I feel so sorry for our kids and their fears of global warming

[Erika]

They are very scared among the middle and high schoolers. I think what they are most scared of is no action. They see the climactic changes and no one does anything.

They are suffering the anxiety of this generation doing nothing. Someone has to stand up and demand true scientific research that isn't GOP slanted to profit big business. They've got to stand up for the children, not the profiteers. Big business has no right to doom our children.

[Union Thug]

1. we grew up fearing nuclear holocaust..

Sad all around.

[Erika]

2. But they will grow up seeing the changes

and even wondering about the food sources available. I feel so sorry for the kids.

[Deep13]

4. Was just thinking that.

I went to sleep every night in the 1980s wondering if we would all be vaporized during the night. The saber rattling of our asshole president didn't help.

There is one big difference between global warming and nuclear war. Despite the obvious potential, in all likelihood, no one was going to push the button. It required an affirmative step with full knowledge of the reprocussions for that to happen. On the other hand, global warming is definitely happening and will continue without intevention. Add to that the knowledge that there might not be a solution at all and if there is it will be the result of draconian action that will make modern life pretty bleak for a long time.

[Erika]

6. Yes, global warming is happening and our kids are scared.

They read about the polar bears and the ice caps and they tie in to our strange weather.

They are scared. They are most scared that no one is doing anything.

Ask your little ones about global warming and you will see the fear.

[Deep13]

9. Didn't have any little ones. Couldn't see the point.

Speaking of fatalistic attitudes.

[WinkyDink]

20. Totally chose the same route, here.

[nebenaube]

33. That was my original intention...

The the cold war ended. Then it seemed ok... Sometimes I regret it.

[Erika]

8. The bleakness is a fear factor in itself

Just picture yourself telling the little ones the future is bleak and neither you nor your government are choosing to do anything about it.

[WinkyDink]

18. Except: our fears were of something being held at bay. Global warming is not.

To me, it is clear Republicans---or at least those in political and corporate power---can't possibly truly love their children or grandchildren. How could they, to wish them a world literally destroyed by predatory multi-nationals?

[nebenaube]

32. still do.... n/t

[nam78_two]

3. K&R.nt

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

5. Collectively we've failed our future generations so miserably.

[leftofthedial]

7. my daughter (13) has developed a very fatalistic attitude in many ways

it sickens me.

I talk to her and talk to her . . .

[Erika]

11. What do you say to her?

The adults in the holocaust camps told their soon to be dead children to "breathe deeply"

[leftofthedial]

15. we saw "An Inconvenient Truth" together

we talk about the solutions suggested in that movie

we talk about politics and political change

we talk about knowing the truth and acting on it

we talk about ways life may be different in the coming years and how my daughter can find a place for herself

[Deep13]

12. How does one cheer up someone in those circumstances...

...when her pessimism is entirely justified by the facts?

[leftofthedial]

16. focus on truth, possible solutions

how to deal with the changes . . .

:shrug:

I feel like I failed her and my other daughter in so many ways . . .

[Deep13]

21. Realistically, are there solutions?

We have this country and most idustrial nations increasing CO2 emissions every year. We have China and India representing half of humanity becoming industrial. The permafrost is melting releasing methane into the air. The increased CO2 is being absorbed by the sea increasing its acidity and killing the base of the food chain.

Do any of the proposed solutions have a hope in hell of working? I'm not being argumentative, I'm just asking.

[Lisa]

22. all I know is that, as a scientist, I'd better start doing something ...

I don't have kids, but my co-workers do -- and I know that in a couple of decades, the under-5s will be strong enough to kick my ass if I sit around saying that I learned about global warming back in the 1980s, but didn't try to reduce the damage and make our society more resilient!

I have started investing in a sustainable forestry operation in order to reduce my net carbon, and have gotten involved in a local lobbying group that advocates for public transit and "smarter" building design. My boss and I are also designing a simulation game that tests our region's ability to reduce emissions, and we hope to collar a couple of policymakers and get them to participate when our energy systems class unveils it this spring. Maybe it will help give them some kinds of ideas about changes (tax shifting, efficiency incentives, etc.) that could be proposed in the legislature.

As one researcher put it, there is no "silver bullet", but we can put together "silver buckshot" that is aimed not only at emission reduction and sequestration, but other positive things as well (more efficient and livable urban design, eating local foods, etc.).

I have also postponed buying a car until I turn 40 (or start a family and require one) -- whichever comes latest.

Pacala and Socolow's "reduction wedges" proposal (Gore showed the diagram briefly in the film, but this is more detailed):
http://www.theclimategroup.org/index.php?pid=549

[Stephanie]

10. I'm scared too.

I'm terrified. I feel like we've been handed a terminal diagnosis. We have failed them. We've utterly failed. George Bush will be remembered for THIS failure, not the Iraq War, which will pale by comparison.

