|
Do
People Really Understand?
June
24, 2010
The
problems highlighted in the main stream media regarding our energy
issues barley scratch the surface. The problem in the Gulf of Mexico
is a major catastrophe. Mountaintop removal mining is a travesty. The
possibility of a nuclear power plant meltdown is a constant and major
threat. Global warming and climate change are extremely serious issues
that can not be ignored.
All
of these issues are important, but all pale in comparison to the
biggest problem we are facing, few people talk about it.
WATER
Water
water everywhere and not a drop to drink
Did
everyone watch "Gasland"? Have you seen "Thirst"
or "FLOW" (For the Love of Water), have you seen "The
American Southwest, Are We Running Dry?" "Fuel" is
another good one to see. The consistent issue running through all of
these films is water. We are constantly bombarded with chemicals and carcinogens,
its in the air, in our food, and yes, in our water. We can grow our
own food, we the scrub and clean emissions to make them
"clean", but what do we do about water? We are systematically
destroying our clean water supplies. We are pumping huge amounts of
chemicals, very nasty stuff, into the ground and right into our aquifers.
We are pumping water out of the ground and away from rivers and
streams faster then it can be replenished. The Colorado River no
longer reaches the ocean. In
the Coachella Valley east of Los Angeles, the valley floor has dropped
12 inches due to the exhaustion of the underground aquifer.
The
oil companies, (and others), are dumping toxic waste here and in other
countries around the world that is polluting
rivers, streams, and underground aquifers. Fracking for natural gas
in the US is destroying our water supplies. Over two billion people no
longer have access to clean water, including in the United States. In
ten years it will be three billion. The
aquifer under Los Angeles is contaminated with many pollutants
including rocket fuel, that cant be good.
Ever
wonder where all this cancer is coming from?
People
in the oil and coal industries complain about how everyone is out to
get their jobs, but what are they going to do when there is no clear
water, what are they going to do when there is no clean air, What are
they going to say when the ocean is no longer capable of supporting
life? These are real and serious issues. If I were a life long third
generation coal minor or oil worker, and I had to look into the eyes
of my children every day, the choice would be plain and simple. I
would be doing everything within my power to push change and to move
as quickly as possible to help stop the use of fossil fuels that are
literally destroying every aspect of our environment. That
conclusion is undeniable and inevitable if we don't stop now. In the
very near future it will be too late. I believe I would be looking for
another job as well.
We
are currently engaged in two wars that are at least in part tied to
our addition for foreign oil. These wars are nothing compared to the
wars looming on the horizon.
I am talking about the water wars. If we don't start protecting our
clean water, we WILL fight wars over water. The Pentagon already has
plans in place for the potential of these wars. Is that the really the
answer,
war?
The
bottom line is that these mega corporations, BP, Exxon Mobile, Halliburton,
Coca Cola, Hershey's, Shell, those that deal in the energy and water
industries have little or no consideration for the environment and do
not see past their profit margin. These companies have no
consideration for moral or ethical social or environmental responsibility.
Six
of the top ten environmental disasters in the US, not counting the BP
spill, are energy related. See for yourself at Americas
Top Ten Environmental Disasters.
I
have said it before
and I will say it again, and I really mean it. The earth will survive,
it will repair all the damage, put all the bad things back in the
ground where they cant harm anything and replace all the creatures we
have destroyed. The question is, will we be a part of that? The earth
cannot do one thing and that is protect us from ourselves.
There
are no more excuses.
Mr.
Green
|
