playtime as the bully continues to steal and plunder from them. The US failed to sign up to the Kyoto protocol, under which a global view was taken on climatic change and how this should ideally be dealt with. Emissions of all types can affect the stability of the climate and what is viewed as a shared resource (the climate) needs to be treated with urgent and extreme care.
Governments worldwide have been set the task of information gathering and sharing as well as sharing national strategies.None of the efforts will come cheap and the governments which have signed up to the Kyoto protocol will also discuss financing and technology advancements to assist in the worldwide efforts.With immense financial and technological resources the US was seen as an important player under the Kyoto protocol but the US refused all platitudes and remains on the outside. Sadly for so much of the world’s media this is yesterday’s news and no longer sexy!
However, according to an article penned by Gabriel Hershman (see The Resident April 22 edition) the playground bullies are intent on extending their destruction of the world.Hershman states that money speaks louder than environmental concerns, in his article on oil drilling in Alaska — an area of natural beauty and a wild life refuge; this certainly seems to be the case.
So, dear Resident readers, let’s make sure we are not part of the playground hell bent on putting its heads firmly in the sandpit, hoping that the problem will go away. Do you remember the pictures taken at the time of the Exxon Valdez disaster, where in 1989 nearly 11 million gallons of crude oil were unceremoniously dumped into the sea? The devastation to the Prince William Sound in Alaska was huge, and although 16 years later some reports suggest that fish stocks were more resilient than at first feared, it has been proved, as a result of this spillage, that oil is far more toxic than was generally believed.
Take it from me (or from many other better advised sources available on the Internet and local libraries), if action is not taken to try and reverse some of the damage already done to the world in which we live, suffocation, through buryingour heads in the sand may very well be a good option.At a time when we are constantly being asked to stop and think before turning on a tap or flushing a toilet, please also think about other ways in which you can make a difference to climate change.
Yours
J.B. Brand
The Resident’s editor would be pleased to hear of your ideas for a greener environment and the conscious decisions you make.It could be as simple as refusing carrier bags at the supermarket checkout.
Email us or write and let us know your ideas.
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