Many around the globe are confused about the true value and purpose of environmental technologies. Often, people only seek out those that contribute a black number bottom line to the financial statements – few recognize that the cost to live on this planet might come at a higher price than our financial system allows.
Financial crisis, the most talked about issue in today’s world, has overtaken the perspective needed to see through the next generation of living – an evolution, if you will. This same kind of perspective is needed in many a boardroom on Wall street. Has the financial crisis shortsighted us so we cant see beyond the next corner, the next steps, a new generation, a world with a different perspective, one that values how we leave things more then how we live in things?
Many successful leaders in the past have had the ability to show us a world to work towards, to give us the ability to dream, to provide us perspective, the desire to fight for our dreams and see them through, showing us that today is bad but if we work together tomorrow will be different! Now we are confronted with leaders, government, Wall street and others that can’t see beyond the bottom line, not measuring the value of what is being done with the impact it has on us – and more importantly, the impact it will have on us for decades to come! One that measures success in one minute intervals manipulated by media, not seeking out durability, longevity and a base that can last beyond the next Wall street buzz..
We have adopted a very selfish approach to well being, one that says: “If we can manage today, then let’s not worry about tomorrow”. In other words, if we can bury our garbage today, at a rate that is much cheaper then processing it in environmentally sustainable manner, then that is the choice of the day. Never mind the billions of dollars next generations will have to spend to solve our problems, that doesn’t add anything to our bottom line today, rather let’s spend billions on finding other planets that we can pollute, once space on our world runs out, lets spend our money on our own curiosity rather then the ability for our next generations to live in a clean and sustainable environment.
Our governments discuss issues regarding spending, budgets, cuts, jobs and speculate on these day after day. I am waiting for somebody to stand up and suggest that all spending, all cuts, all jobs will quickly vanish if we do not manage our resources far better and reduce our impact on our environment at a much quicker pace than we do today. I am waiting for a leader to stand up and suggest that our speculative market place doesn’t sustain a guaranteed future filled with solving our pollution problems, if we don’t act now.
I am waiting for a leader to stand up and suggest that what you do today, DOES have an impact on tomorrow and that we need look beyond what one term can do but rather what generations to come will have undo! Not hear of the things that one person can do for us, but a leader that tells us what we need to do together while he leads us. A leader that seeks out other leaders, one that inspires, one that values family not as a trophy but a sign of future generations to come! Our generation will become the most popular for making the lives of future generations unbearable if we do not act now, is that the impact you want to leave? If not, what is your Greener Ideal?
