Earth 2.0 We see it every day, all of our lives are being affected by our changing planet. Things are slowly starting to change in the world such as, cars with higher MPG being released every year or solar panels being installed on a neighbor’s roof. This is not enough, I have come to realize that nearly everything in my life has changed, and not for the better. We, humanity as a whole must become more vigilant in the fight for our way of life.
As a cook I am constantly ordering and using fresh produce. Over the past year, our prices have tripled and the product is less than par. We keep hearing about these “super storms” or marathon draughts occurring across the country, and I am seeing first-hand seeing the problems they cause. Just last week I had to change the recipe for our salads because I could not afford to buy as much romaine lettuce at the asking price. When I did get a case, the leaves were wilting and half the size. Fresh fruit and vegetables are now a luxury and not available everywhere in the country. If it is cheaper and easier to buy something in a can than something fresh and healthy, can this be a leading cause for obesity in the country?
I grew up in New Jersey, the garden state. This is not a name given to the state on a whim. Once you look past the iconic opening scenes of the “The Sopranos”, you will see farms filling the southern portion of the state and the greenest manicured lawns spread throughout. I know many people that made a living by working on a farm or running a lawn service. Business is not what it used to be however. Grass no longer grows at the rate it used to and clients no longer want their grass cut every week. This is due to the state or local municipality putting bans on water usage every summer. Watering your grass has become a crime in NJ. Tell me what kind of garden will flourish without water?
I remember on Memorial Day spending weekends in Seaside Heights and renting a house there when I got older. It was amazing, people from all over the country rushing to a small beach town and returning for years after. Right now, where my childhood memories were made, lies a disaster zone, complete with a humungous Ferris wheel still in the ocean, straight out of a Michael Bay film. I have family that do not know if they will rebuild or not. Insurance companies and government officials do not know if the land will be “habitable” in the near future. Not only has the quality of our landscape changed but we are also being told that the land may not even be there for our children. It terrifies me to think that I will have to show pictures and describe to future generations what the world used to look like. This has never happened to another generation and it is a unique problems with unique solutions.
Whose fault is it? Can we even do anything to stop it? Why should I give up my SUV because some ice is melting in
