Harvey, Irma, Maria, Burgers and Punta Allen
So there we go- it's officially happening.
The world is rebelling against us. We have created a monster by being monsters.
It all sounds very nihilistic, but there are some thoughts in my head that have been there for a few years, and it looks like they are starting to become true.
here's a photo.
I think most of us have seen a photo such as this one - look there's Mexico's Caribbean, magically untouched by the havoc surrounding it.
This photo shows hurricane Irma decimating some, to the world mostly unknown, island at a scale and veracity we've become unused to in our short times as overlords of earth. Following her is Jose- lacking Irma's potency but still demonstrating a rather harrowing point:
We have, most obviously, changed the climate of our planet.
The incomprehensible cause for all of this stormy destruction is, what it boils down to, the Hamburger.
Let me begin by saying that YES, I understand there have almost always been Hurricanes of Irma's strength, smashing Palm-trees in the Caribbean. And yes, we had nothing to do with those. Yes, Yes. You're right. Well done.
THAT being said, it is time we actually begin to appreciate the fact that we have really pushed the boundaries of what a species should be doing to it's host-planet, and the Hamburger is my vent. It is my image I would like to share with you, Friends, on discussing where we went awry on our path into the future- a future that seems to creep closer every year.
Google-Fact:
Americans alone, bless them, eat 50 000 000 000 Hamburgers a year. That's a big number- and a large amount of Beef. (Just look at all those 0's)
My Disclaimer:
Don't get me wrong, I love my Hamburger. I really love my Hamburger. I know, when I order one, that I am doing nobody and nothing justice by doing so, but I order them with a feeling of Joy in my soul because I know I will get to eat it soon. And it has to be said, in the same vein, I love my Americans. Every American I have met has been and absolute sweetheart to me- It's just that google provides me with an American statistic, not a global one.
So I am not a vegan meat hater that has racist tendencies towards 'Mericans. This is not a rant.
Oh look its a Manati! Sweeeet. Also notice how extremely flat the surrounding landscape is. It's very flat. Not ideal for Hurricanes or rising sea waters. (Photo Copyright: Christian Ihrybauer)
I have a very special connection to a place in the Caribbean. I am extremely biased towards it because when I see the hurricanes tumbling around the Atlantic like some gargantuan bowling balls, ripping up entire societies, I wring my hands and when I see that they are probably not going to hit my beloved Punta Allen, one of the easternmost points of Mexico's Caribbean coast, I do breathe a sigh of relief. It's probably uncool to do this, but I am only being honest.
It's like that, when you've called a place your home for a few years- you develop a biased opinion of it and it becomes more special in your mind. For me, this place is Punta Allen.
So when I eat a Hamburger, which I love,
I need to justify to myself and my Punta Allen that, I am very actively contributing to climate change when I eat a beef burger that has it's own weight in Carbon Emissions per 30-seconds of eating pleasure attached to it.
Yes, my burgeresque friends, every 30 seconds of burger chewing means you've put the weight of that same burger made of CARBON back into the atmosphere.
"But not me", I can hear my inner Burgerphile scream, " I don't matter in the grand scheme!!"
Well, Actually, I do. It's this inability to accept the concequences of what we're doing that fools us into believing that we couldn't possibly have an impact in the WORLD! I mean... the WORLD! Seriously. I don't believe it, you scream, wondering whether to go for blue cheese or bacon and egg.
Well, Actually, You do too. Everything you do has an impact and trying to deny this and pretending that everyone else needs to change before you do is just fucking irresponsible and / or infantile. Sorry to break it to you.
I am so relieved these monsters haven't hit Punta Allen...yet. I am so happy that Punta Allen has hunkered down and gone into survival mode, trying to get by unnoticed beasts roaming it's front door. But mark my words: They're getting stronger, and they're getting more.
So, there we have it. There is no solution to this problem. We will never stop eating burgers and using insane amounts of resources so you and me can chomp on bunned deliciousness forever more.
Or will we?
I have a feeling. A feeling so strong you can mark my words on it again.
future generations will consider our meat-consumption, and oil fanaticism as a form of dense barbarism. They will ask their grandparents (us) what, if anything, we were fucking thinking when we realised this has to come to an end, and didn't act on it.
So let's do our future Grandparentism a favour and become that rockstar grandparent who did actually realise that this needs to have an end, and not soon, but now.
And if everything goes well, I can still show my Grandkids the amazing little town of Punta Allen.
(which I won't since I don't want kids)
This weekly rant post has been brought to you by @flyfisher
I won't tell you what to do, but there is that upvote button right there. You can make an impact. :)
Be good, Chat soon
-Flyfisher