Would you say that the environment (global warming, greenhouse emissions, etc...) is a rich mans problem?

Question

In light of recent issues about global warming, would you say that the responsibility for the environment is a problem that is due in large part to those that produce the most emissions, that of corporations? Yes we all use our fair share of the energy pie, corporations taking the biggest chunk of all; yet we’re told that we need to drive more efficient cars, use less electricity and travel less, while corporations are constantly looking for methods of expansion and resource exploitation and paying to have studies done that show that they’re not to blame for the current environmental problems

The president says we have to have all the facts in before we can act on global warming, but should someone in Iraq fart hard, all he needs is a flimsy report to say that he’s a terrorist and we’re off to war. Plus when we look at the division of the wealth, the largest is found in the smallest portion of the population, that being of the rich who happen to sit at the head of many corporations.

This question isn’t intended as an exercise in bashing the wealthy, I’m just merely curious as to why we seldom hear from companies like Exxon and such say that they’re doing this or that about stopping emissions or helping world dependence on fossil fuels, although I’m sure they’re doing something, at least to keep up the appearances of a company that concerned for the environment. Although I’m sure it’s just window dressing. Also I realize that not all corporations contribute produce emissions, but the vast majority of manufacturing industries do and they’re often trying to dodge the environmental bullet as it were.

Answer 1

I am not word savvy so please excuse. I have listened to both sides of the argument and I must say that if you are asking weather or not big industry plays a larger part in global warming? You would be correct! However, it is by our own design that these companies are in effect! We ask for bigger better products and as such receive them! The larger the company the hirer the turn out, which makes the consumer very happy. There will always be this problem unless people from every walk of life control their spending, no matter how much or how little. Poor or rich we have all played a large roll in what science has named global warming. You can not blame large industry alone for the majority of this problem, because they are controlled mainly by the needs, wants and desires of ordinary people like you and me. Your computer for instance? This is a product that must be created and in turn releases gases into our atmosphere that is harmful. Everyone wants one soooo, Large companies produce produce produce. If we are to blame one person for this blame ME. Or perhaps yourself? We all play a role in this problem and we all pay the price. Yuck! I hate the idea that I helped cause this problem. Good luck and I hope you receive the answers you want!

Answer 2

Here is something to think about don't believe me check this stuff out...

1.Water(H2O) is the only element known to man to expand when it freezes every other element contracts when it freezes so that is the first fact. For example fill a milk jugg with water, now stick it in the freezer... come back later and it will have exploded from preassure of freezing water.

2.Icebergs are massive chunks of ice, only a few percent of the ice is above water, which means the rest of the ice is underwater.

3.The ice underwater because water expands when it freezes is displacing the liquid water. So when that iceberg melts all the ice under the water will contract and fill a smaller space, so the level of the water will be less now because the ice which was displacing the liquid water is unfrozen and now occupies a less amount of space.

4.Scientific models show that if all the ice on this planet melted we would see a 3" DROP in ocean levels NOT a rise but a DROP.

Now isn't that interesting.

Now for the greenhouse gasses.

1.Plants LOVE a carbon dioxide rich air supply.

2.The more carbon dioxide their is the faster they grow.

3.Plants use photosynthesis to get their food so they can grow.

4.When the plants sense a higher level of carbon dioxide they will make up for it by sucking up more and more and one of the products of photosynthesis is OXYGEN!!

5.So no matter how much CARBON DIOXIDE there is the plants will COMPENSATE and suck up more and grow faster and bigger. and the bigger the plant is the more OXYGEN it produces through photosynthesis

Answer 3

The thing about big corporations is, they make products that we all buy. Pollution and global warming are everyone's problem because it is largely our lifestyle that drives it. We are a society of consumers and it is that constant consumption which makes it profitable for the big scary corporations to pollute the world.

If you want to make corporations pollute less, buy less stuff.

Better yet, do some research and identify the most egregious offenders - then lead a boycott of their products. On the flip-side, there are also companies that go out of their way to minimize environmental impacts of their operations. Their products are often more expensive because of it, but you can vote for their behavior by buying their products instead of cheaper versions from environmental abusers.

In a way you are right about it being more the fault of the rich, but only to the extent that the rich consume more.

Answer 4

Let's be real. Americans pollutes more than someone from the 3rd world. The income of the average american is more that the income from someone from the 3rd world. So, I could say yes.
The problem is that the "rich people" aren't the only ones that suffer the consequences.
What really gets me mad is someone telling me things like "travel less". I mean, the president has his own airplane....and I bet the presidents and the big companies have at least one too. So shut the f*** up!!!what kind of example is that?!!
Now that we know that the only thing they care about is money. We all have to wake up and do something about it. I know is really hard to be against a huge corporation because they are behind of most of the products we use daily.... it's like fighting against Godzilla.
Hard but not impossible.......

Answer 5

If someone (even from inside the company) were to admit such a thing it would be either slander or libel

global warming is everyone's problem and bicyles are cheaper than even the most environmentally safe cars

Answer 6

I can't help but think of Alec Baldwin in Team America, "But but...the big corporations...and.."
If it wheren't for big corporations where do you think we would be?
And yes, large industrial sectors have way more effect on emissions, which is why it is pointless to inconvenience your life by doing little things to "save the environment". Want to help? Donate money to research, they are the ones who are going to make a difference.

