Blog Action Day, Al Gore, and Saving the Environment

If you haven't heard today is "Blog Action Day" an annual event where blogs from around the world write up a short entry on a specific topic; the environment. This is my little contribution.

I am an American and I love the United States. I have to ask though. What the hell is wrong with our president?!? More research? More research?!? Did I hear him correctly?

Global warming is a problem. It has been proven up, down, left, right, sideways, inversely and on a 4th dimension (however you do that). We do not need more research into this what we need is action. But, for the sake of argument, lets suppose that it really wasn't a problem and all of that air pollution, smog, water pollution wasn't warming that planet at all. Wouldn't taking action just make our lives better?

I don't believe that I am the only person that would like to swim in the Hudson river or breathe clean air while sitting on a park bench in Los Angeles. When we go camping don't we want to be able to drink cool, crisp, clean water from the lakes, streams and rivers? Or is air and water pollution something that is desirable? Smog alerts and no-swim zones are a wonderful part of life (it makes it fun!).

Again. I'm asking. Is he joking? More research into this?

Now Al Gore and the UN Committee have been nominated for the Nobel peace prize because of their work in getting the world to recognize that global warming is a problem. Of course, like all nominations, there is a bit of controversy over it. I throw my hat into the ring that I believe his work is worthy of being nominated for the Nobel peace prize. Al Gore's work is more than simply advertising. He has helped to create numerous policies and standards that, collectively, have helped and will continue to help reduce worldwide carbon emissions while still allowing us to live a "civilized" life.

If we lose a few bucks in the short term due to lost productivity I'm OK with that because long-term we all win. The human life is worth more than anything an accountant or actuary can calculate.

Now I'm living in one of the countries that "forced" Mr. Bush's hand into not signing. China. How do I reconcile this? China is a huge offender of carbon emissions and is currently on track to exceed the world is emissions by 2012; which isn't that far away. China, however, HASN'T exceeded the U.S yet. They can still change course and fail to meet that expectation. Unfortunately huge strides aren't being taken but strides are being taken. You can seem them in everyday life all around China.

As an American I will do my best in my everyday choices to reduce my personal footprint. The same as I would have in the U.S. I'll buy products that can be easily recycled, are made with recycled materials, or with reduced waste product. I'll also try to ensure, as I did in the U.S, that I'm buying local. Fortunately I'm in China, it is much easier to buy local in China than it is in the U.S.

Think about it.

My strides may be little but if I can serve as an ambassador and get others to follow the strides get bigger. I just wish that I had the support of my Government behind me but instead they would like to play tit-for-tat games.