Why Bother?

Michael Pollan's article, "Why Bother", starts off by explaining the title. The question is meant for individuals hoping to become active in doing something to stop climate change. It is until Pollan is influenced by Al Gore that he writes. Gore simply ends with: we (the people) must "change our light bulbs"--this being the most and only realistic thing we can do right now. Which leads Pollan to
discuss the core question: what if one does bother?

Pollan essentially says that becoming an activist for energy conservation, to hinder climate change, one must work at it. Even if one does become an activist, the overall climate changing conditons would not be influenced upon globally; The individual could persevere on--which is a sign of virture; but Pollan goes to frase that many, such as the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times put it, acclaimed it as a "personal virture". How does one know if the climate will be affected by changes suggested?

Pollan does find that many individuals all across the globe are worried about Global warming, and he even finds that scientists' projections shows that the warming and the melting is occuring much faster than the models predicted. He quotes Michael Specter: "Personal choices...take laws and money." If
we do decide to change climate change rates, we will have to change our lifestyle. He says we must convince the politicians first becaue they are the ones we leave the job to through specialization; which is a blessing but also a curse: it "obscures the lines of connection--and responsibility".

Pollan adresses that cheap energy/fossil fuel is easier and efficient eneregy, but it gives us climate change. We must act now because we are running out of time; we must "act as if acting will make a difference." We must treat the Earth as if it was our home for infinity. So we must maintain sunlight
but replace fossil-fuel fertiliziers; we should utilizy the sunlight and gardening--these are by-products to living a healthy life.