Biggest Global Problem

[gkjpalmer]

Biggest global and social problems occur when:

The desire for profit exceeds all environmental and moral wisdom.

 

[xsited1]

Biggest global and social problems occur when:

The desire for profit exceeds all environmental and moral wisdom.

The biggest global problem is when a large object crashes into the earth causing an extinction level event.

 

[Mr. H.]

Biggest global and social problems occur when:

The desire for profit exceeds all environmental and moral wisdom.

Interesting. What would you consider examples of this?

 

[gkjpalmer]

In some respects, Oil.
Please dont go haywire Mr H...hear me out.

Our primary source of energy as beings is food. In the beginning, we hunted and gathered for food(Energy), so that we could survive to hunt and gather more food.

As we developed, we became aware of other sources of energy which we could apply toward the production of our most direct requirement for food energy.

Yes...it is true that all other forms of energy we became aware of were applied to other non food applications, but every energy source fell upon was most primarily applied to food production.

So is the case with oil as well....

But if that form of energy...which we so germainly depend on for our food supply( Not to mention its other related uses in pesticides, plastics, distribution , processing ect..) also depleets our environment, bankrups our economy, is in short supply, and causes us to potentially go to war over it, what keeps it so entrenched?

Mr H...at the end of the day we are poised to perhaps be unable to stop what we are using to be able to feed ourselves because the profit( and the associated power) losses would be too unbearable for us to part with.

In a shorter version...ill give you a million bucks if you seal this plastic bag around your head for an hour
or, Ill dump chemicals into the river, polluting my water...so I can profit selling paper...
Or...Im gonna wack this guy because if I do....i'll profit...( Its all about the bottom line)

Again the key words in my original definition are "when profit EXCEEDS"
Your thoughts?

 

[Polk]

Climate change is pretty clearly the most significant issue facing the planet, but it's one I can't bring myself to care about, because the reality is that nothing will be done about.

 

[Mr. H.]

In some respects, Oil.
Please dont go haywire Mr H...hear me out.

Our primary source of energy as beings is food. In the beginning, we hunted and gathered for food(Energy), so that we could survive to hunt and gather more food.

As we developed, we became aware of other sources of energy which we could apply toward the production of our most direct requirement for food energy.

Yes...it is true that all other forms of energy we became aware of were applied to other non food applications, but every energy source fell upon was most primarily applied to food production.

So is the case with oil as well....

But if that form of energy...which we so germainly depend on for our food supply( Not to mention its other related uses in pesticides, plastics, distribution , processing ect..) also depleets our environment, bankrups our economy, is in short supply, and causes us to potentially go to war over it, what keeps it so entrenched?

Mr H...at the end of the day we are poised to perhaps be unable to stop what we are using to be able to feed ourselves because the profit( and the associated power) losses would be too unbearable for us to part with.

In a shorter version...ill give you a million bucks if you seal this plastic bag around your head for an hour
or, Ill dump chemicals into the river, polluting my water...so I can profit selling paper...
Or...Im gonna wack this guy because if I do....i'll profit...( Its all about the bottom line)

Again the key words in my original definition are "when profit EXCEEDS"
Your thoughts?

I presumed you would focus on oil. That's cool. Nice sober rational post BTW.
I'll try to be sober and rational too, as I won't start drinking for a few hours yet.

Oil production and consumption isn't without its inherent risks. What industrial/mechanised process is? I happen to believe the rewards are very much worth the risks when it comes to hydrocarbons (oil/natural gas/coal). Their presence on this planet, and our harvesting of these energy sources, has propelled humankind to heights otherwise unattainable. Because of hydrocarbons, our expected lifespans have doubled over the last 150 years (about the time commercial oil production first began).

With respect to profits VS environmental accountability, the oil and gas industries far outspend any other when it comes to compliance, safeguards, and pollution prevention.

The "desire for profit" in these industries is focused on a singular goal: to find and produce more oil and natural gas. And that is good for this world. And we should be thankful and appreciative of it.

Men make war. Our desires for things make war. There have been wars for millenia- long before oil/gas/coal were ever discovered.

 

[jwoodie]

Biggest global and social problems occur when:

The desire for profit exceeds all environmental and moral wisdom.

A bit of non sequitur here. By "desire for profit" are you referring to individual companies or a general desire to improve/maximize one's standard of living? How would either of these exceed "all environmental and moral wisdom?" I am guessing you are concerned about Global Warming/Climate Change and are advocating Cap And Trade and/or international standards/enforcement of industrial pollution? If so, why not state your case directly?

 

[AVG-JOE]

Biggest Global Problem?

Still greedy humans using the political power of scared religious humans to maintain a minority control over the planets resources.

But it's getting better.

 

[flacaltenn]

The desire to drink milk creates ABSURD profits, strips the world of limited resources all because we are -----

"""unable to stop what we are using to be able to feed ourselves because the profit( and the associated power) losses would be too unbearable for us to part with."""

I think I got this message down.. I'm ready to march with you...

