(The second blog must be at least 300 words for full credit) After some of the cookie cutter answers last week, please give me what YOU think. Put some thought into it. You all are interested in Politics and Law; so my expectation is that you have something to say, and can back it up.
Watch this video: Global Warming Argument
I. What do you think? Is his argument valid? What is YOUR opinion?
II. Do you think the economy or the environment is more important? Should we invest now or risk having to invest more later? Make a logical argument! How do you think we can fix our sustainability problems, with support of the ENTIRE nation?
III. What do you think we will look back at in 50 years and think we could have done better (What do you think is our most wasteful endeavor)?
IV. What did you find most interesting about the lecture today? Was there any opinion that you had never thought of?
V. What are you willing to do to reduce your carbon footprint/be more sustainable?
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I. I think he made a very valid argument. I wasn’t expecting to be swayed by what he was saying but it really made me thing. I would also have to agree with him that doing nothing isn’t an option and we need a course of action, even if it doesn’t result in a smiley face. It is still better than the “true””no” box.
ReplyDeleteII. I think the economy and the environment are very important. I would have to say environment more than economy because not only does it include animals, plants, water, but also our oxygen. And without all these things economy wouldn’t exist because humans wouldn’t. I think researchers should through out every possible idea they can think of, trying to be cost efficient in the process, and then pick the one with the least flaws after examining every aspect they can. I don’t think we have to within like the next week or anything, but sometime within this next decade probably. Like that guy said, we aren’t talking about abstract grandchildren, like we always imagined this would effect, we are talking about our generation. The only way I can think to make it our environment sustainable is to make more laws. There are people who couldn’t care less, but when they realize they will get a fine, they will follow the rules.
III. I think we will remember thinking of global warming as being a fad. The shirts that say things such as “global warming is not cool” and those we should have taken it much more seriously.
IV. I found many things interesting about the lecture, such as taking further steps into everything and how its made, such as farmers using fertilizer that contains nitrogen and ammonia, dumping it into a stream, algae being created from that action, and then being eaten by bacteria, which takes away oxygen from water animals and plants.
V. I am willing to research many ways to reduce my carbon footprint, and I could start acting now buy checking the Carbon Reduction Label before purchasing an item.
PART 1
ReplyDeleteHis argument is definitely valid, because we should worry about the well being of our world and by extension our own well being. Now about my opinion, i couldn't give you a definite answer because i'm not informed enough to give a decent answer. Although, i would really like to do "sustainability" in a free market kind of way, from what i've heard i think that fits my values most.
PART 2
My opinion of more importance is definitely the environment, but i still think the economy needs our attention as well. My loyalties lie with thinking in the long run, so obviously the environment is very important. Those of us who think we can shun problems to future generations should get some sense slapped into them. Also, i think with some ingenuity and serious thinking both problems could be obliterated through cooperation of ideas between free market and sustainability. Renewable resources like wind and water will play huge roles into creating jobs and sustaining our current environmental condition. I wouldn't know what needs to be done just a few ideas like that, but it will take virtually everyone in the world to become truly sustainable and recycle savvy.
PART 3
plastics, plastics to me seem like a real waste of resources. if recycling became an everyday habit then i would be able to go to sleep at night knowing i don't have anything to worry about the next morning. seriously. I worry about these things.
PART 4
it takes oil to make plastics? i really never think about it that much. everyone takes things for granted and i fall into that category. I waste resources like crazy... and to think that a barrel of oil once cost $150 dollars when plastic bottles are made out of oil. Could my coke bottle be worth $5, maybe $2.50? I dont know... crazy.
PART 5
RECYCLE+EVERYONE=SUSTAINABILITY
This video was completely one sided. His "chart system" allowed him to appear to be giving specifics and details on the environment and so called fixing it, but in reality all he did was tell us that our environment is in poor shape. His lack of specifics on neither what was wrong with it, nor how to fix it completely invalidated his argument.
ReplyDeleteII.
