Earth-friendly Matters

I think at this point, everyone in Canada accepts the idea that there is an environmental crisis. I don't know if anyone actually doubts the existence of global warming anymore, or the hole in the Ozone layer, or acid rain. The only problem is that some people are more concerned about actually doing something about it than others. Last week when I read about the Conservative government's "Clean Air Act," I actually laughed out loud. It’s funny but also sad that anyone considers the proposed clean air act to be worth taking to the House of Commons. Most major environmental groups have been saying for months that all Canada has to do is use existing legislation to make real improvements. The government ignored this advice, slowing down changes by writing a new act. This new act only plans to decrease greenhouse gas emissions by half in the next 43 years. If we don’t make more radical changes to Western society, we might not be here in 2050. I have heard and read many complaints that the conservatives are willing to make individual Canadians pay to contribute to environmental changes, but not big business. If industry doesn’t change it’s ways, there is only so much the individual consumer can do.

It’s true that we can make more effort in our individual daily lives to make less environmental damage. Most of us are quite dependent on cars, for example, when we could be busing or car-pooling. It’s easy for us to think that the problem is so big that a few bad choices on our part aren’t going to make any difference. I think that most of us probably aren’t aware of how many bad choices we DO make without thinking about it, or even knowing it. Even if I recycle all my paper and plastics, and compost all my food products; even if I buy organic produce and turn off lights when I’m not using them, I am still taking part in one of the most energy and resource-consuming economies in the world. I am one of the 20% of the world’s population that consume 80% of the world’s resources. I don’t drive a car, but as a Nova Scotian, every time I use electricity I condone the burning of coal, which pollutes the Dartmouth’s air and contributes to Global Warming. I buy products and use services without any knowledge of what environmental impact the companies responsible might have. Whether they waster energy and pollute their region, or tread lightly on the earth, I endorse and support them with my purchases. If governments don’t enforce existing regulations, companies won’t change. Perhaps, if I did a lot of research, I could successfully boycott all the harmful companies, but until demand increases, I might not find environmentally friendly versions of everything I need.

Ever since I was a child, I’ve done little things to help the environment. I’m beginning to think that the little things are not enough. I think the people who got out on the land and practice sustainable subsistence living have the right idea. I’m not prepared to do that at this point in my life, but I’m not sure how short of that ideal I can come before I’m a bigger part of the problem than the solution.