The awakening of consciences,

[olivier77]

Today, no one can ignore the deterioration that our planet earth is undergoing at a frightening rate. Everyone knows that, what was created naturally over millions of years, it will take only two short centuries to annihilate it; I do not think I am wrong in claiming that the rampage began in the 1900s, without anyone before today having really made themselves heard on the dangers that humanity would face. Many scientists and environmentalists have doubtless sounded alarm bells for a long time, which did not prevent our consumer societies and those who govern them, from continuing in their frantic races for profit, for money , virtual ignominy largely responsible for our big present and future problems. Today we are at the bottom of the wall, and we all agree that it is necessary to act and quickly. If some of the damage caused by a century of industrialization, 'technological progress', and unspeakable profits generated by the great powers of this world at the expense of the misery of the smallest is irreversible, I want to believe that we have the possibility of slow down or halt the process of destruction of our ecosystem, or even restore certain things that are essential for generations to come. Because if we don't see the positive effects of our living ones, let's be responsible, optimistic and not selfish, let's think about our descendants! Who can imagine without cramp in the belly, his children, or the children of his children, living on a planet where it is 50 ° in the shade every summer, where fresh water no longer flows from taps, is expensive and rationed and whose reserves inexorably run out? Who can still without being sad, imagine them in a world where the fish will no longer exist, where the wearing of a hygienic mask on the face will be a necessity for each movement outside, where still imagine them undergoing raging wildly elements, violent storms whose strength is perhaps not even known to us yet? I am only recounting some of the most pessimistic predictions of some, but imagine that these prove to be correct, so we have the duty and still the power to ensure that no one ever knows this fate one day. While waiting helplessly, that our leaders finally take radical measures, have the courage to take action rather than assert ourselves with demagogic political speeches, what can we, ordinary ordinary citizens?

For those who have not yet done so, change our behaviors, our little habits of daily life, and instill in our loved ones and our children, big or small, simple attitudes and gestures for better respect for the environment and protection of the vital elements of our planet, and that they in turn share this knowledge around them. If everyone is aware that the earth is in bad shape, I think that many fatalistic people among us, unfortunately do nothing to make it a little better, and that others have absolutely nothing to do. I have neither the pretension nor the intention to want to draw up here an exhaustive list of behaviors to adopt, I think that all those who are conscientious know what they have to do at home, to save water, l , energy…
As for the others, those who have become accustomed to 'that' without changing their attitude of life in waste and pollution, it would be as long as they wake up! Addiction is dangerous, and what scares me is that we live more and more knowing the problem without doing anything, as we unfortunately get used to the images of war or famine, by eating our steak fries in front of the news on TV.

Apart from the gestures that everyone can accomplish at home, it is frustrating to note that on a higher scale, ecology is not yet within the reach of all budgets, and that very often those who have the financial means to be able buying ecological equipment does nothing, or worse, contributing to our pollution problems. An example: I came across a TV show about cars not too long ago, at the time of the Paris motor show. I was terrified to hear one of the presenters say that the 4x4 was doing wonderfully, and that it had never been sold as much, especially in the luxury category! My disgust was accentuated by the vision of the images of a gentrified urban woman with an eccentric look, sitting behind the wheel of a huge 4x4, caressing and kissing the dashboard saying that it was the one she wanted. Am I wrong and do I have a metro delay or are 4x4 vehicles that consume a lot of energy? Why those who can afford such vehicles, do not invest in one of the new models of car 'super-ecological', whose prices are unfortunately not yet within the reach of the middle class?
What is the percentage of these polluting monster buyers who practice off-road? I easily understand that the one who lives in the Alps and raises goats need it, except how many live in town and offers this 'toy' only for show off? The 4x4 is just a small example, but my fear is that too many mentalities remain to change if we want to hope to improve things.

As proof, another example, that of the Quad ... I will not make friends but I assume. For a few years now, we have witnessed a real fashion phenomenon around this excessively noisy and polluting machine, we sell tons of it, to anyone even to children, and the dealers grow like mushrooms, like pizzerias or Greek sandwich shops. Apart from the annoying noise they emit when passing through our towns or villages, which is already a pollution in itself, many pilots of these machines mistakenly considering themselves as bikers or sportsmen, will practice their 'sport' cheerfully in woods, undergrowth, forests, fields or private paths, defying prohibitions, and not caring about the deterioration they cause on flora and fauna, as well as gases that escape into nature. I would not address the frequent accidents that happen with this kind of vehicle, very often with very young inexperienced drivers, this being part of another debate. In a time when we should advocate sports such as cycling, hiking or archery, we think once again only of the huge profits that this fashion generates against all ecological ideas. When will there be strict regulations on this phenomenon? When will there be real awareness and a radical change in the mentality of some?