The economy is more important than the environment. The environment has been around a lot longer and goes through periods of fluctuation. In comparison to the age of the Earth, humans have only been around for a fraction of a second, and I seriously doubt that we could have made such an impact as many like to claim. The economy, on the other hand, effects humans in a more immediate way. The amount of money we have in our pockets, the options to choose where to spend it,and how to protect it are indeed more pressing issues than "oh, it is 3 degrees warmer today than it was exactly 5 years ago." The so called "environmental issue" has been blown way out of proportion. Don't get me wrong, recycling and conservation of fuel are positive ideas and worthwhile activites (and I do recognize that we are a wasteful society when it comes to nonrenewable resources). However, excessive spending in a recession is not the smartest of ideas. And yes, many of the regulations that require businesses and families to spend more on "energy efficient" appliances and similar items are included in excessive spending. In regards to fixing our sustainablitiy issues as a whole nation, it is a lofty goal. Getting the ENTIRE nation to do/agree on anything is near impossible. Yet, by giving people opitons of recycling or more fuel efficient means of transportation at an AFFORDABLE prices, they will be more receptive toward the idea.
III. Our most wasteful edeavor of natural resources has to be that of fuel consumption. When we look back in fifty years, we will hopefully have a cost efficient alternative. At that point, we will probably wonder what took so long to get to a more mindful society.
IV.
The most interesting part of the lecture was the discussion on Cap-and-Trade and the Kyoto Treaty. I realized at that point in the lecture that these men had done the research that I hadn't. This intrigued me partially (I'm not exactly that inspired by the environment if you have not noticed)because doing research on the political aspect of the environment was something I had never before been interested in doing.
V.
While I do not agree totally with the concept of Carbon Footprints, I generally make an effort to recycle and reuse water bottles. (Also, the fact that I did not bring my car to school also helps to eliminate Carbon Dioxide emissions)
I. I do not see how one could possibly think that nothing should be done to the environment, and this is all the video states. This man just tries to prove to everyone that we need to act upon the environment before our world falls under economic depression and a wave of natural disasters. No one can argue this. What this man needs is an idea of how do we help save the environment in a sensible and costly manner. America does not have an infinite amount of money to spend upon changing the way we approach environmental issues. Yes, we need to lessen our consumption of natural gas for the environment, but we also need to so we are less dependent on foreign countries for oil. Investing in new American jobs and American made technology for new ways to fuel our machines will help our economy and our planet.
ReplyDeleteII. In truth, the economy and the environment go hand in hand. People seem to think that we have to sacrifice one to help the other. This statement holds true; however, we should attempt to decipher a plan that takes both the economy and the environment into mind. By creating jobs in America and lessening our dependence on foreign oil, we are helping both. By investing in research that will create new sources of energy along with putting more importance on switching to wind, water, and solar energy will help cut down our dependence on foreign oil and create new jobs for our economy. The environment is obviously something we will and need to invest in during this generation, but the amount all comes down to what can our country afford and how will it help our economy grow in the long run.
III. I think the amount of waste our country succumbs over a year needs to be cut down. Decades ago, when plastic and paper materials started becoming mainstream over reusable resources, more and more landfills were needed to incorporate all the excess trash. In a few short years, these landfills will not be able to hold all the trash our country produces. This is easily one of our biggest downfalls for our economy for multiple reasons, as nonrenewable items may be more convenient, they are less cost effective and cause our environment to suffer with the amount of trash and excess of industrialization needed to make these resources.
IV. The lecture brought together the two main goals of environmental studies, the political and biological sides, and brought them together as one to try to allow us to comprehend the problem in both ways. I thought all the scientific aspects of it were interesting, for how can you argue for or against certain plans to save the environment if you have no background on the subject? I saw the lecture as a chance to discuss current events, such as the Kyoto treaty, that may or may not make a difference in the environmental changes we will see in the future. The unbiased of the two men allowed us to form or strengthen our own opinions on the topic, so although no new opinions from the speaker were discussed, my own were reinforced through the information provided.
V. I already recycle as much as possible in my everyday life. I suppose I could do more to reduce my car gas emissions since I drive everywhere back in St. Louis and purchase more reusable items.
