Ashish's Blog

Our Planet
- Posted on 07.17.09
It's said that the modern environmental movement started with this image. One of the first to be taken of our planet from space, it was a stark reminder to those who viewed it that we are all here together. It showed that our planet is beautiful, full of life and, most importantly, delicate. Now, decades after that picture was taken, we have yet to make significant progress on preserving our planet.
Whether it's people saying that the planet will naturally cool down or that spending millions for clean energy is a waste, there have always been obstacles. But I think that the greatest problem is also our greatest strength. We live in a service-based economy and have grown accustomed to instant results. However, with global warming and the green economy in general, there is a high initial cost and most benefits don't come for a while. There is a lack of appeal because investing in our planet is not a get-rich quick scheme. In fact, it is not a get-rich scheme at all. I prefer to call it a get-smart-quick-so-your-grandchildren-can-see-polar-bears scheme. To solve this problem, we will have to stop thinking about ourselves and how we are directly impacted. Global warming is not one person's problem and it will not be one person's solution. The ultimate irony comes from the fact that we are a small part of our ecosystem, but have the biggest impact.

Related causes: Environment