Didn't You Know? Global Warming is an Actual Thing

No Impact Man: A memoir about a guy who drives his family crazy while trying to save the world (Basically)

Last night I was reading No Impact Man, a read suggested by my mother who was suggested to read it by a friend. Anyway, it's about a guy (Colin Beaven) who attempts to live entirely impact-free for a year with his wife and daughter while living in New York. I only got through the first chapter before I fell asleep but it seems like a very admirable project–and difficult, no doubt. I mean can you imagine living a year without producing a speck of garbage, without air-conditioning, TV, cars, subways, and elevators?! It's a crazy feat, but quite worth the message.

Somewhere in the first chapter when he was telling about how he got himself involved in this stint, there was a bit about global warming and its effect on weather. Then I had an AHA! moment that seems really obvious but may not be quite apparent to all: WE CAUSED HURRICANE SANDY.

Yep, that's right. We, as the human beings on this lovely planet, caused global warming with our factories and industrial waste and deforestation. Global warming and greenhouse gases results in ridiculous weather patterns and voila! Hurricane Sandy and the destruction of the entire Eastern seaboard was our fault. And guess what? That's just the beginning. Keep going, and NYC is going to be a distant memory, summers at Cape Cod will be long forgotten and everyone will just have to build houses on stilts like in The Series of Unfortunate Events.

My point is that the future is in the hands of the world. If the people of the world don't want to let global warming spiral out of control by 2050, (which is in only 37 years btw) then we better do something about it! I would imagine that insurance companies would promote environmentally protective practices considering how much money they would have to provide to customers in the event of the end of the world.

You don't have to live impact-free like Colin B, but let's try to be more environmentally conscious. I think I'll hire someone to punch me every time I do something that harms the environment. I may be disfigured and purple by next week.

P.S. There's a No-Impact Man documentary for those of you who are illiterate

J