[Erika]

14. W cares about the $ - oblivious to the environment

He would go down in his last gasping breath "We did it all so the corporations could pay you better"

[Exultant Democracy]

13. As a 25 year old (and as vegetarian, non-smoker, that runs every day) I feel sorry for myself

The only good thing about global warming is that it makes our social security mess look down right easy to solve.

The saddest part for me personally is that I have always known that I wanted to have children, but it is clearly immoral to bring another person into this world until we find some sort of solution.

The other part that really bums me out is that if we look at the numbers for the 06 elections my age group 18-25 voted almost 2/3 the right way. This means that given the time my age group probably would have dropped the hammer and fixed this problem, but it isn't going to be up to us. It is going to be up to our grandparents and parents (the two generations that have taken and been given the most respectively)to solve this because it need to be solved now if it is going to be solved and unfortunately we have been given every indication that we are suffering from a terminal case of head up the ass when it come to this issue.

[Erika]

17. The 18 to 25 year olds have the energy and passion to fight

Show up en masse at your statehouses and demand change.

[Exultant Democracy]

23. And the AARP has the political clout that they could get this fixed at the drop of a hat

Not that I don't fight and fight hard ( I am meeting with 3 congessional reps this months for me organization) but the fact is there are groups already in place that could get the job done right now and they don't. The fact is even as a 25 year old in a college town, I find that almost everyone I get to volunteer is retired (over 80%!)

[Erika]

26. Thank you.

We will fight. If every American demanded scientific reviews on global changes, we could find ways to counter it.

I don't know how people can sit out there with young ones with their heads up their asses and ignore the subject.

[Deep13]

19. I know it.

I've known about this problem for twenty years and science has known since at least the 1970s. It has only been in the last eight or so that it is even on the American public's "radar." What is more, as a public that is used to being flattered by politicians and corporate media, the public seems completely unwilling to make any sacrifices to stop it.

[Erika]

24. We need to demand the changes

We need to look in disgust at the Hummer and SUV drivers. We need to demand public transport.

I will write letters and make calls. I don't know if I can change anything but at least I can find peace in that I tried.

[Exultant Democracy]

25. You hit the nail on the head

the vast majority of people do not want to see us get cooked like thanksgiving dinner, but at the same time they do not want to make and sacrifices at all to fix it.

The public seems to think that we sign some legislation and that is that problem solved, and this attitude more or less gives the politicos all the cover then need to do nothing.

[Clarkie1]

27. The most important research has been done already.

And the results are in. It's not really a matter of more research at this point, it's a matter of taking action by reducing greenhouse gases.

[Erika]

28. Show us/tell us how

We can push legislation but we can put the first step into affect. Thanks.

[Clarkie1]

36. It's unclear what you are asking.

The first step would be to take action ourselves individually. The next step would be to pressure our elected leaders. I like Gore's bipartisan approach, and I would hope that he run for President to put the issue front and center. Many members of both parties have already pledged to make global warming a top priority, as citizens we need to be sure that there is follow-through.

[dubeskin]

29. As a 16 yearold, I have something to say

Yes, you guys have failed us. Not really you, but the nation as a whole. I wouldn't necessarily call it a fear, but a terrifying future. Most of my friends either believe it not to exist, don't care, or don't know about it. There are the select few who know about it and, shall I say, are scared, or worried. But for the most part, teens don't care, or don't believe, or as I said, don't know. My 11 year old sister cares more than some of my friends. I think maybe getting the message to them would be easier, but also more productive, as the younger ones are more impressionable. One small step is the showing is classrooms. My teacher is going to show it to us at the end of the year.

To get back to the point, many people don't care, and it's really hard to get them to care. Even a strong argument of "This is your world in 30 years" doesn't work. And the ignorant Republicans need to wake up too.

[NMDemDist2]

30. perhaps part of your peer's lack of concern is directly related to the

well know phenomena of teen age invulnerability

the 11 year olds haven't reached the point where they think they are invulnerable

just keep educating your peers, it will sink in eventually

[rman]

31. there's plenty true scientific research that isn't GOP slanted to profit big business

see "An Inconvenient Truth"

Many kinds are scared probably because they have seen that documentary, and they're not buying the WH lies that say global warming isn't for real.

[Hideboh]

34. seemingly

Ocean acidification will be a much bigger problem in the near future.

[Rosemary2205]

35. There's no excuse for kids to grow up in scared in the US.

parents should be allowing kids to study, play, learn how to make and keep friendships etc. Beyond that it's up to the child to discover the ugly world at large at their own pace.