Yea, I do believe that this guy has a valid argument…to an extent. It is a proven fact that our everyday greenhouse-gas emissions are doing harmful things to the environment and, if some sort of action is not taken soon, we could possibly see a great change in the world as he described in the video. But, in the area that I did disagree with him was his theory about the “worst that could happen.” What about the in-between scenarios that he left out? Is the world really going to end any sooner if we take no action to support our Earth? Would the world’s economy really fail if were to support a healthier world? I don’t think so. I think there is more of a happy-medium solution that he was over-looking. Yes, we need to do something to make our planet a better place to live, but no we do not need to go completely overboard at our international economy’s expense. Little things can go a long way, and I think if we used resources that are already accessible to us, we might be able to make our lovely Earth last a little bit longer.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, neither the environment nor the economy are more important than each other. Really, I believe you can’t have a successful one without the other. The economy supports our environment in many ways by making “going green” an easier possibility for the general public. With a healthy economy, people are more apt to take pride in their surroundings when they don’t have to live paycheck-to-paycheck. If they are worried about money or healthcare, they have little time to put towards making the world a better place to live; if effect, the government works EXACTLY the same way. Also, in a stimulated economy, more money can be put towards researching and applying things such as cleaner fuels and programs preserving our ecosystems. In a bad economy, there is not always room to allow the time and money to be spent towards that kind of agenda. The same way the economy helps the environment, the reverse is also true. A good environment keeps jobs such as farmers, environmentalists, etc. going strong, and with booming business in many areas of study, the economy thrives. And to whether we should risk investing money into the environment now or later, I think we should set aside some funds for bettering our planet, but we CANNOT spend our entire budget on it in the current economy. Baby steps are the key to a successful economy and environment at this point and time.
I think when we look back in 50 years we will be wondering why we didn’t do the little stuff at the time that would have made a big difference in the future. Why didn’t we recycle a little more? Or why didn’t we choose to drive more eco-efficient cars? All these things being simple and small for one person to do, but if the 6 billion people in the world did these things, it would make a BIG difference.
The thing Ben said about the bats kind of shocked me. Not that big of a deal, but to think that everything we do in this world has some sort of consequence that we would never even think of. It really made me think about how even good decisions, about the environment or whatever else you are debating, can have bad consequences.
I am basically willing to do whatever is asked of me, within reason, to be more sustainable. Whether it be recycling more, or even just taking a second to think more about what I am doing to the environment, I want to make sure we keep our planet in livable condition.
I. It would be illogical and comical to say that environmental sustainability is a partisan issue. Whether you are republican or democrat you live on planet earth and anything that affects it negatively can affect you negatively.It makes one a responsible person if they do their part to increase the longevity of our planet. HOWEVER, I think this is an issue that needs to be scrutinized repeatedly until it cannot be anymore. I think it needs attention, but I do not think we should carelessly throw money at things considering the economic situation we are in. It will be a sad world if we end up with no money but with a decent environment or vice versa.
ReplyDeleteII. Is the economy more important the environment? No. And vice versa. One cannot take precedence over the other because they both are vital to maintaining the world as we know it. While I believe our government is too ready to print and spend money (and in doing so devalue the dollar) I also believe that personal responsibility towards our environment and investing in the right companies and programs will be helpful and vital to environmental sustainability. Putting us in an economic depression is indeed a better outcome then having all the problems listed in the video-but it is NOT ideal. Ideally, and hopefully realistically, we can value both economic sustainability and environmental sustainability to ensure the survival of the world as we know it. We have to find a way for the two to work in harmony not against each other because we need them both.
III. In 50 years I believe our most wasteful endeavor will be spending billions of dollars on things without considering alternatives. Sure we can spend and allot and put money where the government finds it most useful but if we don't individually act as caretakers to the environment it won't matter anyway. The government can put pressure on businesses through cap and trade but can we put pressure on ourselves to be responsible? This is my main point entirely: Stop throwing money at programs that may or may not work (I'm not saying stop funding them entirely) and start educating the public more effectively. When people realize that the environment is meaningful to everyone not just democrats and stop using the policies associated with it to play politics then we might be able to make a change. I think we should all act as individuals and invest and buy from companies that we believe will impact our environment positively instead of spending here there and everywhere digging ourselves into an economic hole.