Answer 7

Simple, who funds the governments ? :)

Answer 8

It is the poor people who are the food producers in the third world countries
they are living with the effects of the rich people hunger
and it will become everybodies problem
what if the third world stops producing food for the rich as you call them
will they become canibals again

this is my answer on global warming that i wrote a few minutes ago

global warming is one of the Mega threats that loom over humanity,with many related factors each as mega as the other

in North Africa,India,Mexico ,millions of people are effected by land loss and desertification

In the days of the dinosaurs this planet was under an aquiferus manta ,a mist that covered the entire earth ,and there were no desserts .
Count how many there are today,and all of them are as a result of mans actions.
the sahara used to be forrests,it is now a dessert that grows by 7kilometres per year
arabia ,irak ,iran used to be fertile lands in biblical times
Ghengas Kahn put every thing to the sword and torch turning vast territories into desserts,and to make sure he filled all the wells with sand.

in recent times thousands of people have died because of exessive heat,usually old people.in India ,Mexico and France,
Deforestation causing desertification,the desert conditions causing very cold nights and scorching hot days

in china, thousands of what used to be farmers are running for their lives from the dust storms that have burried about 900 of their towns,and villages, transforming their lands into dessert,
and instead of producing food they are now needing it from some where else,

the Chinese will drastically effect the world food prices when they start buying water in the form of grains(1 ton of corn represents 1000 tons of water) ,at any cost destabalising governments, in some countries ,could be the result
(are you seeing more Chinese around interested in buying agricultural lands??? ,we do here in Mexico)

so as far as the food production is concerned Global warming or some of its effects are serious,

each degree rise in temperature means 10%crop loss

more landloss because of desertification every year,we have less areble land to produce food ,for an extra 70 million people ,and there is less and less water (because of deforestation),they areoverpumping deep carbon aquifiers to irrigate this production ,
and plowing more and more unstable lands ,because they have lost so many million hectares to desertification ,
because of bad farming practises ,such as using fertilizers and heavy machinary or over grazing.
(Ghengas would have been envious of the effects of modern Agriculture)

and there are less and less farmers to do it..because so many of their sons are leaving for the cities

Our consumption of water is ever increasing and our drinkable water supply is shrinking because of polution ,and the production of potable water is less all the time because of deforestation.
we are living in a bubble economy and when the bubble bursts
food prices will sky rocket,and so will the price of water.

the wars of the future will be for water and we will be up to our ears in the wrong water

RISING SEAS result in more landloss
The northpole is melting ,and we will know it without ice in our life times.
this does not affect the sea level because it is ice that is already in the water.but the melting ice from Green land and the south pole ,are another matter.

Global warming is in theory reversable,but it will mean global co operation between all countries ,and taking into account human nature and the world politics ,it is unlikely that this will happen,

At least not untill we are all in the middle of planetary disastres and it becomes a battle for the survival of humanity every where.

However
Almost all governments in the first world and many others who deal with them,are already working on this for a long time ,
In Mexico many farmers are being persuaded Agro forestall farming which includes trees ,like shade grown coffee

and many countries like Germany and the USA ,for example have made heavy commitments to reduce carbon emissions
Countries like Australia ,Denmark,USA and South Africa to name but a few are spending a lot on alternative energies ,

but all of this is still far to slow
greed to further exploit the petrolium business prevents fast positive advancement

SOLUTIONS
if you want to help the planet ,plant a tree every week ,if EVERYONE on the planet did this, we would be able to reverse the destructive processes,and start creating more biomass again.

reduce carbon emisions,and they are already working on that by alternative forms of energy and regulations on carbon producing materials,aerosol cans,burning rubbish,industrial chimneys,powerplants etc.

the world bank pays large subsidies for reforrestation to capture carbon and the best tree for this is the Pawlonia

Waterharvesting projects ,such as millions of small dams.to redirect over ground waterflows from the rains into the ground to supply subteranian water supplies.

the protection of existing forrests.and the production of water

stop building more highways,urban planning to include vegetation stop building cities encourage people to return to the land to conduct their business from there which now has become possible thanks to the internet.

education to motivate people to auto sufficiency by building more home food gardens.

education on environmental awareness
education on family planning to curb over´population

Agricultural education and improvements to follow the principals or sustainability and soil management.

more land design to prevent bush fires,such as--fire breaks

regulations and control for public behaviour

alternative effeciant public transport to discourage the use of the internal conbustion engine

recicling wastes,limit water use

i am a Permaculture Consultant for the department of Ecology for the regional government in Guerrero Mexico Source(s) Lester E Brown is the director and founder of the global institute of Environment in the United states .he has compiled a report based on all the satalite information available from NASA,and all the information that has
come from Universities and American embassies WORLD WIDE ,
his little book--a planet under stress , Plan B has been trans lated into 50 languages and won the best book award in 2003.