From the Forums: We're All Doomed!

greenteadrinker is sure that as a species, we're all doomed:

I had to go to the store today for a client, and I got so depressed, I also started bawling.
First, the front doors to this store were wide open, no automatic doors at all. The a/c was running full blast (upper 80's here today) and it was all just going outside. I can't boycott the store because she wanted certain things from the deli (all packaged in plastic). There was only one other shopper that I saw with his own bags and the store was packed.

Many people still buying water in plastic bottles. I see no evidence of companies changing there packaging. Even Oazarka water had a label that said "eco friendly" in big letters; in smaller letters it continued with "style design". Even on sustainablog, there are several posters claiming global warming is a lie.

Everyone seems to be on the green bandwagon on the news and good morning america, but in reality, I don't think 90% of the people on this planet care. I don't see much proof of the old mind set changing.

Boy I hear ya!

BobTrips is more hopeful:

Sometimes we need to stop and remember the days when we burned leaded gas in our cars and threw our trash out the window.
When our rivers caught fire.

When you had to turn on your headlights in the middle of the day in some of our cities because of the pollution from open hearth steel mills made it dark at noon.

When our cities piled up their garbage and burned it.

When our toothpaste tubes were made of lead.

When we painted our houses with lead paint.

When our life expectancy was much less than it is now.

It helps to think back about how bad things were in the past and remember that we have made progress. That can help one to find the energy to get on with making things even better in the future.

Since our society has become so selfish and self centered, there are days when I'm out in public and it takes every bit of self restraint not to have a complete mental breakdown. I predict and actually hope for $6-$8-$10 a gallon gasoline. We need a major shift in this country to get people to wake up to reality and make some serious changes. Only then will we spearhead and be an example for the rest of the world.

Then again, who knows...maybe we've just lit a slow fuse and doom is just around the corner no matter what we do.

Give us your $.02