IV. I think the most interesting part of the lecture was when he explained a more free-market way of handling the situation. Since I'm conservative I really think that this option would be more compatible with the capitalist system we function under. Now I don't know how LONG we will function under this system,but to boost the economy and the environment simultaneously by investing in companies and products that have ethical and positive impacts on both I think we could make progress without angering the right into inaction. I know a lot of people don't care about the right-wing conservative opinion as they have virtually no power at the moment but this is not a one-party country. Everyone's voice needs to be considered equally and if our government believes in democracy than no matter what party they belong to they can support that claim. I believe in a more environmentally sustainable world and I do think that can be done without crippling the nation's economy more than we already have by acting on grassroots levels and also investing in the right organizations that don't harm the earth as badly as others. Do I think the government needs to spend money on this issue? Certainly. It's importance is undoubtable. But how much can we spend? How can we make the environment and economy work for each other and not against each other is my primary concern. Meanwhile, I recycle and I only drive 2 days out of the week. It's small, but it's a start.
I. The argument made by this man is a valid one that should receive careful consideration by every person who watches it. The debate over environmental issues is one that needs to be solved quickly, with input from all world leaders. It is an issue that affects every person living on earth today and in the future. Every free nation should have a say in the decision making process of how it should be handled.
ReplyDeleteII. The debate over whether the economy or environment is one that has raged on for years and will continue to rage on. The economy has always been something that has its peaks and valleys, but the environment is slowly deteriorating. I feel like for the sake of future generations, and possible even our own, the environmental issues need to step to the fore front. Economists and environmentalists need to come together and find a cost effective way of improving the environment. It may not be cheap, but much as the video claims, is the alternate path really going to lead to a healthier world for our children go grow up. The nation is so split on these issues that really the only possible thing to do is make recycling more accesible. In many towns across the nation people do not realize that they have recycling centers near them, towns needs to be more proactive in getting their citizens to recycle.
III. I feel like in 50 years young people will look back and wonder why our generation did not do more to protect the environment. Every generation learns from the last and I feel like this will be the major thing that the generation to follow ours will learn from us. Waste is such a huge part of everyday life, everywhere you look there is waste. I feel like the thing most wasted is plastic, many people do not realize that all plastic can be recycled and reused.
IV. I felt like the most interesting thing was how they conveyed that everything we do leaves an impact on the environment. It is a hard concept to fathom, but one that needs to be realized by everyone. Nearly everything we use can be recycled and used again and if it isn’t there are negative consequences.
V. One thing I have started to do is recycle everything that can be recycled. Living right next to the floor recycling spot makes that easier though. In our room we have a trash for recyclable goods and non-recyclable goods.
I. I do believe he makes a valid point. Although I myself am not ready to throw myself at large scale environmental reform I find myself having to agree that taking some form of action either now or in the near future is necessary. I believe that the argument in this video is presented in a manner that allows people with any political affiliation to see the basic, non-partisan, HUMAN issue here. When it comes to protecting our environment we don’t have to take up arms in the form of strong words or multi-million dollar television campaigns. The point of view that all humans share when it comes down to it is that we want to prolong the health of our environment and leave the same beautiful earth to our children and grandchildren as was left to us. Although our ideas on how to accomplish this may differ we all must first agree that action must be taken.
