Casen Davis
Computer Scientist. Environmentalist. Adventurer.
When you hear someone dismiss something sensible and necessary — like protecting our oceans, shifting to 100% renewable energy sources, or making agriculture sustainable — because it “isn’t economical” or “isn’t political feasible”, what they’re really saying, whether they realize or not, is “that’s kind of inconvenient for people in power right now, so please don’t talk about it.”
Learning the Lessons of the Planet
Jonathan Foley
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I hear this constantly, and I couldn’t agree more. I hear it from all sides of the political aisle as well. I think you’re correct in asserting that it is due to a lack in systems thinking. I would go further and say that it is due to a general lack in mathematical understanding.
I’ve found that most people are guilty of forming their ideas based on their own tiny world — “the earth is so huge, humans couldn’t possibly pollute it! I never litter or leave waste behind.” We all do it.
Its a simple failure of understanding scale. When 320,000,000 people throw batteries into the trash, we have a hell of a toxic waste problem. That’s just one of countless examples.
I’m rolling up my sleeves with you.
