Who said Earth is doomed?

"Let's be clear. The planet is not in jeopardy. We are in jeopardy. We haven't got the power to destroy the planet - or to save it. But we might have the power to destroy ourselves." Ian Malcolm - Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton

If asked, do you believe in global warming and such? Do you believe that the animals and plants will soon come to extinction as predicted by the environmentalist? Or do you think like me, it really doesn't matter because Human will eventually survive. Will we?

Global warming, climate change and so on has been such a hot topic in previous years. Some chase this issue so fervently it was almost like defending their religion. Perhaps it was. But to others this issue is a load of crap. Let's face it, there aren't any direct connection that is visible to the naked and untutored mind between the ocelot's population and human's population in general. By the way, you do know what an ocelot is, right?

But how about thinking about the global warming thingy this way: Scientist connect global warming to climate change (extreme rain and flooding) >> those extreme rain and flooding wreck the crop and debilitate our movement >> food and other items become expensive >> poverty rise >> bye bye human. The World Bank already announce the food price has reached dangerous level and it will lead to continuous poverty. Hungry people are angry people, war is predictable. And all because we don't care enough about our earth.

You might think I'm saying hocus pocus, but do stop to think for a moment. Is it really normal to rain all the time in drought season and dry all the time in the rainy season? Also those blizzard and extreme flooding in area which shouldn't even had any chance of blizzard and flood? I my self notice that my sick leave has been increasing compared to the first time I arrive in Bali. And as I work in photography I can't help but also noticed that the weather has also been unpredictable. Try to think, does it happen to you too?

The problem is, I know for certain earth will survive, I share Ian Malcolm's point of view in this case. It's unthinkable that earth, for all her long age and all the turbulence she suffer (huge devastating meteorites for example) will cease to continue. Dinosaurs born and extinct, plants evolve and dies, why are we so certain that the extinction of human will make a huge impact for earth? I'm not trying to save those beautiful tigers or those cute marmoset here. I'm trying to save my precious self, my beloved friends and family.

If you think saving your self is difficult, and you have to go "green" and "vegan" all the way, you can't be more mistaken. In the Earth Hour website people post their ideas on how to be "green", and you'll be amazed on how easy it is. Using less plastic (obviously!), try to plant a tree, and so on and so forth. But they also have ideas like "only drink local beer", or "open the car sunroof so no AC is needed". It's simple ideas, but imagine if it can be applied. Drinking/eating locally means you're reducing your carbon footprints compared to the imported products; using sunroof instead of AC means less gasoline (even if only very few saving, it's still saving), and you also got to get closer to nature. Balinese have Seclusion Day/Nyepi to celebrate their new year, which is a 24 hours of Earth Hour :).

Anything that will allow you get closer to nature, even reducing the time amount you use with your iPods, cellphone, laptop and such, means you have save the necessary electricity and energy, and you will less likely to do something harmful to Nature if you appreciate how beautiful it is, and how generous it has given us.

If, by the this last paragraph, you are still not convinced, why not just try it? There aren't any side effect in trying to do these "green" things, and the ideas in the earth hour website is also fairly easy to do and won't cost you a thing. Just give it a go. We might not be able to save ourselves from extinction, but we might delay it for a while.