With
every climate disaster (and one thing is for sure -- they will be
coming ever thicker and ever faster), more and more people will finally
wake up, tell the truth, drastically reduce their personal greenhouse
gas footprint, and join the struggle to force governments and
corporations do the same. Here are some headlines we might expect to
see:
OMG look what we've done! Another climate disaster -- and now we
believe it
Politician discovers
'responsibility' in dictionary and explains it to voters
Charming Prince
Hurricane's kiss wakes Princess Climate Responsibility from 100-year
slumber
Avalanche of political resignations as green vote skyrockets
Panicking US President tweets
executive order: Stop ALL fossil fuel burning TOMORROW!
Exxon deniers challenge life sentence verdict
Airlines collapse as customers stay home
Highspeed French-Chinese trains to crisscross every continent
UN sanctions for countries still subsidizing fossil fuels
Australia subsidizes free photovoltaic carport for every electric car!
Norway raises fossil fuel and red meat taxes to 100% in surprise move
Chicago mayor wins urban art competition with "windmill on every roof" project
Spare parts shortage as
dusty old bikes emerge from garages
Sidewalks
dangerously crowded as walking becomes hip
Overweight disappears in walking craze, Weight
Watchers bankrupt
"Fate Watchers" halve individual climate
footprint with points system
Strangers flirt in long rail-ticket lines: New soap opera!
Lebanese restaurants overrun
by demand for falafel
Too many people on the planet: Drugstore chain out of condoms!
Greenpeace faces indecency charge after "Make Love Not Babies" stunt
Vatican gives billions of condoms to developing countries in new bid to curb birthrate
Dear reader,
Many animals will violently protect their young if they perceive a
significant risk. Humans are similar. Many parents say they would die
for their children. Most say they would risk their life to save their
child.
I am one of those parents. Everyday in the media I read how my
children's future is being gradually destroyed by people who are well
informed about what they are doing. They know what the consequences
will be, but they keep doing it all the same. That's not only the
politicians and CEOs, that's everyone. That's you and me.
I don't know who you are or what your situation is, but I neverthess
have a special request and it applies to everyone on the planet.
Snap out of it! Think of our children. Nothing has ever been
more urgent. We must change now before it is too late.
There are a billion
children in developing countries. They will die prematurely and the cause will be a
combination of poverty and climate change. These people really exist
and this really will happen. Moreover, everyone else everywhere will
also suffer. Everyone, everywhere.
Please don't be one of a zillion zombies. Get real. Do something about your
personal greenhouse gas footprint. Reduce or stop driving, flying, and eating red meat. Apart from having fewer children,
those are the main ways individuals in richer countries can reduce
their contribution to global warming. At the same time, join the
struggle to make governments and
corporations tell the truth about these issues and act on the
implications.
As they say in advertising: Do it today. Tomorrow will be too late.
The opinions expressed on
this page are the
author's personal
opinions. Readers who know and care about this topic are asked to
contact the author with suggestions for improving or extending the content: parncutt at
gmx dot at. Back to Richard Parncutt's homepage
