Mother Earth Gives an Inch, Corporations take a Mile, and Society Suffers the Consequence

Mother Earth Gives an Inch, Corporations Take a Mile, and Society Suffers the Consequence

April 14, 2021

By Michael Schneider

It’s time to save our future! We often hear about climate change and how the earth will no longer be sustainable by the year 2050 if society keeps going the way it’s going; but are we as society really the ones to blame? Plenty of private businesses and even government programs spend millions upon millions of dollars to research and combat climate change. We as a society are not helpless; in fact, it is quite the opposite.

It is difficult to find people that are not on board to save the environment and combat climate change, especially when they hear they will no longer have access to their favorite fruit or that their favorite beach city can soon be under water. So… with so many people playing their part by using re-usable water bottles, recycling, buying electric cars and even composting, why is the earth still dying? Why are we not seeing immediate results? Pollution to the air, soil, and water among many other forms of pollution are hindering our ability to grow as a society while keeping the earth alive. Fortunately the answer is simple, but the solution is complex.

Large Corporations are responsible for the overwhelming fossil fuel use resulting in greenhouse gasses heating the earth making it unsustainable. Research shows that just 100 major companies are responsible for over 70 percent of the global emissions. We find over and over and over that many poor communities are targeted by the fossil fuel industries. The industries and corporations promise residents jobs and prosperity in tradeoff for their land. However, it is in fact those same residents and communities who suffer the most from the fossil fuel industries creating pollution, which affects the communities the most.

The facts show the aforementioned narrative occurring over and over throughout history. Don’t believe me? Look at the Alberta tar sands and the beaver Cree, the Powder River basin Montana energy development, the Halkidiki mine project, and the Sompeta India proposed coal power plant. If we are able to stop the 100 major companies from growing or continuing to burn fossil fuels, we would be able to exponentially extend the life of our planet.

The answer to slowing climate change is simple, but the solution is complex. As a society, it is necessary to hold industries responsible and prevent the spread. Moreover, it is not far fetched that we can convince these major industries with billions of dollars to transform their companies into clean energy companies. Although the general population are not responsible for the pollution itself, we do have the responsibility to hold major industries accountable and make sure they change.