Wednesday, May 12, 2010

It's about more than Global Warming

People ask me, "So, do you believe in Global Warming?"

The answer may surprise you. While I do believe what we're doing is directly affecting the climate to a certain degree, I am not about all the Global Warming hype. From what I've heard about Al Gore, I believe there's an enormous amount of hypocrisy in his life based on the lifestyle he's rumored to be leading.

If we look at history, which we too often forget to do, we'll see that the earth goes through warming and cooling cycles. Some experts are saying we have moved from the former into the latter and will be experiencing up to three decades of cooler-than-average temps. Time will tell.

So, the question that now arises is, "If you don't believe in Global Warming, why are you bothering to do what you do?"


C'mon folks....caring for the environment is about so much more than worrying about Global Warming. I believe it's my personal duty...and it's yours. Do you have children? Will they have children someday? How about nieces or nephews? Do you care what kind of world you're leaving behind for them?

Are there more important issues than the environment? I believe there are. For you, it may be animal rights. For me, it's fighting for the rights of the unborn. And I vote accordingly. Which means, I often cast my vote against environmental issues. That's just the way it is for me. If that makes you angry, or surprises you, I'm sorry you feel that way, but it is my hope we can respect each other's choices and find the common ground. If you're reading this blog, our common ground is our love of this incredible planet.

In my view, the welfare of people must always come before the welfare of animals or the environment. Does that mean I don't care about cruelty to animals? Absolutely not! I am animal lover and do not believe in needless testing on animals, nor do I advocate any type of animal abuse. I have adopted my share of pets from animal shelters and will boycott companies if I learn of unethical practices regarding animals of any kind. I do not wear fur and I am appalled by the practices in other countries where live animals are skinned so we can "enjoy" more luxurious clothing.

While corn products are used for things like straws and biodegradable plasticware, I opt not to buy them. Why? Because our use of corn for environmental purposes has resulted in less food supply for the underprivileged of this world. I believe we need to care for peolple more than we care for the environment. Does that make sense?

So, basically, I'm laying it all for you. And while I'm being honest, and therefore vulnerable, I'm also, by no means, an expert on anything I write about. Every day I discover there's so much more to learn. As the months and years go by, you'll probably find me contradicting myself from time to time. That's only because I'll have come across new information and have changed my view on something. I hope that you'll extend to me the grace I need to be wrong sometimes. It happens to the best of us!

You are the reason I do this. It is my hope that, somewhere along the line, I'll make a difference in your life. Maybe you won't switch to cloth diapers, but you'll protect your child from the dangers of BPA, or you'll stop poisoning your family with the chemicals in fabric softeners. None of us can do it all, but we all can do our part. Little changes lead to big results.

Thank you for including me in your day. If I've made a difference, let me know. After all, we all need some encouragement from time to time.

Sharing my heart,

Hana

2 comments:

  1. thank you for your very honest and insightful post! I think it reflects a lot of people's multifaceted views on issues, and also is a big reason why I, for one, am continually shocked that our country is represented by only two major political parties - most people I know have very complex views on major issues that straddle the media-enhanced gap between the so-called "right" and "left".

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  2. Thank you for your comment. I, personally, wish we could eliminate the parties altogether and have people of integrity (do they even exist in politics?) run on non-partisan issues.

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