More than a billion people the world over will collectively mark Earth Day on Sunday, making this an opportune time to reflect on the thorny and often polarizing issues relating to the climate, the environment and the global responsibility to care for the Earth. American leadership and citizen engagement are vital to addressing the challenges of proper stewardship of the planet.
The climate is changing. Decades of research offer visual and tangible proof that temperatures are shifting and ice caps are melting. The actual debate, then, hinges on the plentiful arguments for and against the case that humans are the root cause of the changes.
The current scientific consensus points to human involvement and impact in the shifting climate. Conclusions and the potential solutions that follow must be based on rigorous research that is sustained by the majority of the scientific community.
But this debate is only part of the concern. At the heart of the matter is the corrosion of character that has led to present problems. Greed, selfishness, ingratitude, neglect and disrespect aren’t only hallmarks of how some may treat the environment, they are the unfortunate motivations commonly found in daily interactions with one another. How should one expect to make wise environmental choices if prudence is on vacation during financial decisions? Or how can one choose to limit consumption if “selflessness” and “service” make up a forgotten vocabulary? Can citizens be expected to care for the land, conserve and even recycle when callous contempt toward others and throw-away relationships are the new normal?
Many refer to our planet as Mother Earth, connoting a relationship similar to that of a child to a parent — humility, gratitude and respect, then, are virtues that need cultivating. One might sugggest the command to “honor thy father and thy mother” applies equally well to an earthly host as it does to earthly parents.
Crafting the character necessary to reverse the error of modern interactions requires time and the exemplary teaching most often found in families and strong civil societies. But that leaves current problems without immediate solutions.
The kind of innovative environmental solutions the world needs are not likely to be produced in bureaucratic cubicles or at political gatherings. American companies have already proven that they can create engines that produce greater gas mileage and fewer emissions well ahead of government mandates. American entrepreneurs have harnessed wind, solar and batteries to power cars, homes and communities.
Incentives and competition, rather than mandates, will attract the best minds to tackle the toughest challenges. Presently, 10 finalists are engaged in a competition hosted by XPrize, a nonprofit organization, to find an effective and profitable method for capturing carbon dioxide emissions and transforming them into a useful product. At stake is a share of $20 million of donated money. These are the types of incentives that will put America and the world on a fast track to building a more productive future.
We place our trust in the people of this country to find answers to vexing problems relating to the climate and beyond. As President Dwight D. Eisenhower told the Columbia University graduating class of 1950, “There is nothing wrong with America that the faith, love of freedom, intelligence and energy of her citizens cannot cure.”
The world is always better when America asserts both political and innovational leadership and when individuals step up to do their part. When it comes to environmental policy and action, the eyes of the world are watching — we call on American entrepreneurs and citizens to lead. With that leadership in place, we are optimistic the future environment will prove clean and bright for generations to come.