Saving Our Planet

In the millions of years life has been on the planet, a few cataclysmic events have caused huge loss of species. These mass extinctions usually have their origins in giant meteorites crashing into the planet or a temperature drops creates an ice age. In today’s world, it is not global cooling that will cause many species to die but global warming. Now, the only threat from above is that of a missile with a nuclear warhead attached. If nuclear war does not destroy the planet, numerous conventional wars will soon bankrupt it. If this money were diverted to better uses, perhaps the most dangerous situation facing the planet, economic imbalance, could be righted. Every single one of these problems is of such tremendous scope, that it appears impossible to even make a dent in any of them. Despite this, every one of these problems is a moral imperative. Each one must be addressed with our most earnest effort, or it could spell the end of humanity.

Global started as a small statistical blip. The global temperature showed minute increases. Even scientist disagreed back then whether or not it was reason for worry. Now these small abnormalities have turned into an extremely strong, upward trend in the global temperature. There is no longer any disagreement among scientists. Global warming is now only debated on the political field where facts give way to errant opinions. While politicians argue over whether capping carbon emissions will harm business, the toll on the Earth is beginning to mount. It is now not whether the icecap will be gone, but when the icecap. In many areas, the heat leads to huge amounts of rainfall causing flooding and mudslides. While this may cause very visible, drastic shows of nature’s fury, there are parts of the...

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... scale of these tasks seems daunting on a level that none of us can fully comprehend, this should not discourage us. This is simply because it is on that massive of a scale. The power of one cannot even be seen on this scale. Only the movement of the masses can make a dent. Instead of attacking the issues head on by taking on heavy industry or chaining yourself to a tree, turning the few into the masses is the greatest thing anyone can do to tackle these issues. Creating a lasting, meaningful change can only come from the entire planet coming together in lock step behind these issues. As impossible as this may seem, the world will eventually find itself cornered. As the planet plunges into peril, the masses must be mobilized in order to force their governments in the right direction.

Works Cited

Schell, J. "No More Unto the Breach." Harper's (March 2009): 33-46.