Keep America Beautiful, this PSA video from the 1970's is striking and sheds light on the pollution and sheer disregard that Americans had toward the well being of the environment. That commercial was aired in 1971, 46 years later it holds relevance to our current environmental crisis known as global warming. Oddly enough, our current leader does not seem to believe that it is a scientifically backed idea.
In 2012 Donald Trump tweeted: "The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive". While that was five years ago, I fail to believe that his views have radically changed to be congruent with the beliefs that most educated people hold: that global warming is real, and is a real problem.
Since the 2017 inauguration, there has been talk from the Trump administration that supports a resurgence of energy and money into the coal industry which has faced considerable trouble in recent years. While I do support the idea of creating jobs and helping to grow/repair our economy, it is difficult to support the idea of facilitating this growth through the dying coal industry. America has a bountiful supply of coal, but the use of coal has proven to be problematic for our planet.
I fear that the disregard of facts (that global warming is real) will permit this administration and it's supporters to irreparably damage our planet. The truth is, one cannot choose to believe what is convenient for them and demonize what isn't. Because that is intelligent, presidential, or ethical. It is however, foolish.
I watch this video and think, perhaps it would be best to show this to our supreme leader. But it most likely would not make a difference. 46 years later and America is not great, and it is uglier than ever.
Its funny how a commercial from so long ago can remain so relevant in today's political culture. I agree that the current administration's attempts to cover up climate change as an "alternative fact" is troublesome, both for the actual environmental impact but more so how his supporters would take that as truth and continue to spread this idea as a result. At the same time though, there are several programs out there that are designed to lessen our impact on the planet that are worth taking into consideration. Especially with the advantage of mobilization that we have seen Americans take against the President, I feel that if enough people step up and try we could make an impact and prove that America isn't all about covering up facts.
ReplyDeleteNice post! I remember that tweet specifically, thinking, "There's no way that this guy could be president." Created by the Chinese? Does it all have to be about business? Hey, I'm fine with a Republican being a president, I understand how there must be a balance, and how 8 years under a Democratic president people could get a bit irritated - but not this guy. Especially when he was running initially amongst the other candidates, I thought plenty of them were reasonable. By now, avoiding talk of climate change has become an apparent point of pride in the Trump Administration. The irony of the executive order is that it denies economic realities, too.
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