ReplyDeleteII. I think that the environment and the economy are both very important. Here is the difference: steps towards a cleaner and healthier planet can be found by other countries in the world (not solely, I believe we should help too), however our economy is not the worry of any nation but our own. I think that the best course for action at the current time and given our economy’s current state is to wait a time of two to three years. I validate my argument by reestablishing the fact that there is a conference on global climate change in Copenhagen in a few months. At this conference the world’s leading experts on climate change will present their data alongside some of the world’s leading industries’ views on the environment. Like I have said before, I believe all humans can agree that something must be done. HOWEVER, our economy in its present state cannot afford to funnel millions upon millions of dollars into testing to find the optimal way to harness any type of alternative energy. I believe the best thing our country can do right now is to go to Copenhagen, make it known that we think something needs to happen on a global scale to help preserve the planet, and express that we will do all we can to help cut down our own emissions to bring down the overall stress on the environment using the technology we have already discovered; while at the same time expressing that our economy will not allow for the kind of money required to be spent on alternative energy ideas that may fall through. After the conference I think we should continue to push recycling as well as the alternative energies that we have already begun to master. If we do this we can continue to work on strengthening our economy and wait to see what ideas the rest of the world comes up with for new alternative energies. If we bide our time we can focus on restoring our economy to good health and pick up some of the most effective alternative energy solutions the rest of the world has found since the Copenhagen Conference.
III. I think that the thing we will look back on and think that we could have done better is being united. I believe our country has grown FAR too bi-partisan. It seems like any time a person on the street asks you a question you find yourself about to be slung into a shouting match of “my party is better than yours”. I think that if we would remember that we are all red, white, AND blue instead of just red or blue we would accomplish a lot more. When our nation’s congress finds it appropriate to get in heckling matches with each other on national television and the population bears witness to a strategic battle of well-placed words in interviews by parties to try and one-up each other we have gone much too far. I am a Republican and very proud of it, but I feel that even with democratic majority rule if both parties don’t start to work together our nation will not advance the way we wish for it to.
IV. I had never realized just how much went into the production of even our most basic and highly used items. It really opened my eyes to the fact that there are probably a lot of things that we don’t think about or just don’t realize that hurt our environment.
ReplyDeleteV. I know it’s basic, but I’m really willing to recycle now, I thought it was a lot of extra work for something that seemed weird..drinking out of a bottle that was last used to make who knows what? But now I see the importance of it and I am willing to go the extra mile.
I.
ReplyDeleteI think that overall his argument is valid: the safest way to deal with the potential threat of global warming is to invest money to deal with the problem now. I don’t believe he considered all the consequences, though, of spending money to deal with global warming if it isn’t happening. This scenario could just as easily cause a global economic recession as could one where money was spent to deal with global warming and it is occurring. This possibility makes the chance of uselessly spending money much less worthy of the smiley face he granted it.
II.
I don’t know if anyone could really say if either the economy or the environment is more important. Our society wouldn’t be able to function if either were too greatly compromised. Because of our nation’s current economic status, I think that the economy should momentarily take precedence over the environment. In order to have the support of the entire nation in protecting the environment, we first need to take the time to establish a sound economy that people trust.
III.
America’s love affair with giant SUV’s will most definitely be viewed as a wasteful endeavor in 50 years. They seem ridiculous even now: it’s much cheaper to both buy and own a smaller and more fuel efficient vehicle. Why anyone thought mass producing vehicles that would rapidly consume a valuable and finite fossil fuel is beyond me.
IV.
The lecture made me realize how intricately intertwined the fate of both our economy and the environment really are with each other. If the environment fails there will be no economy, and a good environment is little help to a bad economy. I’ve always considered the economy to be a top priority in politics but will now also consider the fate of our delicate environment.
V.
In order to reduce my carbon footprint, I am willing to put more effort into recycling. This seems like an easy step to take that can make a huge difference in the long run if our society as a whole would make the same commitment.
Frankly I believe this was a ridiculous argument. It presented scare tactics by a clearly left wing loon with no information to back them up. The argument over global warming appeared invalid to me because of its lack of specifics or solution however if the argument was to promote political involvement than I believe it validly conveyed its message.
ReplyDeleteI personally believe the economy is way more important then the environment; however I don’t think the environment should be overlooked. The economy makes an immediate impact on every person in the world and allows daily commerce to continue from day to day. I believe there is a way to have the economy and the environment work hand and hand and that’s through the utilization of the free-market. Through the creation of businesses that make a profit by utilizing sustainability and other environmental needs you are able to mix both the economy, as well as, the creation of a better environment for now and the future. So yes we can invest in ideas like this now and I believe this offers a solution for sustainability to everyone in the country.
