Climate Change - Why it Matters to get Involved

Climate change - you hear about it everywhere these days. No matter where you live, no matter what you do for a living and no matter how rich or poor you are - the climate is changing and you will be affected.  When it comes to the topic of climate change - those are the thing that I know for certain.

What is climate change?  What does that mean, really?  That seems to depend on who you ask.  Some say the earth is warming too much and the consequences will be catastrophic.  Some people say that that is a gross exaggeration.  Some say, people are the cause for the planet's warming - all the pollution we are putting in the air is warming the planet - others say it's just nature running it's course.  Some say we can stop it, reverse it or slow it down while others say this is just part of the planetary cycle and we must adapt.

I think the truth is somewhere in there - but to me that's not what matters.  What matters is what people, government and corporations are doing about it.  That's why we need to get involved, we need to be aware, we need to stay informed.

If climate change is caused by nature and is inevitable, then all we can do is adapt. So let's start adapting and stop wasting time, money and resources on looking at "other" causes. If climate change is caused by humans, then we need to address that immediately and correct our ways.  Either way, whether it's natural causes or caused by man - we can't just continue to abuse our planet and ignore the consequences.  If climate change doesn't get us - the pollution and contamination will.

Photo: Tarsandssolutions.org

I think we first we need to get real and be honest about the cause, milking this for profit is one of the problems I see - find the truth and stop creating controversy.  I cannot understand or believe the level of controversy out there on this subject - science and facts don't lie.

We all share this planet.  Since I can remember, I've noticed that some people, some governments and some corporations think they can do what they want with our natural resources.  It seems that for some the mighty dollar is more important than the air they breathe.  They build factories that pollute the air that we all breathe, mostly in the name of greed.

Photo:onenewspage.us

We only have one planet, we all need to care about how our resources are managed because we are all affected.  

We all need to get involved because it's time to find solutions.  The more people who are working towards positive changes, the more positive changes will come.

Over the weekend, people rallied together in the streets and the people's voices were heard: Take care of our planet - it's the only one we have!

And that's why climate change matters to me.
 

Why are large corporations like BP allowed to take such dangerous risks?

I just don't understand it. Government is full of rules and regulations when it comes to us homeowners and the little guy. Take a permit for this, get a permit for that. You need a license to have a dog, you must hire an engineer to make plans for a septic field bed in the middle of nowhere, but BP on the other hand is allowed to undertake huge projects that can have irreversible and horrendously detremental consequences for the entire planet. And all in the name of profits or should I say greed. Don't kid yourself folks, this is an environmental disaster. Since day one, BP has minimined the damage this is creating. They have continually lied about how much oil is leaking out and of course they are minimizing the damage this is causing.

I am really tired of this double standard, big companies and governments seem to be able to do what they want. On Mayne Island, BC a resort developer is getting away with breaking the rules, having larger water tanks than approved. Despite complaints from the residents, goverment is turning a blind eye. But then a resident is being forced to take down her deck because a permit was not taken. You hear of it all the time...Let the big guy get away with it but stick it to little guy. It's more cost efficient for the big company to fight the government than to start over, the government does not want to get into a long legal battle - the homeowner is a do it yourselfer and cannot even afford to file a complaint. That's how it goes...

This latest oil disaster will affect us FOREVER. It will kill countless birds, fish and mammals and will more than likely even cause extinctions of species. This oil spill has contaminated our oceans and our water system and probably beyond repair. What were they thinking?

Alternative fuels have been around for quite awhile now, why aren't we focussing all our attention on solar, wind, tidal and other cleaner sources of energy? Why do companies like BP and the powers that rule the world decide to keep being greedy and keep exploiting the earth's gas supply - no matter how bad for the environment it is. I just don't understand it. Don't they know it will affect them as well - they need clean water as much as the rest of us. Oh ya...with all their millions they can build themselves a water purification plant and then sell us clean water - I get it now - government will then tax that water, and so on...

I have often wondered why we are not completely solar/wind/green powered by now? Why hasn't government pushed to go green. I have heard that the economy will colapse if the oil industry is abandoned. So? Let's rebuilt it, better and greener for all. I am for it.

How could anyone be allowed to do something that can negatively affect the whole world, how can any one corporation have that much power? So much for democracy! Did we not learn anything from the Exxon Valez oil spill? They are still finding oil there 20 years later!!! If you lift a stone on the beach you will find oil buried in the sand. And that's only from one tanker, what is this fiasco of an oil spill going to do to the US coast? To our oceans? To our planet?

I am glad BC is waiting to develop any off shore oil exploration on the west coast. It must be banned it forever.

I am so angry that this happened, as so many other people are. When will we draw the line and place life above money, when will we realize that too late means too late! Should have, would have, could have... There's no room for that - when your actions affect the whole entire planet.

The CEOs of these companies make ridiculous amounts of money and they are well paid because of their money making talents. They got paid to be snaeky, deceitful and dishonest. These CEO's should be stripped of their wealth, they should not be allowed to get away with profitting at the expense of so many.

It seems the more money you have, the more you can get away with. Like governments, large corporations, CEOs. The rich get richer at the expense of the poor - and at the expense of the world.