A7
OPINION
Tuesday, February 12, 2012 | The Cavalier Daily
Yes, in your backyard Solutions to climate change must start on the individual level Carl Sagan once said, in ref- energy sent into the atmosphere erence to the famous photo- each day by burning fossil fuels graph taken by the Voyager 1 is equal to 400,000 “Hiroshimaspacecraft that shows the Earth sized atomic bombs.” China is the most as a pale blue dot, glaring example that humans have ANDREW WELLS of how the excess a responsibility VIEWPOINT WRITER burning of fossil to “preserve and cherish the pale blue dot, the only fuels can create a large-scale home we’ve ever known.” I urge struggle with pollution. Voice of you to read the transcript of this America reported that pollution speech. It is a poignant reminder was so bad in the Zhejiang provof the true nature of the prob- ince that a factory fire blazed lems this world faces, and at no for three hours before anyone noticed it. What’s more, The Wall time has it been more relevant. The evidence is overbearing. Street Journal reported that in Natural disasters such as Hur- late January pollution in eastern ricane Sandy and Hurricane Beijing had reached hazardIsaac have become stronger and ous levels, according to the U.S. more frequent in recent years. Embassy. The same article cited The National Wildlife Federation China’s Ministry of Environmenreports that maximum hurri- tal Protection in reporting that cane wind speeds could increase the “hazardous” Beijing smog in between 2 and 13 percent this late January was part of a cloud century. Moreover, the National that covered much of eastern Oceanic and Atmospheric Admin- and central China — a span more istration has stated that 2012 was than three times the size of Calithe warmest year on record and fornia. Pollution and climate change second most “extreme” for the are global issues and need to be United States. Yet we do little but maintain the confronted as such. To this end, same routine. Everyday, humans efforts have already been made pollute the Earth’s atmosphere and continue to gain traction. The as they burn fossil fuels. Former Kyoto Protocol, an international Vice President Al Gore noted in agreement between members of a recent talk that the amount of the United Nations and part of
1979
First World Climate conference in Geneva
But our collective ideology the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, stunts the initiative such goals is one example. The protocol, require. The way we, as humans, adopted in 1997 and implemented treat our planet suggests we in 2005, sets goals for nations in presume, as Sagan said, that we lowering greenhouse gas emis- have “some privileged position in the universe.” sion rates. The “One fact, though, seems And for most, Doha amendment, added to be left out of the conver- this seems to the case. to the protocol sation: There is nowhere be One fact, in December else to go. We treat our though, seems 2012, created a second comearth as if we can simply to be left out the convermitment period move somewhere else once of sation: There for industrialwe have drained all its is nowhere ized nations to else to go. We reduce emisresources. treat our earth sions through as if we can Dec. 31, 2020. While these changes are an simply move someexcellent start to approaching where else once we pollution on a global scale, they have drained all its are nowhere near enough. Even resources. I t i s n o t ra i s if the problem is addressed internationally, such mobilization i n g a w a r e n e s s will prove insufficient without but rather getting change on the national and local people to care and levels. The protocol sets mini- to mobilize that mum requirements for nations seems to be the to reach, but it does not affect problem in conindividual communities. For this fronting environreason, all humans must exceed mental problems. these requirements, go beyond Perhaps news of what is asked of them and push n a t i o n s c o m i n g forward to a more earth-con- together in efforts such as the Kyoto scious future.
1997
1988
UN General Assembly dubs climate change a “common humanity concern”
Protocol will spur global citizens to take greater action on all levels. The truth is, it is impossible to know what exactly such mobilization will require. After all, not everybody has the perspective of a Carl Sagan. It is the individual perspective, however, that is critical in finding a real solution to pollution and climate change. I leave it to you to decide the best course of action to achieve such a perspective for yourself. Now get to work. Andrew Wells is a viewpoint writer.
