Going Green

Why has it taken us so long to address the issues of global warming, climate change and equity? The reason lies with who makes money off of our country’s infrastructure, because they are the ones who have the most influence in the decision making process in this country. In order to address the issues of global warming, climate change, and equity, we must first address the issue of environmental justice and the masses must demand that we have the healthiest environment possible. We must show that we will not stand for an environment that is constantly polluted when we have the technology to stop this ramped pollution. It is time to think of it as “who is making money at everyone else’s expense?”Changing the infrastructure of this country does not have to have a negative effect on our economy. In fact, change can and will stimulate the economy. As the famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright once said about the extremely polluted city of Pittsburg “They should tear it down and start over”. That is exactly what we need to do with our preconceived notions about global warming and climate change. We need to start over and embrace a new system which will benefit the earth instead of causing it harm.First off, changing from the infrastructure that we are using today, to one that is more green and much more sensitive to the environment will require spending money. This is something that people don’t like to hear… but let me, just for a moment, try and explain how this spending may really be a blessing in disguise.Let’s start with the current state of the American economy: it is becoming increasingly obvious that we are heading into an economic recession. However, the “Green Revolution” might just be the solution to this problem: you can think of this movement as being the catalyst that will propel us back to the powerful economic status that we once had. This infrastructural change to become “green” will stimulate the economy with jobs and will lower household expenses as individual dwellings become more sustainable and less detrimental to the environment. Simple concepts like recycling rain water back into homes and building with more glass to allow inferred rays to heat the homes, will lower the amount of pollution while also lowering utility expenses.As we demand environmental justice and change the infrastructure of this country, we will see the positive effects of our technological advancements and for the first time we will achieve both a healthy environment and a healthy economy. The ideas of a healthy environment and economy do not have to be mutually exclusive; it just takes a change of mindset and the realization that there is something beneficial for all of us in this movement.(Background Picture)- The background picture of this article is of the Daintree Rainforest in Northeastern Australia. The Daintree Rainforest is the oldest rainforest in the world, dating back 135,000,000 years, it covers over 1,200 square kilometers and is home to the largest range of plants and animals on earth.