Tell Gore to stop the cows’ flatulence
Apathy and inaction. These two recent warnings by columnist Stephen Boss confound the global warming crusade. Joining the self-conscious bandwagon en masse has not resulted in any substantive breakthroughs in climate cooling, aside from the July 7 Live Earth Concerts, which were arguably more for entertainment than content. As it stands, apathy and inaction have indeed resulted for the foreseeable future.
Why? Because Al Gore’s recent fame has placed him on a media platform that prizes environmental feelings over rationalized action. If Al Gore’s concerts, movie and fear mongering promoted lasting world peace, however cliché it may sound, then more power to him. Yet, somehow, despite my illicit carbon footprint, I fail to believe the world is about to imminently implode in the coming years.
Global warming is not entirely caused by humans. In fact, the LA Times recently reported that cow flatulence contributes 18 percent of harmful greenhouse-gas emissions – more than all the planes, trains and automobiles worldwide.
This harrowing revelation, from the United Nations of all places, teaches the world that cows, goats and sheep are merely walking, pollutant factories just by their very nature. For the sake of human survival, let us dedicate our time to reform our damaging agricultural practices; let us afford the same urgency towards controlling these seemingly innocent creatures.
However, celebrities advocate changing human behavior for the sake of the planet. I could surely finish my plate completely after every meal, but there is bound to be excess waste in the Dining Centers. I have the opportunity to buy a green-friendly car, but a Prius in college is not feasible. I can obey Sheryl Crow and use only one square of toilet paper, but I simply prefer to use more. I can eat less meat or become a vegan, but I feel I would contradict the tradition of North Dakota’s land-grant institution. Heck, I can even do my small part to curb paper consumption by refusing to pick up this copy of The Spectrum, but this paper will be printed again anyway.
I can choose to recycle or reduce without feeling existential repercussions.
Infinitely small, the effects of my various actions cannot be exponentially measured. The man-made global warming movement is viewed in many minds as matter of truth, not solely of polarizing politics. There is dissent in the scientific community. There are different approaches of studying the indiscriminate forces of the earth. There has yet to be highly reputable means of assessing historical temperature records of millennia past or predicting the trends of the future. Even within the realm of today, our concerns are rightly directed towards more pressing problems, such as warfare, welfare and healthcare and they have failed to reach a tolerable tone with average citizens.
Americans are not interested in radically changing their lifestyles based upon varying predictions without solid precedence. Despite all the attention and awards Al Gore receives, I am not even sure herds of livestock will agree with him anyway.
Shawn is a sophomore studying political science.