Are We Too Selfish to Save the Planet?

I like to think that if every adult on earth could go for a ride in Richard Branson's new spaceship the argument over climate change would be over forever.

Because they would see how beautiful and fragile our little blue planet is, how important it is to save it for their children, and all future generations.

And how ridiculous it is to see rich nations fighting the poor ones.

When we're all in this together.

But then the Branson spaceship is only for rich people. And do Canadians really care about the future?

Canadians like to think they would give up their Honda Pilots, air conditioning and dishwashers to save the planet. In reality, most people are prepared to make enormous personal sacrifices to live a green lifestyle, as long as they don’t have to make any enormous personal sacrifices.

Do they understand what it could do to Stephen Harper's Dirty Oil government?

A third of the 2,412 Canadians surveyed said that the government’s record on the environment made it less likely they would vote Conservative. Even among Tory supporters, one in five said they would be less likely to vote Conservative because of the environment - an issue of particular concern to seniors.

And if they are too selfish to care, what does it say about some Canadians?

After inheriting wealth, knowledge and health, after being spared the horrors of world wars and a great depression, history's most privileged cohorts are rolling the dice on someone else's future. Those edging toward the door are leaving behind their garbage for those they say they love.

It's a foolish gamble and a selfish indulgence. Even if the science is imperfect, the evidence is too compelling to prudently ignore. Falling back on doubts, or pointing to carefully pruned emails as proof of a grassy knoll conspiracy, won't lift excuses into explanations or transform blame into forgiveness.

I'm not sure that the Boomers should be singled out. There is probably enough blame for everyone. And I don't understand why doing the right and decent thing has become so weird and complicated.

But I do know that we ALL need to do more to save our little blue planet, from the greedy clutches of Big Oil and their Con stooges. Because the day of reckoning WILL come.

And that I urgently need $250,000 to buy me a ticket on that spaceship.!!!!

So I can....um....take pictures for the poor people.

Sébastien says it looks like a good way to cull the rich. But he's practically a boomer eh?

So I don't believe him...