By Gary Mitchell
When I was in college in the 1970s, there was a lot of talk about long-term concerns for the planet, and for us as a species. Energy conservation and new forms of alternatives to fossil fuels were hot topics. The Middle East was dominating and manipulating oil production, causing high prices and long lines at the pump.
The future was concerning, but also the creative juices in finding solutions were exciting! Solar energy was cool (Jimmy Carter put solar panels on the roof of The White House); passive solar home designs were cool; High mpg car designs were cool. We were also taking regular trips to the moon! Wow!
The high gas prices made Jimmy Carter a one-term president, and suddenly those exciting dreams of future solutions quickly began shattering. Ronald Reagan (in the 1980s) kicked off an era of selfishness; short-term gain and personal wealth became the new religion. He took down the solar panels from The White House. He famously said, “Energy conservation, to me, means being cold in the winter and hot in the summer.”
I had no idea as a young adult that the national tide could change so quickly. I thought the role of government was to plan responsibly and provide long-term solutions for the complex challenges of its people. Instead, addressing and preparing for those issues became a constant war with the forces of simple-minded, short-term gain. The goal for many politicians became to simply feed their constituents whatever they wanted to hear to make their reelection more likely. The populace was no longer challenged to work together for a better common future; they were just thrown candy, and unfortunately, that strategy worked. The candy-throwers kept getting reelected, particularly with the assistance of gerrymandering and the Electoral College.
Fast forward to 2006, and “An Inconvenient Truth,” Al Gore’s worldwide crusade warning of the dire consequences of global warming. As fact-based, detailed and alarming as the report was, Gore was mocked and ridiculed by the right. We Americans had the opportunity to come together as a people and lead the rest of the world through the incredible challenges that lay ahead for humanity.
Brilliant young people with creative minds were ready to jump on the challenges,
But instead, they were lured by the candy-throwers to capitalize on their personal talents by working for their own personal gain: hedge funds (whatever they are), oil companies, social media and tech companies, and other entities whose primary purpose is to get their people rich, and quickly. An extremely important opportunity, at an extremely critical time, was lost.
So here we all are in 2024, enduring record-breaking hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, rainfall, drought, extinctions, sea level rise, etc., which were all predicted (and mocked) over 20 years ago (and still are today). Climate scientists around the world agree that there are slow and natural planetary cycles for these changes, but they also agree that man’s sudden and dramatic impact on the earth’s climate is undeniable. This debate is only an incredible waste of crucial time.
We have had the opportunity to work on the issues of climate change for over 50 years, but certain people, for their own self-interest, have made a concerted effort to prevent that from happening. Now, they say, “Well, there’s nothing you can do about it,” or “it’s just another hoax from the ‘woke’ Democrats.”
We all have experienced the truth, reality and severity of climate change on our lives. So, we all have to make a choice.
Are we going to come together for an existential common cause or stick our heads in the sand. What’s it going to be?
Gary Mitchell, 70, is the founder of the island contemporary folk band Molasses Creek and the Ocrafolk Festival, the annual summer music festival, among his many talents and jobs.
Thank you and amen to every word you wrote. If only we all would come together and work together for common sense solutions to preserve both our natural world – and our own souls.
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