As soon as you compare the cost of a gallon of milk to a gallon of gasoline and tell me who profits more (after taxes) --- and who has the harder job.

 

[earthmuffin]

Biggest global and social problems occur when:

The desire for profit exceeds all environmental and moral wisdom.

The biggest global problem is when a large object crashes into the earth causing an extinction level event.

I understand this was likely intended to be tongue in cheek, however...

An extinction level event, while clearly devastating, would still be preferable to the slow death of the planet. If you are measuring in terms of suffering, anyway.

 

[earthmuffin]

Biggest global and social problems occur when:

The desire for profit exceeds all environmental and moral wisdom.

I see where you're coming from, but I would have to take it one step further.

I think our biggest global problem stems from the fact that we (and I'm using "we" collectively for all humanity in general) fail to recognize that humans are not the most important beings on the planet, nor is our existence special or necessary to Earth.

 

[flacaltenn]

Biggest global and social problems occur when:

The desire for profit exceeds all environmental and moral wisdom.

I see where you're coming from, but I would have to take it one step further.

I think our biggest global problem stems from the fact that we (and I'm using "we" collectively for all humanity in general) fail to recognize that humans are not the most important beings on the planet, nor is our existence special or necessary to Earth.

Sounds like you need to actually get out and walk a long trail... Maybe you'll meet some TRUE enviromentalists who are working to preserve open space in developed areas or seeking to UNDERSTAND how nature works so that we can leave minimal impact on the world..

Since you don't seem to LIKE people, that's OK -- you can go protect the bunnies from the bobcats or whatever turns you on..

 

[uscitizen]

biggest global and social problems occur when:

The desire for profit exceeds all environmental and moral wisdom.

the biggest global problem is when a large object crashes into the earth causing an extinction level event.

12-21.

 

[earthmuffin]

Sounds like you need to actually get out and walk a long trail... Maybe you'll meet some TRUE enviromentalists who are working to preserve open space in developed areas or seeking to UNDERSTAND how nature works so that we can leave minimal impact on the world..

Since you don't seem to LIKE people, that's OK -- you can go protect the bunnies from the bobcats or whatever turns you on..

Why should pointing out that we are far too anthropocentric mean I dislike people?

And what makes you think I'm some sort of "fake" environmentalist?

 

[Old Rocks]

Anybody that does not parrot the interests of big coal and big oil is a 'fake' environmentalist to Flatulance.

Yes, the single greatest danger to our present civilization is global warming and the climate change it drives. We have already seen major affects on agriculture in the last three years, as well as a billion dollars in private infrastructure losses from just one extreme weather event this year.

 

[flacaltenn]

Sounds like you need to actually get out and walk a long trail... Maybe you'll meet some TRUE enviromentalists who are working to preserve open space in developed areas or seeking to UNDERSTAND how nature works so that we can leave minimal impact on the world..

Since you don't seem to LIKE people, that's OK -- you can go protect the bunnies from the bobcats or whatever turns you on..

Why should pointing out that we are far too anthropocentric mean I dislike people?

And what makes you think I'm some sort of "fake" environmentalist?

Uh maybe when you say that humans "are not special or neccessary to the Earth"..

OR was it when you said the planet was "dying a slow death" and attributed that to man.

You know --- termites are not far behind man in producing GreenHouse gases..

 

[earthmuffin]

Uh maybe when you say that humans "are not special or neccessary to the Earth"..

We're not special, why should we be? And again, why does that mean I don't like humans?

OR was it when you said the planet was "dying a slow death" and attributed that to man.

I'm not sure why you're quoting me as having said that, as I didn't. However, even if I had, it wouldn't mean I dislike all humanity. It would be a remark on current behavior that needs to change.

You know --- termites are not far behind man in producing GreenHouse gases..

Interesting you should bring up termites. Here's the problem:
A) Termites produce methane, only ONE of the greenhouse gases. Humans are guilty of releasing pretty much anything and everything.
B) Termites produce this unknowingly and unintentionally. Humans know better.
C) While it can be agreed upon that it is a significant amount, reports vary from 5% to 40%. And much of this is based upon one study, that has been accused of drawing the wrong conclusions. After all, termites in a lab live differently than termites in their natural habitat.
D) The reason there is cause for concern is because of HUMANS messing with the ecosystem. For example, termites appear in greater abundance in secondary forests (forests planted after another has been cleared due to logging etc). There's also the issue of bacteria that can be found in termite mounds. This bacteria releases nitric and nitric oxide and seems to be stimulated when disturbed, most notably by fertilizer use on cleared land.

Nice try.

Also, you have still yet to explain how I'm a "fake" environmentalist.

Edit: I see where you got the slow death thing from: "An extinction level event, while clearly devastating, would still be preferable to the slow death of the planet. If you are measuring in terms of suffering, anyway."

My former remarks still stand. This is a behavior that can be altered. As it stands, we are destroying the planet. If we continue at this pace, we will make this world inhabitable for ourselves and other living things.