2004
Kyoto Conference and adoption of Kyoto Protocol
Russia ratifies Kyoto Protocol
2012
Doha Amendment to Kyoto Protocol
2005
Implementation of Kyoto Protocol
Love me Tinder
B
Social-media apps aimed at hookups promote superficial judgments
ETWEEN classes and extra ally create custom alerts if any of curricular activities, time our younger siblings log on and spent searching for love then just completely shut down is fairly limited at college. But the site for them.” Whether social networking sites such as he said that because of his sisFacebook have made it easier, ter’s age or because of her relawith apps specifically designed tionship to him, his statement for finding someone to love — or shows the app is not intended in this case, bang. for younger people yet it noneRecently, Facebook came out theless has the ability to reach with an app called Bang with them. The 13-to-17 year old age Friends. According to a Huff- group is still developing mentally ington Post article, Facebook and may not be able to handle users can sign into the emotional the app, search for ramifications of MEREDITH BERGER friends and click casual sex, which CAVALIER DAILY OPINION a button that says is what this app COLUMNIST “down to bang.” promotes. They Users’ desires are also are probably hidden unless both parties are not as informed as they should “down to bang.” Then the app be, for example, about contrapairs them and the two are noti- ception, risk of infection and fied of their mutual interest. This unintended pregnancy. Teenapp is offensively blunt in its agers are most likely not the objective and promotes mean- intended targets of Bang with ingless hookups, but the bigger Friends, but many of them have problem lies in the ability of the Facebook profiles and could app to reach teenagers. About therefore easily access the app. 10 percent of Facebook users Bang with Friends is not the belong to the 13-to-17-year-old only app aimed at pairing social demographic, an age group far media users. Tinder is a new app too young to be rating people that connects to your Facebook to casually “bang.” One of Bang and shows you someone nearby with Friends’ creators acknowl- you may know who is single and edged this potential problem and around your age. After seeing told The Daily Beast, “I would the picture of the candidate you definitely block [my little sister] can choose to “like” the person from using it ... we should actu- or skip to the next suggestion.
If someone you like happens to who might purchase Tinder like you back, Tinder lets you simply because it is popular chat within the application. right now might participate Though Tinder is less offensive without understanding the conthan Bang with Friends and sequences. Sooner or later, they does not directly promote inap- will discover how disappointing propriate behavior, it is not any it is to be judged for your looks more acceptable. Being able and how degrading it feels to be to rate other people’s pictures matched with a boy on Tinder only to have is demeanhim mesing. Although “Take for example the boy people you I was paired with in a chat s“ awg ea ny onua, rated may on Tinder. Let me preface sext?” In never find out addition to you rejected this anecdote by saying I their piconly downloaded the app for tt ihvee neemg oa -tures, the app research purposes. I talked tional conencourages judging people to him for a bit, and when I sequences, also based only on told my roommate about him Tinder gives rise to their appearshe showed me her Tinder the possibilances, which ity of online is incredibly and the conversation she predators, superficial. was having with the same which is a As if young boy.” threat any people in online chat today’s society s y s t e m were not insecure enough, this app lowers must take into account. Finally, these apps just do not their confidence by allowing the opposite sex to rate them based work. Some members just use the app as an excuse to flirt with on just one picture. Some may argue those who every person they are paired sign up for Tinder and similar with, whether it be five people apps are voluntarily accepting or twenty. Take for example the the fact that others will judge boy I was paired with in a chat them based only on their looks. on Tinder. Let me preface this But young girls and other groups anecdote by saying I only down-
loaded the app for research purposes. I talked to him for a bit, and when I told my roommate about him she showed me her Tinder and the conversation she was having with the same boy. He was using the exact same tacky pickup lines on both of us and, needless to say, he and I did not work out. I can only assume that mass texting, where someone sends the same text to many different people, is a common occurrence with these sorts of apps, spurred by a desire to get as many people interested in you as possible and to increase your pool of choices. Though this behavior may be an inevitable outcome of apps such as Tinder, it undermines the app’s intent. With any luck, the hype surrounding Bang with Friends and Tinder will fizzle out soon. These apps may have been created with the intent of forming relationships, but in reality they promote the superficial judgment of human beings and instill in teenagers’ developing minds the idea that sex or “banging” is casual and can be obtained by chatting with strangers. Meredith Berger is an Opinion columnist. She can be reached at m.berger@cavalierdaily.com.
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