An ancient Amerindian proverb says that we do not inherit the earth from our fathers, but that we borrow it from our sons. If that is true, our generation must not be too fond of parenthood. We fill the oceans with waste, burn holes through the ozone, and so much more. It seems that almost every decision we make will somehow affect the environment. This crisis that our planet faces is starting to be dealt with today. The Kyoto protocol, an agreement signed by 76 countries to reduce all forms of toxic emissions, is fast becoming a prime discussion topic in many international conferences. It may not be perfect, but at least it is a step in the right direction. The U.S.A., one of the leaders in environmentalism on the global scene during the 80’s and 90’s, rejected the Kyoto agreement for economical reasons. Responsible for 36 percent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, the United States has the responsibility, both to its people and to the world, to do something for the environment.
The USA is home to less than 5% of the world’s population. That 5% is responsible for 24% of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions and 36% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, according to a study done by the British Broadcasting Corporation. Once in the vanguard for environmental-friendly politics, the United States has now dropped out of nearly every global agreement dealing with the survival of our planet. President George W. Bush, after rejecting the Kyoto accord, said: “We will not do anything that harms our economy, because first things first are the people who live in America.” This statement so accurately relates the ignorance of the United States. The fact of the matter is that everything that happens to the environment will affect the U.S. population. If the polar ice caps melt, American cities will be flooded just as much as the cities of other countries. If the temperature rises, the American population will be exposed to new diseases, they will see an increase in tornadoes, and the list goes on. Doing something for planet earth is doing something for Americans, since planet earth insures their survival, but not necessarily economic prowess.
President Bush, in his remarks after the rejection of the Kyoto protocol, did not only deal with the population of the United States, but with his country’s economy. It’s amazing that President Bush would even bring that up. Of the U.S. domestic budget in 2003, 48%, approximately 302 million dollars, was invested in the military. This astronomical figure leaves a few questions: What would happen if, instead of waging war against “terror”, the USA did something to help the whole planet. Would terror increase or decrease? But most importantly, how much longer would our planet remain?
Somewhere along the line, people will have to sacrifice certain privileges to ensure the survival of all. In the words of Chief Seattle, “Only when the last tree has died and the last river been poisoned and the last fish has been caught, we will realize we can not eat money.”