What does the future hold for us when our primary concern is making money and living the good life? We want all the best things for our children, so we work on building a better future for them. However, are we really? Scientists have been warning us for years about global warming but we keep on drilling, mining, fishing, chopping, etc. Is the damage worth the dollar? I don’t think so. We spend so much time trying to make a living but are we really? If we do not stop destroying this planet that dollar, the second most important thing in most of our lives, will become worthless because we will ultimately end up non-existent.
The economy is booming in Alberta with the oil sands. People are coming from all over the world to get a piece of the pie, but does anyone care about the effect it is having on the environment? “High levels of toxic pollutants in Alberta’s Athabasca River system are linked to oil sands mining […]that levels of the pollutants cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, nickel, silver and zinc exceeded federal and provincial guidelines for the protection of aquatic life in melted snow or water collected near or downstream from oil sands mining” (CBC News).
Another example of the disregard we have for this planet is that:
“For every one of the 6 billion people on earth, nearly four tons of carbon dioxide is spewed into the air annually […] There are about 500 million cars on the planet and by 2030 it is expected to double to 1 billion cars… It is believed that current fuel supplies peaked in 2006” (Enviro Warrior).
Look at off shore drilling, and the impact it has had on the environment. On April 20, 2010, the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig erupted and spilled millions of gallons of crude oil into the ocean, causing irreversible damage to the planet. Yet, we are supposed to be learning from our mistakes, building our future, building our empire. When in fact we are destroying any hope we have for a future, any hope to see the world coming into the twenty-second century.
In my opinion, we should get rid of currency and go back to the barter system, go back to the simple life. If you look back at what history has been telling us repeatedly, you will see we’re on a path for destruction, and isn’t all the destruction and pollution ultimately for money?! Can we possibly live without diamonds and gold? If we continue down this road of wealth and continue to disregard all the warnings, I fear there will be no hope for a future. If you think about it, things were simple, work was hard, but people were healthier and for the most part honest and kind. This entire planet has enough resources to keep everyone alive for a long time to come; we just need to find a way to share it.
References
“Oil sands mining linked to Athabasca River toxins.”CBC News: (2011)Retrieved Feb 11, 2011.
“Wake up and smell the Homus … then tread lightly upon the planet.”Enviro Warrior: (2010). Retrieved Feb 11, 2011.