Realizing as a society that global concerns currently being dealt with are truly connected will be key in fixing our eventual food and water crisis. Contemplative practices have enlightened me on issues such as world hunger and helped give an appreciation for the amount of energy it takes just to get food to the table. Nonetheless, I couldn’t fully integrate my thoughts until our latest contemplative space. In this, it really made me internalize my thoughts on our fossil fueled economy, and especially how much pressure there is on our generation to make cognizant decisions on where our future energy will be derived from. Let’s face it: oil is a result of decaying dead organisms from thousands of years ago. Not surprisingly, if you oxidize a hydrocarbon that has sat in the ground for millions of years, it brings upon widespread human death. This resource taken from the lithosphere and burned in the bio and atmospheres has depleted the ozone, reduced photosynthetic ability of plants, contributed to the greenhouse effect and climate change, and increased occurrences of cancer and respiratory disorders in humans.
Our society has the unique perspective of acknowledging all that fossil fuels have done for humans, from powering our homes during times of extreme weather to transporting our food for global consumption. However, it is our duty for the sake of future generations to recognize burning hydrocarbons into the atmosphere has been the main culprit in a series of dramatic changes to our climate and culture. If indeed the human race is unable to transform its ways of utilizing energy into one that is perpetually sustainable, corporate greed will be the reason. The weight of this must fall on the political groups and business which have for years opposed scientific regulations that limit immediate profits and growth.
Hello Alex!! I love this post because it opens reader’s eyes on the realness of fossil fuels and how although they help us our society in certain ways, it is also ruining our Earth. What do you think it the best way in which we can switch to a more sustainable society? What do you think would be the first step? I think that the contemplative practice definitely made me realize how industrialized the United States really is, because I was forced to sit down and actually process it!
Alex, I too agree that humans have long disrespected the Earth’s available resources by exploiting their use, taking the benefits for granted and selfishly withholding these benefits from future generations. As much as I agree that corporate greed is a large part of the issue, especially since many corporations have financial ties to fracking and other eco-unfriendly, profit-bearing practices, I also think humanity’s normalized consumption practices are largely at fault. It’s one thing for Apple to come out with a new iPhone every year, but it’s another thing for so many people to feel like they need to buy this product whether or not their current phone works. It’s as if our social position is raised when he purchase the new, trendy gadgets, but only under capitalism does this hierarchical process work. If businesses weren’t so fixated on profit, that’d be great… but that’s like asking a dog to give up belly rubs. Maybe it’s unrealistic, but I think we need to reshape our consumption habits alongside the corporations that need to reprioritize their business plans and financial partnerships.