by Terri Simmons
(US)
When we turn on the radio, read the newspaper and watch the local news, what do we see? The world is constantly changing. But is this change aligned to a sustainable path? Are we building better places for our family and future families? The answer is a big NO!
The developing world deals with a lot of issues. Some of these problems grab the attention of government bureaucrats and most of them require focus. In the attempt to ease and solve the negative effects caused by these problems, environmental concerns are compromised. Not only this, we also have industrial problems brought about by non conforming companies that release pollutants into the atmosphere which doesn’t help.
The United Nations World Commission with the cooperation of member countries, are finding ways to address some needs of developing countries and at the same time trying to preserve the environment. This is proper sustainability improvement – the incorporation of trade and industry, community, and ecological factors in order to come up with a strategic plan. But it does not end there; realization, implementation and administrative supervision must also be done to ensure that the process will be useful not only to us now, but for our children as well.
Major cities in the United States have started a campaign to balance their unsustainable and poor practices. In Portland, Oregon, the government and locals are looking at public transportation releases in order to lessen the effects of greenhouse gases. They have revised and modified many of the vehicles and are also encouraging biking and walking. Aside from this, the US government is also encouraging innovative structural design that will be helpful in energy conservation. in Seattle, Washington, power plants and factories are working towards zero net emissions (so it is reported). They are also working on electrical powered public vehicles that will lower carbon emissions.
Other cities have already felt the need to come out and help. Because sustainable development and global warming are the primary issues facing us today we must do something or it will continue to hunt us tomorrow. We need to involve the youth with our campaign to raise the profile of climate change issues all over the world. Finding practical solutions will be the best way in supporting the government.
Together with IPCC, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, we can move forward so as to change the course of actions to achieve a sustainable society. We need leaders now – leaders who will encourage us to take meaningful and significant steps to achieve our target. All of us, as well as our communities and our entire nations must work mutually in order to meet our goal. With the support of governments, society and business sectors, we can surely push global warming away.
