Better Living Through Chemicals :: Environmental Pollution Essays

Better Living Through Chemicals Few things are more important than the air we breathe. From a factual and biological standpoint, there is nothing more important. Before I begin this inquiry, I must disclose that I am not an environmentalist. This is not something I am proud of by any stretch of the imagination. I admire those people who climb old growth trees and reside in the branches for days on end. They do this to save these wonders of nature from developers and road crews. I acknowledge that some of my decisions may appear to be similar to those of an environmentalist but actually, my decisions have often been based on financial concerns. For example, my husband and I have shared one car for the last nine years. I used to let people infer that it was because we did not want to pollute and use up valuable resources. More than anything, I was simply impressed with myself that I could arrange a schedule that worked for two working people. We were working and going to school while relying on one car. O f course, occasionally we relied on public transportation. It wasn’t easy; I used to have to arrive at school at 6:30 am on Fridays for a class that started at 4:00 pm. I made the best of it by using that time to study. A couple of weeks ago we bought a second car. Looking back, I do not know how we managed with just one car for so long. It is easy to forget, and even easier to get used to immediate convenience. There are costs and pay offs in life, always I have been thinking a lot lately about human nature, our environment, what we accept and what we choose to believe. I say ‘choose’ because, if we listen to many scientists, they tell us we are changing our environment, and not for the better. Global warming and greenhouse gasses are a debatable topic. Does this dire situation exist or does it not? Are the icecaps melting, or are they not? It depends on who you talk to. I find this aspect very interesting. According to the Bush administration, we need more study on the issue. I suggest we read and respond to the studies already conducted.