Assignment 3

No one can do everything - Do something!

The debate of Climate changes is a very pressing issue. Strangely it has been a pressing issue for several years, but still the problems aren´t solved. Every week we can read in newspapers, hear on the radio and TV about how we humans do to destroy the environment and how climate changes are ongoing. Still, the consumption is increasing, we travel more and so on. Why have people in general had such slow awakening regarding climate changes?

The orders must come from the top. I believe that the government and our world leaders must react and give orders to the countries, to the communities and to the people. Ordinary people hear parts of the debate regarding climate changes, but scientists say different things. A good citizen don´t know what to do, because lack of enough knowledge about the matter. I wouldn´t like to say people are ignorant, but when it comes to an issue of this size, I believe people in general need guidelines. However, I believe Sweden is one of the countries having climate changes on the political agenda.

In a stressed society it´s easy to not pay attention to things you can´t see the result of today. Even if you know a few things which can spare the environment, such as taking your bike to work instead of the car, using environmentally friendly colour when painting your house, perhaps you still choose to go to work by car, because it´s faster and painting with colour wich is harmful to the environment, because it lasts longer. You don´t have time or money to paint your house again in just a few years. I think you will agree with me when I write, we are time chasers. We often complain over lack of time, time flies and so on. What can help me now? How can I get this quickly done? Those are questions we often ask. Perhaps we also live in a stressed society with mobile phones and fast travel communications, so when we want to take time off, it isn´t enough to go to the countryside, because you can too easily be back at work or at home again within an hour or two. Many instead choose to travel far away, travelling by plane. We look at our essential needs for the moment; turn a blind eye to the consequences.

The world economy is depending on our consumption. Factories and their workers and owners, middle hands etc. Everyone is in some way or the other slaves under the consumption. Now when the world economy isn´t on top and affects the Swedish economy, our Swedish minister of finance says; Buy, change kitchen and so on. At the same time, most of us know how consumption affects our environment and in the long term led to climate changes. Questions we need to ask us, are for example; how is our new kitchen made, what do we do with our old kitchen?

The climate changes issue is far too complex to be summarized in the three categories above. It seems impossible to only look at one of the categories above, because the three categories are linked together in one way or the other. Of course there are a lot more factors affecting the climate changes and why people in general have acted slowly. However, I believe we as teachers have a big responsibility to help our pupils and prepare them for a life, where they can hopefully make choices on the basis of what is good out of an environmental perspective. I also believe it´s important to not feel guilt for how we act in this matter or to judge other people. The most important thing is, to be aware of the issue and do what we can and is possible for us. We can´t carry everything on our shoulders, but all of us can do something.