Exotic furniture, swimming pools, water and massive deforestation. We must not delude ourselves; The woods that constitute the pseudo-exotic furniture that you have just paid a fortune compared to its very poor quality, come in very large part from countries where massive deforestation is practiced, with the sole aim of exploiting up to the last branch of the tree, the gigantic world trade with colossal profits, that of furniture and decoration, among others. This too, everyone knows, as everyone knows the dramatic consequences on the ecosystem and the indigenous pacifist populations that such forest massacres cause. Despite the fact that these pieces of furniture burst on all sides in our cozy European salons after two days, because we no longer even take the time to dry the wood (to believe that the tree that has just been cut is immediately loaded on the boat, aboard which it will be transformed into furniture on the way to Europe), and despite the fact that everyone knows their origins and consequences as said before, we continue to consume them, and to feed this trade to multiple traffics. Double problem and consequences for swimming pools; Besides the fact that they are made with the same types of wood from the same regions as our dear furniture, there is the dilemma of water. It is certainly pleasant to strut quietly in a large swimming pool in the middle of its garden, which was reserved a few years ago for a high social class imposed on wealth. Nowadays, with the disappearance of this wealth tax, and the impressive shattering of the sale prices of rigid pools, (again causing maximum exploitation of materials and human beings for maximum profit from those who trade in them ), we offer the possibility to almost everyone to acquire this luxury and to dip in hundreds of cubic meters of water at home. Yet we are told a lot about the big problems of lack of fresh water in the years to come, right? Are we not walking backwards? Will these problems be solved if each inhabitant invests in a swimming pool? No sense! Wouldn't it be wiser to build a municipal swimming pool reserved for residents in each municipality, and strictly prohibit or regulate the sale of private swimming pools? But then again we come up against the problem of that damn money, what makes money and what costs.

Same thing with regard to personal air conditioners; Global warming is running its course, the air conditioning trade is booming, prices are falling as temperatures rise. Same thinking as for swimming pools and the problem of water: If each inhabitant installs their air conditioning system and returns hot air to the atmosphere, will we thus resolve this phenomenon of global warming? Of course not, we will only accentuate it. I am going to be harsh in saying that here again, strong legislation should be established, authorizing the sale of these air conditioners only for homes where there are young children and the elderly. If there is a price to pay then let's pay it!

The 'electric mess' in French companies; I do not know how it is done in other countries, but I am frightened of the waste of energy which one can make in the French companies, in particular with regard to the lighting of whole buildings day and night which does not useless. Couldn't we introduce a kind of compulsory curfew after a certain hour, which would oblige companies to turn off 50% of their lights every night in places where no one works during these hours?

Media coverage, advertising campaigns; With the millions of profits (still?!) That the TV channels and advertising agencies are brewing, could we not create and broadcast spots during busy advertisements during prime time, in which we would send messages' d 'civic education' towards the planet? You will tell me that it has already been done, but I am talking about virulent ads with shocking images, as it has already been done for anti-smoking campaigns or for road prevention, just to appeal to the least conscientious. Perhaps this kind of useful advertising (for once) could have a positive impact on human behavior. Mega productions like the star ac 'could I am sure, finance alone with each' premium '(in English), the realization of an advertisement, and thus do something clever with the money that they amass by their voting systems on premium rate calls.

Well, I don't know why, but I wanted to write this and I'm almost done. It is very few things you will say to me and that undoubtedly is useless. Now what am I going to do with it? At most maybe upload on a few forums dealing with ecology before it remains a dead letter, just to talk about it and exchange some ideas. Above all, I do not want to be moralistic, and I have no way of doing it, although some really deserve to have their ears pulled, starting with all those who brew billions in trade and the sacking of wealth of our planet. But at our level, it would be impossible to act directly with them. I did not study after my third twenty years ago to immerse myself directly in the jungle of the working world, and therefore I did not study ecology, the environment even less. Also it is possible that I am wrong on certain points, and the observations of persons familiar with the subject are welcome.
In the end, all I did was to 'put my souls down on paper' to share them, and that feels good. I am the father of two young children who bring me a lot of happiness, and despite everything I live every day with this sadness inside me, caused by the unknown world that we are going to leave to our offspring. I for my part lived a happy childhood and adolescence in carefree, and I do not remember having spent all my summer vacation under the heat wave, our children will certainly not have this happiness in the years to come, and it hurts my heart. This among many other things of course; Total disappearance of certain animal and plant species, lack of fresh water, melting glaciers, and so on. Scientists say that there is a natural phenomenon in these events against which we can do little, except to avoid accelerating them at high speed with our pollution, the exploitation and destruction of our wealth, and while waiting for inevitable radical changes in our lifestyles, concrete actions by the powers of the planet, let us modify our behavior and our attitudes, and try to educate the less civilized.

[bham]

WELCOME TO THE CLUB !!!!!!!!!
All right with you.
Take the opportunity to participate in forum.

[Christophe]

There are too many words ...

[olivier77]

thanks, next time i will try to make it shorter!

[Christophe]

Well especially for 1 st message