When Climate Changes, Don't Look

America continues to amaze me with how oblivious and stubborn it can be in comparison to its progressive counterparts. Many countries have gradually restructured their style of living to be more sustainable, while conversely, the USA has restructured its culture to surround the very practices that kill our environment. When I lived in the Netherlands 20 years ago, its implemented systems and practices were already more sustainably advanced than what the US is now. It can be so frustrating living in America, a country that preaches proud nationalism like no other yet disregards all of the issues we desperately need to be reformed. The “United” states have become so divided on issues, but climate change is one that I continue to circle back to as the confusing polarized division on it prevents real progress.

The world is in an environmental state of emergency because of human-induced global warming caused by daily practices that America engages in profoundly more than others. Yet only in America is the issue overlooked and doubted despite having enough statistics recording the negative impacts that have taken over universal standards. Aside from the numbers, we cannot possibly believe that we can completely alter natural infrastructure, concentrate industries on mass production facilities, and shamelessly produce fossil fuels without consequence. But somehow it is still a ‘sensitive’ topic because of the drastic differences in opinion and political focuses between liberals and conservatives. Speaking on this political division honestly, something seems off to me that groups preaching pro-life enforcement can also be the same groups that deny or downplay the importance of the pressing environmental crisis that will eventually kill or seriously worsen the quality of future life, but thats a debate for later.

On top of our divided state, America has a unique emphasis on capitalism that creates another setback to America's comparative advancements to other countries.

We specifically prioritize big business success, ignore ethics, and focus on supplying more wasteful consumer products (whose life cycle is toxic from beginning to end). I mean, we literally have people who could single-handedly fund unfathomable change in environment cleanliness and resources, yet choose to hoard their excessive billions for storage.

Additionally, Americans have a nasty habit of feeling secure enough to not need to invest in issues until they are emergencies. Trump handed us an example of this during his term as the COVID-19 virus culminated. It was consecutive denial until we were too late to have comfortably established the necessary preparatory work to maximize safety. Thus, in the progressive year of 2022, we're playing catch up once again as the Trump Administration disassembled hundreds of environmentally conscious legislation that served to protect us and wildlife during his 4-year term.

Though, his presidency was extremely successful in two things: screwing us over in American climate change efforts, and further dividing our political parties to prevent potential reform.

I was recently listening to a podcast that hosted Steven E. Koonin, a highly respected scientist for his writings on climate change. Some of his statements, reflecting similar publications of other scientists, are slightly alarming given the current polarized state surrounding the topic. He explained the way scientists must filter themselves, even towards the government, when presenting the transparent truth on climate change findings as “you can’t say that”-- highlighting just how carefully calculated we have to be around the "controversial" topic. Something else he spoke on that was specifically problematic was the tradition of dramatics we’ve created when discussing data proving the legitimacy of the situation. Though I agree about the selective exaggeration on the issue, I feel the dramatics are necessary to continue navigating just what it takes to get through to a stubborn population. Coming from valued researchers, statements like this are the ones that get dragged into the political debate to argue a bigger fight. Members of the research field should be so cautious about their end goal; belittling the gravity of climate change in any sense will be taken and misconstrued by an extremely influential group of people searching to defund the movement. Even though some activist attempts are dramatic, we still need to acknowledge the state of crisis if we are to have a chance at taking a stab at the issue.