Global warming, really?

I don't know about you, but I say that people who still claim that there is no such thing as global warming (or global climate change as I think is more accurate to say) are kidding themselves. While everyone in Bulgaria is enjoying the warm spring weather (with temperatures between 12 and 15 degrees Celsius), I am completely horrified and feel uneasy. But I seem to be the only one.

The complete shock came on Monday when a co-worker of mine brought snowdrops (кокичета), the flowers, to work. In Bulgaria, at least in the past, the appearance of snowdrops used to signal the arrival of spring. Well, it seems that spring has arrived in mid-January this year. Disturbing? To me, yes, but people around me seem euphoric.

Snow in California, hurricanes in Western and Central Europe, no snow whatsoever in the Alps....only a foreshadowing of what is to come? I can write so much on the topic and about my concerns and would be happy to discuss. Capital published extensive articles on the topic in their last issue, even discussing the benefits that some countries will reap from such drastic climate change. It seems that there are two main actions to take: 1) make drastic and concerted changes in an attempt to reverse the trend of increasing carbon emissions and global warming, and 2) take action to prepare for the changes that are already becoming fact... The EU has made the former one of its top priorities... I really hope that Bulgaria individually will also follow suit. But as was pointed out in Capital, the action that the EU and other Western economies could take will have little effect if India and China (for starters) don't make changes as well. True, yet I believe that in addition to being driven centrally, change has to come from each of us. Yes, we have to recycle our garbage, use eco-friendly cars, and conserve water and electricity. In Bulgaria, we are far from this reality.

Case in point: In the fall of 2006 the government introduced the concept of recycling to the population, providing recycling bins for paper, plastic, and glass around Sofia (and perhaps other cities in Bulgaria, although I can't confirm this fact), and even have a promotion campaign going on (albeit somewhat muted) to popularize the concept. Being a strong supporter of recycling, I happily started separating my paper, from my plastic, from my glass... until they simply removed the bins that had been standing in front of my apartment building. I may be the only one that really wants to recycle in this city... and I CAN'T... how absurd is that? So few people recycle to begin with, and by not making recycling bins easily accessible, the government is definitely not encouraging the practice. And, yes, I am enraged (which I rarely am).

Fact remains, I am concerned about the ecological state of the world. I think everyone should be, and until the majority do become concerned, nothing much will be done about the global warming problem.

So, now it's your turn.