Why Bother By Michael Pollan Summary

Be the Change the Planet Needs
In Michael Pollan’s “Why Bother?” Pollan argues that each person can contribute to helping to the environment by erasing their carbon footprints. In my everyday life I experience the choice of driving my car to work or riding my bike. More often than not I choose to drive my car because it is the easier option. I, along with many other people, believe that my individual impact will not cause a larger impact on the global scale. In Pollan’s essay, he makes each person think about the effect they are leaving on the environment and how each person, as an individual, can change his ways before it is too late. Wendell Berry, a naturalist and well-respected and influential writer, was a key factor in recognition of the environmental crisis and how to solve the problem.
Wendell Berry argued that the environmental crisis was a turning point of

character and the issue would have to be settled first in the home. The issue with trying to save the planet from fossil fuels is every person is too dependent on specialization. Specialization allows every person to continue with their daily lives and not worry about the toxic waste poured into the ocean, or the waste from factories sent into nearby rivers. As consumers, we have a specialist that can accommodate our every need. The cheap energy we use so frequently for each specialist is causing the destruction of our society and our Earth. If people were to value a less divided, and reliant life then we would be more appreciative of a greener planet. Scientists have been warning everyone about the dangers of global warming for nearly twenty years.
The question every person is thinking is why should I have to accommodate the Earth when my neighbor is going to continue wasting fossil fuels and ruin the environment.

Pollan even agrees that becoming friendlier to the environment may seem like a bit too much. Scientists may even show that it could even be too late to save the planet from the climate change. One NASA climate scientist, James Hansen, began warning about global warming 20 years ago. According to Hansen, the amount of carbon we are emitting is going to change the world as we know it. Scientists have seen the climate change affect the world on a grander scale as of today and we are seeing ice caps melt at both poles. The sunlight that used to reflect off of the ice back into space is now being absorbed into the soil and creating a warmer environment. This is causing global warming to occur faster than most scientists predicted. There are ways to possibly slow down the carbon footprint each person is leaving on the world. By growing a garden and even making some of your own food can lessen the carbon footprint each person

creates.
The best way to achieve a smaller footprint is to grow your own garden and resist urgencies to depend on cheap energy and specialization. As one person shows interest in saving the planet by growing a garden, others too will be influenced to find alternative ways to produce food, and other sources of technology. Pollan shows how easily we can achieve a better lifestyle by doing simple things for example abstaining from economic activities. By changing few things out of our lives we can become more independent from these specialists and begin a more self-sustainable life. Separating individuals from specialists is the first step in the path of a better future for the globe. With limiting specialization people will become more emerged in their communities, and will be able to trade goods or even services. This will cut back on the wasteful thinking of driving to the hardware store every time you need a shovel, or heading to the grocery store for peppers when your neighbor is more than willing to share some of his peppers.
Creating a healthier planet is easier than it may seem; however, everyone must be willing to give a little time and effort. As humans we need to realize the effects on a global scale start by a single individual. If each person can work towards a healthier, greener life then we as the human race can begin to slow down the effects of carbon footprints. Pollan’s main goal is to show how easy going green can be, and by one individual bothering to care for the environment will make way to others. Something as simple as growing a garden, or even not using electronics for one day can lead to a better planet. I for one will take steps toward a cleaner planet by riding my bike more, using my electronics less, and thinking twice before driving to the store for a pack of gum.