“The Earth is a fine place and worth fighting for.”
Ernest Hemingway
Friends with benefits
I would like to thank fossil fuels for the lifestyle I enjoy. There, I said it.
Probably not what you expected to hear in a blog about climate change, right? But it’s true that all of us in the developed world enjoy a high standard of living because of fossil fuels.
Here is a short list of examples:
- I took a hot shower this morning.
- My home is warm tonight.
- I drove my car today for work, and stopped at the grocery store to buy food for dinner.
- My family recently took a plane to go on vacation.
Our toxic relationship
And now, for the ugly part of the relationship. Burning fossil fuels for energy is causing the Earth to get too warm. The effects of this warming are now tangible – the most visible ones are the increasingly devastating weather events we hear about nearly every day. And the effects will continue to escalate if we don’t change how we get our fuel.
Renewable energy use (solar, wind, etc.) is exploding. To be clear, we are making progress, but we are still dependent on fossil fuels to power our lives. The prices at the pump right now are a harsh reminder.
It’s time to break up
The question is not whether we need to get out of this relationship, but how fast can we make it happen. I mean, even fossil fuels companies are trying to break up with fossil fuels.
When a relationship is toxic, we can appreciate the good things that came out of it, but at the same time realize we need out. This particular relationship is very complex. It will take some time to phase out, but it will have a huge payoff.
Are you wondering what can you do? As a start, you can learn more about climate change and then talk about it.
This breakup won’t be easy, but I agree with Glennon Doyle’s mantra: “we can do hard things”.
Let’s do something about climate change. Learn about it. Think about it. Talk about it.