Does everyone in the environmental movement need to focus on getting the biggest problems solved one at a time

Is this the best way to leverage government to effectivly and fully solve the biggest most important environmental problems?|||since when does the government solve problems?|||No. It may be good leverage, but "everyone" doesn't need to focus on that.





People who focus on what can be managed individually also make significant contributions. Our responsibility *begins* with ourselves.|||The littles things count. Tell people you know what you know, so they can make simple changes, and make an even bigger impact. Check some out here: http://ellen.warnerbros.com/showinfo/gre鈥?/a>|||but it is not the government who is causing the problems ,it is the people and their poluting %26amp; reproductive habits .





why does everybody always say the government must fix it when they are the ones who are causing everything





the biggest problem is the publics attitude ,behaviour and Irresponsible Agriculture ,


and expanding populations








The Earth has many problems because of man


this is undeniable ,how much we are responsible for Global warming is debateble ,But there is a definate change in Global temperatures that is affecting nature in a bad way.





this text only covers some aspects of Climate change ,i.e.effects of deforestation and subsequent man made desertification ,because of irresponsible farming using chemicals ,over pumping carbon aquifers,over grazing ,wild fires (because of slash and burn gone out of control)





water and air polution such as caused by


industrial contamination ,the contaminating effects of the cities(the internal combustion engine) ,are other stories,





and all of these are also man made ,such as the high industrial chimneys pumping contamination into the clouds and the burning of tires,some of this polution has been found in the ice in the polar regions





there are natural cycles in the planets life


but a lot is influenced by mans existance ,and this is increasing with overpopulation,putting strains on Natural resources and increasing contaminations as well as destructions of essential componants the ensure living conditions for all life forms





the thinner ozone layer helps to speed this up.and this is caused mainly by air polution ,also as a result of mans actions





in North Africa,India,Mexico ,millions of people are effected by land loss and desertification and some have died as a result,





And now many animals are becoming sick because of changes in temperature ,


vital links in the food chains are disapearing affecting other species further along in the chain





we are witness to a mass exstinction ,for the first time since the dinosaurs, of the earth's estimated 10 million species, 300,000 have vanished in the past 50 years. each years, 3,000 to 30,000 species become extinct.





everything is happening so fast it is not possible to monitor things any more.





,the Sahara is growing by 7 kilometers a year


and most of the desserts we know are a results of mans actions ,and they are increasing ,not getting less ,in the dinosaurs days ,there were few desserts.





collectively this planet is drying up ,





each degree rise in temperature means 10%crop loss





and there is less and less water (because of deforestation),to irrigate this production ,


and there are less and less farmers to do it..


Arable lands and their farms are lost all over the globe. Many farmers sons abandon farming and head for the cities.





Northern China is drying up, what once were millions of food producing people, are now hungry refugees ,running for their lives from the all consuming dust storms.


This will have a great effect on world food prices when they start buying at what ever cost, to feed their people.





The farmers that are left have to feed some 70 million more people than the year before but with less topsoil.





Over the last half century,


Population growth %26amp; rising incomes have tripled world grain demand from 640 million tons to 1,855 million





In the near future the global farming community will not be able to feed every body ,food prices will continue to rise. .





RISING SEAS


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





here are a 100 ways to help


http://www.eco-gaia.net/forum-pt/index.p鈥?/a> Source(s) http://www.greenpeace.org/international/鈥?/a>





http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/natur鈥?/a>





are We responsible ?is it the Sun?


or is it God who wants to punish?


or is it Gaia who wants to clean some parasitic infestation?


who cares ? that is not important any more





WHAT IS -is that we are gonna be in trouble





What we need to adress is first ,overpopulation


deforestation ,and non sustainable agriculture


as well as public behaviour and carbon emmissions|||This is a good question! I would love to think that a focused group of people could affect the change needed, but if you look at most of the environmental problems, its the individual who is guilty. Usually the American. Most of our pollution is non-point source pollution (meaning if I added up all the yuck put into the water by all the industries, it still wouldn't even be close to all the yuck that washes into the water from the roads, yards, golf courses....). So if our government regulates all the environmentally bad companies it's a good start, but the problem is still you and me. We are the individuals driving the cars and buying the packaging put out by these companies. And the government can't really stop that unless they take away all our civil rights.





So what that means is everybody has to do better. In some way. I'm not giving up my Honda to bike the 15 miles to work each day, but I am carrying canvas bags to the grocery store. I'm not banning all plastic from entering my house, but I'm trying to buy products with the least packaging and recycling those whenever possible.





I think it's the responsibility of the government to educate and encourage sustainable thinking, and to provide opportunities whenever possible. They should also set high standards that companies have to live by. But unless the Average Joe takes the hint....the planet isn't going to get better.








BTW: I don't slam on American's b/c I'm unpatriotic....but we do represent a major culture on our planet (that many other countries idolize) and we have the worst environmental record. We only have 5% of the world's population but we use most of it's resources and produce most of it's waste. The average third-world family would have to have anywhere from 72 - 200 kids to produce as much waste/use as many resources as the average American family (Mom+Dad+2 kids)|||First off, there may appear to be a "focus" in getting "the biggest problems solved," but there is very little focus, and very little being solved. The Endangered Species Act is a case in point. Never fully funded and with hands tied behind their back, the agency attempts to fulfill its agenda but is nonetheless frequently on the defense. In satisfying the political spectrum management tends to back away from its own field staff in making recommendations or plans.





The U.S. government had a chance to set a visionary tone on the environmental front at home and abroad, and instead is seen as ineffectual in expressing and implementing environmental policy. I only hope that we begin to focus, and solve. I'm looking for that and more in a presidential team this coming election.