As sad as it may sound I believe in 50 years when I look back to think of the most wasteful endeavor I will be thinking of the U.S. government. If the government continues on the path that it’s going I fear that we will live in a completely different country, one that is run by government and completely lacks competitive business.
The lecture today was very interesting; it was clear that the presenters knew their topic and clearly pushed their point of view. One opinion that was mentioned was about the amount of methane that cows and other livestock naturally produce. This sparked me to do some research and find out that livestock produces an extremely large about of methane in the air. “Livestock are one of the most significant contributors to today’s most serious environmental problems,” senior UN Food and Agriculture Organization. So does this mean we should become vegetarians and kill off all livestock?
Hopefully I will create one of these companies and have the opportunity to help the environment as well as make bank!
The argument is quite valid, the speaker makes some very legitimate points that must be considered by any rational person. This raises a serious point of taking precautions that could possibly be aimed at preventing a future that might no ever occur. Can we afford to take that risk though? War is one of the results of the environmental and with so many nations in the world that possess nuclear weapons, the thought of was on such a large scale can only lead to those questions whether one believes it is capable of happening or not. In my opinion the human race cannot afford to take the risk here, because the consequences of not doing so are much more serious than those of acting.
ReplyDeleteBoth the economy and the environment are extremely important. There is one solution that would facilitate both. Part of President Obama’s economic plan is to create jobs in the clean energy area. Yes, this will cost money, but to fix the economy money must be spent somewhere and it might as well be spent in a place that is safe and reliable. Clean power and energy is the key to economic recovery and environmental security.
When the human race looks back in 50 years ad hopefully we will have done enough, but I am not convinced that enough people in the world are willing and able to make the concessions to help fix this problem. Our most wasteful endeavor would have to be the over use of fossil fuels.
The lecture had a different spin to things, I had never heard of sustainability used in such a way, but it makes absolutely perfect sense. The issue of sustainability should be raised more often and I believe would make a greater impact on our world and peoples opinions.
Yes, I am willing to do what is necessary to help with the environment. Using my car less, riding my bike more, using less electricity. All these thing I can do to help the Environment.
1. Although I don't take much action on global warming and preserving the environment, I think he made a very valid argument. I think that even thought we are not sure if the climate change crisis is real or not, actions should still be taken to prevent the many consequences in the chart. Yes economic depression is a horrible thing, but depression and all the added bonuses of not taking action is even more horrible.
ReplyDelete2. Economy and the environment are both very important things, but the environment in my opinion is much more important. The environment's condition is the basis of our human survival and way of life. Yes money is also an important factor in living but if we were living in a world with scarce resources, it would be hard to buy survival. I think investing now would be the most logical decision because it would save us from having to do so much damage control in the future. The nation as a whole should take more steps such as more people going green and being less wasteful. The government should also set aside more money for prevention of global warming.
3. I think that our country's population will look back and regret how poorly prepared we were for the climate change crisis. Yes there are many innovative ways to reduce waste and be green, but there aren't as many people taking advantage of that. I would have to say our most wasteful endeavor would be buying products that are not recycled, over using paper products, and not realizing that climate change is a huge possibility.
4. The most interesting part about the lecture was when the debate started on whether or not the government should take action for the environment or not. I never really looked at the situation from both sides but after this class i realized that if we do take action it could be really expensive but if we don't even greater consequences can occur.
5. To reduce my carbon footprint, I am willing to use products that are less harmful to our planet. I will also buy more recycled products to ensure that I do my part against global warming.
In terms of validity, his argument is valid, however, I don't think that it is entirely sound. Instead of offering up solutions, or detailed explanations about the problems we are going to face, he only tries to scare us into action. While I understand that his goal is to motivate Americans into action, I don't like the way he went about it. I'm not in favor of scare tactics on either side of the debate. I think that this video further divides people because it doesn't present both sides of the argument in a detailed manner.
