Blog Entry #4 - Environmental Issues

The most pressing global environmental issue facing us today is global energy consumption. We are simply consuming too much, while producing too little (or having the inability to produce more altogether, as is the situation of fossil fuels). There are numerous different methods of power generation, from coal to natural gas, wind power to solar energy. All of these things have effects on the environment, some worse than others. I feel that this is the most pressing global issue today because of the numerous issues that are caused by our (over)consumption. Another huge environmental issue is global climate change. I don't think that this is the most pressing issue, simply because we cannot combat it without first improving our ways of fuel consumption. 

If a wealthy benefactor like the Rockefeller Foundation gave me $100 billion to address a global problem, I would first invest in alternative energy. Without some private investment in the alternate energy sector, the cost of this alternative energy will cost too much. By driving investment, technology will improve, lowering cost of production, and lowering end cost to consumers. This will have an immediate (and long term) effect on the global environment. The next investment I would make would be into environmental education. Without education, people will never change wasteful behaviors because many of them will never realize that they are being wasteful! Classes like colloquium, and classes that can expose younger students to their local environment would create a long-term change for the better. If students know that they SHOULD be taking care of the environment, they will make a more active effort to preserve it.