Global Warming....and I Don't Care

I guess it's not so much that I don't care about global warming, but I'm not concerned.
Isn't it logical to say that necessity is the mother of invention? When someone makes an invention which won't sell we say that there's no market for it. No one wants it, or more accurately, no one needs it. If there is no necessity, the effort for creation is just not justified. The exact opposite of this phenomenon is the united movement of a race driven by necessity.

Sadly, this united effort to resolve a problem usually only happens once that problem has reach its maximum strength. Once an issue becomes an emergency, the whole community springs into action. We have seen this happen over and over again throughout history. Man is driven by crisis, and crisis itself is what unites an otherwise fractured community.

There has been much debate back and forth about whether or not global warming is an actual problem. Although there is much evidence both for and against this environmental change, only time will tell us who is right. Both sides are equally passionate about their respective opinions, and as with every other major debate, the supporters and those who are opposed continue to butt heads about who is right and who is wrong.

For me, global warming comes down to simple addition. In order for our planet to thrive, the same amount that we take away, we must also return. This is not the case. Although I am far from knowing all of the facts and statistics, I know that as a race, humans are wasteful and arrogant. We assume domination over our environment, and if our daily commute can be greatly decreased by paving a forested area, we will do so without considering whether it is our right to do so. We consume resources and create waste which does not decompose. It is not surprising that we would someday look around and realize that we are literally consuming our planet.

Now, I am by no means a tree hugger. I too live the same wasteful lifestyle which my neighbors and co-workers embrace. Changing the way that we live has to be a  united effort. We have the technology to cut down on our consumption of natural resources. We have the technology to improve our manufacturing and recycling methods. The only thing which we do not yet have is a sense of urgency. As it is, there is very little market for biodegradable products and electric cars. Because of the limited market, these products are often more expensive than their harmful counterparts. Most people, if given the choice between a cheap gas guzzling car and an expensive electric vehicle, will choose the gas-guzzling car simply because it is more convenient. The only way green technology and biodegradable products will become cheap enough to make them a viable option is if the revenue received from these products goes up. Think about it, if you are only selling one TV every month, you are going to have to sell that TV for a lot of money, but if more people start buying your TVs, you will be able to lower your prices without causing personal loss.
It is the same concept. The amount of people who care enough to go out of their way to buy a more environmentally-friendly product is fairly small right now. The market is limited, which makes the product itself more expensive. The only point when environmentally-friendly products will become more affordable for the general public is when the general public starts to care more about environmentally-friendly products. And let's face it, the only point when that will happen is when things get scary. Once things hit emergency status environmentally-friendly products will become a requirement. Laws will pass, large companies which are making wasteful products will be forced to change their policies.

The only way to make a difference for our environment is for us to step up as one force, united towards one goal. And the only way we will all become unified is for everything to hit the fan and scare us into action.

So there it is. I am too small and too insignificant to fix the environment all by myself. Sure, I try to do my part. Given the choice, I'm going to choose the better of two products. But overall, I'm not worried. Because everything will fall apart eventually, and once it does, everybody will wake up. We will become a sea of united Nations, and when we all stand up together I pity the source of our fury. Born in fear, our unity will make us an army.
I only hope that we wake up in time.