ReplyDeleteIn terms of Environment vs. Economy, I think a combination of both is required to fix this situation. While, I advocate that we get prepared for the worst, even if it doesn't happen, I don't agree with the man's proposed problems for this outcome. He says that a global economic depression could occur if we invest now but global warming doesn't become a problem. The only way a global depression would occur is if every economic resource in every country went toward combating global warming. This is an unreasonable assumption. Personally, I think that if ever country invested a little more (say 5%) of their GDP, and transportation companies could create cost-effective, affordable cars, planes, trains, etc. for people, we could reduce our green house gases. I think that small things will also help with sustainability like recycling, buying local produce, walking or biking when possible, and many more. If we could just get a majority of citizens to try these "green" ideas, it could go a long way toward reducing our green house gases. We can't look at this problem as one vs. the other, we have to find solutions that compromise with each side of the debate.
In 50 years, I do think we'll look back and say that we could have done better. But, that is to be expected. There is no such thing as perfect, and it's likely that we won't be happy with whatever we end up doing. As for our wasteful endeavor, I think think that our most wasteful endeavor is the suburban sprawl.
The most interesting part of the lecture was when I found out that windmills can actually harm their environments (killing birds and bats).
To reduce my carbon footprint, I plan on buying fuel efficient cars, recycle, walk or bike when possible, and buy green products (like CFLs).
1. I think that he makes quite a valid argument. I do not agree with him, personally. Although I was not expecting to really consider the possibilities, I did. I still do not think that global climate change is a huge concern. Humans and the planet have been around for millions and millions of years, and people are still surviving okay today. If people could do it then, then they can surely do it now. Another problem I have is that with “global warming.” If global warming is so evident, why was this summer so cold? Why is it so cold earlier in the year?
ReplyDelete2. I think the economy is more important because the environment has been here forever. If the economy fails then the environment, in turn, will fail. If the environment fails first, people can still find ways to fix it.
3. In 50 years I think I will look back and think wow, we wasted so much money trying to save the planet for nothing. The planet is going to do what it wants whether we try to stop it or not. People cannot control nature. I think that spending money will only hurt us no matter what. America is already in tons of debt, and adding to it will only worsen living on this planet.
4. I thought the lecture was interesting because I did not know that the economy and the environment could be so linked together. I mean I knew that we spend money on parks and stuff like that, but I never considered any other aspect of politics being in the environment besides the claim of “global warming.”
5.I really like recycling because I think the process of it is cool, so I like to do that. I don’t have a car here so I guess I will not be driving and putting off more harmful energy into the air.
Part I
ReplyDeleteI agree that we could be facing serious effects if we don’t pay attention to the environment, but I did not like the chart this guy used. I thought it was too black and white. There are more than just four “boxes.” There are a number of in-between scenarios. I think that some money and resources needs to be used to protect the environment, but I don’t think we should put enough money into this effort that it would cause a global depression if the worst doesn’t happen. We need to have a plan for what to do if it does, but that plan doesn’t need to be implemented now. I also think it is healthy and appropriate to debate about how much money should be used for this cause.
Part II
I think the economy is more important. If our economy is in a recession, we will not have the money to use to help our environment. Our society is centered around our economy. I think we should invest some now and wait to see what happens before we invest more. Investing some money now might help the problem until we can find a better, less expensive solution in the future. We also don’t have the money to invest a lot right now. I think the easiest way to fix our problems is to educate people on the risks and explain to them why action should be taken.
Part III
I think we will look back in 50 years and realize that we could have been making better use of alternative energy sources. We could be using solar and wind power to save fossil fuels. We could also be using electric cars to lessen greenhouse emissions. We have other energy sources; we just haven’t implemented them into society very well.
Part IV
This lecture made me realize how everything we do has an effect on something else. I know this sounds simple and obvious, but I had never really thought about how my actions affect the environment. It really opened my eyes. I found the time we spent debating about politics and the environment to be the most interesting.
Part V
I am willing to recycle more and do whatever else could be good for the environment. However, it would be difficult to make a huge lifestyle change, but I think every little I can do will help.