After reading stories that summarize our future as humans living on Earth in years such as 2040, I tried imagining where I would be in the situation of climate change and its destruction. I will be 45 years of age, hopefully with a loving husband and kids. Then it hit me, my kids would be living a life not even close to a life I had lived. They’ll grow up in poverty and hunger. Where the idea of “wrong” seems to be the only choice to live by. They’ll grow up without knowing the excitement of reality TV shows or vacations to tropical places. Lavishes will turn extinct and happiness will come from having food on the table that night.
The short story “Diary of an Interesting Year” by Helen Simpson is what makes me contemplate this future. Poverty is the only way of life in this story and even though it isn’t a true story, it has truth within it. If we don’t start changing habits or helping our Earth preserve itself our kids could face a world that’s been destroyed by it’s humans. Even worse, a world myself and all the other people who didn’t do anything to help destroyed.
After researching and learning about climate change, I had taken into account what so many scientist and researchers have to say that it occurred to me I had no idea what the Governments view on climate change was. While looking into it I stumbled upon NASA’s website for information on climate. The very first thing you see is different facts scrolling across the page with captions life “FOREST COVER” and “SEA LEVEL” then underneath a number with an arrow pointing down or up. It was interesting scrolling through all these different facts and seeing what is decreasing compared to what is increasing. For example, Forest Cover is decreasing 1.5 million sq. km., which is very upsetting and concerning. It is saying we are loosing our forest throughout the US to fires or even demolition by man. A fact when clicked on that particular link noted, “Global forest lost between 2000 and 2012 would cover more than twice the area of Texas.” To even fathom that is mind blowing.
The hardest part of dealing with climate change is not knowing what you can do to help prevent it. As humans we believe there isn’t much we can do when fighting against time. Becoming so interested in this topic, I tried finding resources that gave me options of how I can help. I found a website where the government has actually listed many steps in helping preserve Earth. I encourage anyone reading my blog to check this website out. It gives advice and different products to use when trying to help the planet. Whether it is changing the type of light bulb you use or even recommending companies like “Energy Star” to help monitor heating and cooling within your home. Simple steps can make a big difference. After being informed of the future my kids and myself could have it makes you think about the bigger picture. Start now and benefit from it later.
I also share your concerns about the future generations and the conditions they will have to face. We, along with past generations, seem to only focus on short-term goals and problems, rather than the long-term problems that are coming. I think it’s safe to say the our children will be living in a world that is a lot different than the one we grew up in, and I hope that we can come up with solutions that will provide them with the same opportunities as us.
This post made me put into perspective about when I’m a mom what my kids is going to go through the issue with climate change. I think it is very interesting seeing that the government is trying to get prepared for the damages that global warming brings. I really like you title of this post because if I do start getting prepared for the future then it will benefit my family and me when I am older. This means stocking up on water bottles, flashlights, and food.
I really enjoyed your views on climate change. I also agree that the sooner we start, the more benefits we will receive later and the more it will be beneficial to our futures. I think it’s great that you find a site with resources on preventing climate change. It’s great that even little things such as changing the type of lightbulb we use can make such a huge difference.
I really enjoyed reading your blog, and hearing your view of Global Warming. Your statement, “Then it hit me, my kids would be living a life not even close to a life I had lived,” made me view this issue from a different angle. Yes, we would be living in a destroyed world, but what about our kids? They would grow up in it. We have to change so that doesn’t happen.