by Jeffrey Wright

Created on: September 17, 2009   Last Updated: September 19, 2009

Granted, though the ongoing debate between this being a definitively yes and definitively no answer, the true answer is equally both. Why can this be said? And what does both mean for our environment and our shaky economics?

On the no side there is a lot that each individual can do to protect the environment. There are countless articles, books and television episodes that not only lay out the facts as to why protecting the environment is so important. One of the most notable in recent years is Al Gore's award winning An Inconvenient Truth released in DVD format in 2006, which specifically focused on the issues and problems that relate to global warming.

The purpose in these types of programs, in Mr. Gore's presentation or any other presentation on this issue, is chiefly designed to educate the masses based on accurate facts from the world's leading scientists, which show just how serious the problem really is. A secondary goal of these educational sources is to effect change in human habits as it relates to our use of earth's resources, or in some cases the blatant destruction of said resources for profit.

Thus far, at least for some who are honestly concerned about the state of the environment and how it affects us and we it, have made needed changes. Now these changes have been everything from changing the household light bulbs to more energy efficient light bulbs, adjusting their thermostat, to changing their hot water source from a tank water heater to a tankless water heater, which heats only the water one is using rather than taking more energy to heat up an entire tank of water. Some have even switched to a far more efficient hybrid car such as the Toyota Prius and the like, which dramatically decreases the carbon output that such an individual produces each year. And these are excellent steps!

And none of these things affect the economy adversely. Things like recycling have created a whole new employment opportunity adding to the White and Blue collar divisions of work with the creation of the Green Collar Job division. Good jobs when you think about the fact that some of these jobs can pay anywhere between ten to fifteen dollar an hour jobs.

But as with any subject that involves the environment there are skeptics and business people that just don't get the point of it all. And it's not that the evidence is there, it's just that they don't want to get it. Why? Well frankly its because if they did get it, that means they would have to change. Human

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