Final Speech
Shelby Amato
Extinction is a natural phenomenon: according to the World Wildlife Fund, it occurs at a “background rate” of about 1 to 5 species per year. Our current rate is estimated to be between 1000x and 10000x the “background”. Meaning that, at best, we lose 3 species a day; at worst, we lose 137. Lack of sustainability effort has destroyed ecosystems that life on earth depends on. These systems support not only countless plant and animal species, but also our own.
So let’s talk about our own species. One of the biggest issues in the human sustainability crisis is actually about food. The monopolization of agriculture has turned food from a human right to a human disaster. Monopolization meaning that a few large companies control most of the growth and distribution of food in the world. This reduces biodiversity, causes health issues, and destroys smaller businesses. The Union of Concerned Scientists explains the damages from this “monoculture” as being soil depletion, resistant bacteria, erosion, obesity, and water pollution.
Unfortunately this isn't our only problem. The World Health Organization reports that over 1 million people died from air pollution in China alone in 2012.The Pacific Institute shows that 2.2 million people die every year from contaminated water. Photos like this [show slide] show that material consumption in the United States has reached an absurd level. This year, National Geographic reported the first official climate refugees in America: a native American tribe will have to abandon their ancestral home off the coast of Louisiana as the island will soon be under the Gulf of Mexico. A climate change model by NASA predicts increased intensity of storms, temperature extremes, droughts, and hurricanes.
These are not far away issues. The sustainability crisis is a current one. So you might ask why we aren't stopping it. The answer is, as usual, money. It’s actually cheaper and more effective to run the entire world with renewable energy. Unfortunately some of the richest and most powerful people in the world have an investment in preventing that from ever happening. In the congressional session from 2013 to 2014, the fossil fuel industry as a whole spent over 42 million on congressional campaigns. While I would like to think that this makes them civic-minded and generous, they got a return on that sum: almost 4.8 billion dollars of return through subsidies passed by the same congresspeople they donated to. Let me make it clear that this isn't illegal. It is an unfortunate byproduct of capitalism and democracy working together that allows those with the most money to make the rules.
This said, we don’t exactly live in the third world; objectively speaking, America is a great place to be. So while I understand the argument that we are doing just fine the way we are and changing things would be damn near impossible, I have to address the issues from a larger perspective. And among 1st world countries, the United States is falling behind. The American Association for the Advancement of Science penned an open letter to congress urging them to work with scientists to improve environmental policies. The United States is currently ranked #1 in GDP and #15 in overall sustainability. We are ranked #2 for carbon emission, contributing 15% of all carbon emissions in the world. This has to end. It is imperative that the United States breaks ties with fossil fuel corporations in order to become globally competitive in environmental health.
The moment for this change is not now. It was decades ago. If we do not act now, the harms that we are currently experiencing will only grow more drastic. If we do not act now, the economic troubles we are facing will only grow more devastating.
I can’t leave this speech in good conscience without telling you exactly how you should act. The most obvious answer would be to have all of you run for congress, win, and refuse to be corrupt. The easier answer is to vote with your dollar. It’s a tired phrase, but a good one. Buy the products that are produced sustainably from companies that practice sustainably. One example from the documentary “Food, Inc” is Walmart’s transition to sustainable, organic produce because customers were buying more organic labels and their reputation for sustainability was unsatisfactory. You don’t have to go to small businesses or a farmers market (though they are the most environmentally-friendly options) in order to live greener. You have to practice consumer awareness. Of course, while we’re being aware of things, watch who you vote for in the next few years as we all turn eighteen. Do us all a favor and don’t vote for someone who doesn't believe in climate change. Use less water, eat less meat, recycle. All three of those things make a massive impact when done by a lot of people.
I’ve talked a lot about how this will affect us. But the truth is that it shouldn't have affected us. We’ve known about this environmental issue for a really long time. The generations before us put money and misunderstanding ahead of science and society. We don’t have the luxury of making the same mistake. No child asks to be born, not a single one. Our population growth is hurting this planet. If you intend on bringing the next generation into the world, you have a responsibility to do it sustainably. If you have a family, you must provide a planet for them to live on. If you are not prepared to “go green” you are not prepared to reproduce. This is how we care for each other. This generation, through global effort, must care.
Bibliography
Food, Inc. Dir. Robert Kenner. Perf. Eric Schlosser. Movie One, 2008. Netflix.
Houten, Carolyn Van. "The First Official Climate Refugees in the U.S. Race Against Time." National Geographic. National Geographic Society, 25 June 2016. Web. 30 June 2016.
Jordan, Chris. Container Yard #2. 2003-2005. Intolerable Beauty: Portraits of American Mass Consumption, Seattle. Chris Jordan Photographic Arts. Web. 29 June 2016.
Various members of the Scientific Community: American Association for the Advancement of Science, and Ecological Society of America. Letter to Members of Congress. 28 June 2016. N.p.:n.p.,n.d.1-2. Huffington Post. Kim Bellware, 28 June 2016. Web. 30 June 2016.
"Wildlife Conservation." WWF. World Wildlife Fund, n.d. Web. 8 Dec. 2016.
"The High Cost of Fossil Fuels." The High Cost of Fossil Fuels | Environment America. Environment America, n.d. Web. 10 Dec. 2016.
"Impact of Climate Change on Natural Disasters." NASA. NASA, n.d. Web. 11 Dec. 2016.
Vaughan, Adam. "China Tops WHO List for Deadly Outdoor Air Pollution." The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 27 Sept. 2016. Web. 9 Dec. 2016.
"Hidden Costs of Industrial Agriculture." Union of Concerned Scientists. Union of Concerned Scientists, n.d. Web. 11 Dec. 2016.
@PriceofOil. "Fossil Fuel Funding to Congress: Industry Influence in the U.S. - Oil Change International." Oil Change International. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Dec. 2016.
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