| There are those who would have us believe that | | | | at an alarming rate (this time period has been |
| resources and actions must be devoted to solving | | | | labeled the 6th great extinction); the earth's |
| the world's financial crisis at the expense of all | | | | population may have already reached its |
| else. These same people would also have us | | | | sustainability limit; bird migrations are changing; |
| believe that addressing the issue of climate | | | | storm severity is increasing; wildfires are more |
| change and the environment must be put aside in | | | | frequent; droughts and crop failures are spreading; |
| light of this new priority. A recently released poll | | | | sea levels are rising; drinking water is disappearing, |
| indicates that the issue of climate change has | | | | and need I go on? |
| dropped to position number 20 as far as issues | | | | How can anyone possibly believe that we can |
| concerning the American public. It is clear that the | | | | address economic issues at the expense of |
| economic stress has taken a bite out of concern | | | | climate change issues? Economies run on |
| for the environment. However, can we afford to | | | | resources. If the forests go, there is no wood for |
| lose sight of what is happening to the climate? | | | | houses; if the fish die, there is no fishing industry; |
| Are the issues of the economy and the | | | | if re-emerging diseases start killing everyone off, |
| environment really separate issues? Can we have | | | | there is no one to buy the products; if storm |
| one without the other? | | | | severity keeps increasing, all the insurance bail out |
| What is currently going on in the environment? | | | | money is wasted; if crops fail, there is no |
| Keeping in mind that everything is happening | | | | agricultural industry. Industry would have us |
| faster than scientists have predicted, a brief | | | | believe that getting the economy back on track is |
| snapshot is as follows: Major Arctic and Antarctic | | | | achieved by giving more money to banks and |
| shelves have collapsed which may make it | | | | freeing up credit. The sad part is that politicians |
| possible for land glaciers to now slip into the | | | | have bought into this argument and they keep |
| ocean; Major rivers around the world are losing | | | | giving them more money, but the economy still |
| water; Icelandic glaciers are retreating at an | | | | worsens. They do not want our precious dollars |
| alarming rate; the Bering Sea may soon be ice | | | | to go into new green companies or concepts |
| free in the summer; The magnetic North Pole is | | | | because they are not yet prepared to gobble up |
| rapidly shifting; the oceans are being depleted of | | | | those dollars. And a result, they have convinced |
| fish; tropical diseases are moving further north | | | | many that it comes down to a choice, the |
| and south from the equator; species are dying off | | | | economy or the environment. |