Several public issues that have always caught my attention are women’s issues and issues surrounding the environment. While in today’s day in age‒ especially surrounding recent events‒ women’s issues are particularly vocalized, environmental issues tend to lie slightly under the radar. This may be because environmental issues are substantially more broad than many other issues that concern and are visibly evident to the public. Environmental issues are not only more complex, but they involve consequences that may not necessarily show for years and decades to come. Thus, many people turn the other cheek and disregard these problems because they are so vast and the effects will not affect them. Nonetheless, I see this differently. I remember reading my first book on global warming at age eleven— filled with an abundance of pictures and graphs— and being fascinated by the planet we live on; even more so, the trauma we are causing it. I went through a few month stage of obsessing about global warming and climate change, but when I found that none of my peers or family members were concerned or seemed to care, I gave up on trying to change the current circumstances. While I always cared about it, it seemed to be too vast of an issue for an eleven year old girl to take on. However, after taking a class on social problems last semester and learning about the environment and the government’s control over it, I found myself becoming interested in the cause once more, and ready to learn more about it.
One of the challenges of tackling an issue like the environment is the extensiveness of the issue at hand, and the consequences at stake. The term, ‘environmental issues’ does not even scratch the surface of the damage that is being conducted every day, and the destruction it will eventually cause. Some of the issues that lie within this broad generalization are: global temperature rise, warming oceans, shrinking ice sheets, glacial retreat, decreased snow cover, sea level rise, declining arctic sea ice, extreme events, and ocean acidification. These are not changes that are invisible to the public, yet they have not been drastic enough thus far to make enough of a statement that something needs to change. Not only is the Earth’s landscape being destroyed, but animals are dying, along with humans as well. With the amount of natural disasters that have occurred during the last decade, it should be obvious that there is a severe issue at stake that cannot be overlooked any longer. This is especially problematic because the matter has not improved in any way, and has actually worsened almost continuously over the last few decades. In the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Fifth Assessment Report, it was concluded that this level of climate change is, “the result of human activity since the mid-20th century and proceeding at a rate that is unprecedented over decades to millennia”. Personally, when I read this, I am truly frightened for the future of this planet, and the generations that will follow mine. This raises a question of why people are not doing more to prevent the current and future effects that climate change will bring. This can be explained by a few main reasons. One of which includes the free-rider affect— the idea that one person will not make a difference in the grand scheme of things and that they could be benefiting by not doing anything about the current issues. In addition, businesses benefit from keeping conditions the way they are. This may explain why the United States, a capitalist country, is the only nation that has abstained from signing the Paris Climate Accord— an agreement to keep the global temperature rise this century below two degrees celcius. The irony in this agreement is that it is negotiated by the “We Mean Business Coalition”, and the goal they set will make little to no impact on actual climate change.
The issues to be discussed within the realm of climate change are extensive, and need to begin to be talked about more. I hope to explore these issues more, and also educate others on them. While putting an end to these issues are certainly not easy, people need to unite and put an effort into solving these problems. This starts with personal change, as well as advocating for global change which can be done by reaching out to legislators and the government in control.
Appreciated reading about your interest in environmental politics. I see you thought a lot about them and have cataloged several aspects to be concerned about midway through. Later on you talk about learning more, educating others, and influencing policy. If you stick with this for the rest of the semester, another way to narrow down might be to consider doing a localized campaign in Pittsburgh or some place else. Some possibilities: science education programs for kids, local awareness, local politics (e.g., Peduto had some stuff going on about the Paris agreement back-out…some interplay with that?). Other possibilities? If more national or international, what are some options?
Looking forward to seeing what you come up with!
Clearly, you are educated on the subject and feel passionate towards environmental issues. It was nice reading of your transition from an interested child to an informed college student, for that demonstrated your commitment to the subject. While you communicated your knowledge clearly, I would like to hear more of what YOU can do to contribute to this issue. You mention taking a class on social problems, did this cause you to take any action on the subject? I am interested because I would like to know what options are available to us here in Pittsburgh or as Pitt students. While you are certainly stepping in the right direction, I would also be interested in what you believe would be a plan of action to educate yourself and others of environmental issues. You mention “people need to unite and put an effort into solving these problems” and offer solutions such as “reaching out to legislators and the government in control” which is helpful to someone like me who does not know the first step in taking action. In that sentence, you also say that is starts with personal change, and I think you could expand on what this entails, as well as ways you can initiate personal change. Overall, you have established your ethos on the topic, and I am ready to hear more of what you can do to communicate your interest to others!