Intellectual Twister

I have been traveling around the world to some wonderful, exotic locations.  It is a gift that I do not take for granted.  I get to see so many glorious sights, however, one alarming and consistent view is the surplus of pollution found everywhere on the globe…even the remotest of locations.  Those who denounce the effects of global warming have only to visit Jakarta, Algiers, Beijing and Kuala Lampur where its effects are alarmingly visible.  More importantly, they are physically experienced with every suffocating breath.  When the air in New York City feels sweet in comparison, one cannot help but feel alarm.  In Jakarta, the gorgeous tropical landscape is masked by a thick haze from burned garbage.  It blocks the sunrise and sunset that would otherwise kiss the landscape.  In Beijing, the metal dust is so thick in the air, it creates a greenish filter that changes the color of everything.  The city is masked in perpetual twilight.  The incredible skyline is only visible at close proximity.  I remember my shock at the piles of uncollected garbage canvasing the landscape in the Congo and in Mongolia.  What should be pristine carries the fragments of plastic bags, bottles, food wrappers and styrofoam containers.  I feel compelled to be more responsible and always have fabric bags with me.  To use paper products and bags if necessary as they can be composted or burned without noxious gas…to use metal and glass over plastic.  Most importantly I want to financially support those organizations working to provide safe drinking water all over the world as an alternative for bottled water.  Bottles are everywhere…a solid petroleum spill of sorts and a ticking time bomb that must be dealt sooner than later.  Lets start now, before its too late.  Please remember to recycle, plan ahead, choose packaging responsibly and support environmental initiatives.  We are one citizens of the world and each one makes a difference.  Be a teacher by setting an example.  We all matter and together we can all make a difference.