Bill and Maiken, I recently read an editorial regarding public perception of global warming stating that the majority of Americans now believe that global warming is real and that 85% feel strongly that the government should do something about it.
So this begs the questions: A) Who do we think is responsible for fossil fuel consumption? and B) Who do we think the government is? Do we (the Royal we, tapeworms and all) really believe that government regulations are the best way to modify our behavior? OK I may be taking this a little too literally, but in my mind this underscores the public perception that environmental solutions are Somebody Else's Problem (SEP, Doug Adams; Life, the Universe, and Everything. 1982). But to take it to its logical conclusion: the solution is ours, meaning the public, the government (you know, WE the people) and us the scientific community. Getting back to Bill's original question: I think that conservation could have a tremendous impact but we need to change how they (no we) think about environmental solutions. If the public doesn't understand their role in Global Change it's because we have failed to educate them. Both directly and indirectly by discrediting the tripe that our government has been feed us for that last 30 years. To paraphrase Tip O'Neil: teach globally act locally. Thankfully the recent media blitz seems to be shifting part of the tide of public perception, now it is incumbent on all of us to disseminate the information that we have been discussing these few weeks and get involved in community outreach. David Bryant [EMAIL PROTECTED] 978-697-6123 On Feb 4, 2007, at 5:34 AM, William Silvert wrote: > Does anyone have an estimate of how much energy conservation can be > accomplished by voluntary actions? I doubt that the effect will be > that > great. Political action, such as letting the price of gasoline > double to > match European prices, would be much more effective in my opinion. > > Political and economic action is also much more likely to be > effective in > controlling the industrial use of energy, where the bottom line is > paramount. > > Virtue is of course its own reward, but is that enough to solve our > energy > crisis? > > Bill Silvert > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Maiken Winter" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Saturday, February 03, 2007 2:51 PM > Subject: Energy use and blaming > > >> I hear a lot of pointing fingers, blaming this or that group >> for not doing their share. I strongly believe that the only way >> that we >> will make a difference is if we stop blaming others and if instead >> each >> one starts to compare ourselves to ourselves. Is this all I can >> do, or can >> I reduce my energy use even further? It is fun to be in >> competition with >> yourself, because you can't loose. And I believe changing our own >> behavior >> first is the most effective way to change the system. People can only >> change themselves, and they will resist any change more if we make >> them >> feel bad. >> >> Maiken >> >> Maiken Winter, PhD (how do you like that, Meghan?? :-) ) >> Cornell Lab of Ornithology >> Ithaca, NY 14840 >> >>
