Category: EarthDay

An Earth Day Post

For years I’ve posted or wrote about Earth Day. I used to believe we would solve the problems that are plaguing the planet, and maybe in someways we have. In a lot of ways we haven’t, and we seem to be ignoring the problems.

Plastics in the Ocean

That seems like a disaster to me. According to: https://www.condorferries.co.uk/plastic-in-the-ocean-statistics

  • There is now 5.25 trillion macro and micro pieces of plastic in our ocean & 46,000 pieces in every square mile of ocean, weighing up to 269,000 tonnes.
  • Every day around 8 million pieces of plastic makes their way into our oceans.
  • The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is around 1.6 million square kilometers – bigger than Texas.
  • The world produces 381 million tonnes in plastic waste yearly – this is set to double by 2034.

Greater than 2/3’s of the planet is covered in water. The ocean provides both a food source and oxygen for the planet. We kill that ecosystem, and we are committing suicide.

Fossil Fuels, Batteries and Renewable Resources

People love to debate how more damaging renewables are for the environment than fossil fuels. Yet I think there are false equivalency comparisons that are happening in that space all the time. People are concerned that strip mining to get lithium is worse for the environment than drilling for oil.

At the end of the day it will all run out. It’s like that School House Rock Video.

We are going to have to find other ways to get energy and do it in a way that we don’t destroy the planet. The law of conservation of Energy says “that energy can neither be created nor destroyed – only converted from one form of energy to another.”

Solar seems like a great way. Nuclear is great but the toxicity that remains afterwards is extremely problematic, if we could solve that part. Batteries are only an intermediary storage solution.

The Takeaway

We have got to put our resources and great minds together to solve these problems. The population of this planet is expanding at a rapid pace. We will not be able to keep up with the demands to feed, house and provide for the energy needs of the planet if we aren’t working hard at solving these problems. We can’t stop having the conversations and doing the work necessary to ensure our survival for generations to come.

Earth Day 2021

So here we are again, another Earth Day. In so many ways, it’s a good day for the earth and yet, how do you celebrate if you feel somewhat stuck indoors. I watched some documentary today that was narrated by Richard Attenborough about the earth. The COVID-19 Pandemic probably has done more to save the planet than destroy it. Less use of fossil fuels to some extent. Factories were on furlough for a while. The hole in the ozone layer closed up.

When you’re older, do you really care what you leave for the next generation and the generation after that? We can and will do better. Finding good ways to recycle and support sustainability efforts are going to be important. We don’t have endless resources. We are very lucky at this point of humanity to live at this very moment. Those who come later may find themselves in some version of the predicted dystopian world that we fear. I hope we are smart enough to avoid that.

Clean drinkable Water, renewable energy source and keeping pollution out of waterways is key to our future. Make today your starting line to help do a little bit more to save the planet.