Taking responsibility

How often have read that as individuals we must take our share in reducing fossil fuel use - drive less, use fabric grocery bags and the like. But who are the serious polluters?

How about BP, Chevron, ExxonMobil and Royal Dutch Shell. It was no secret to these companies as early as the 1970’s that their products were contributing to global warming. They continue to be subsidized by governments around the world. Their executives are awarded large bonuses even in the midst of a pandemic.

The real question is - when will they stop exploring and drilling. It’s important to note that many of the oil and gas companies are now switching to plastic production. Twenty firms according to a recent article in the Guardian produce 55% of single use plastics for us to buy. They can then conveniently blame us for the waste they bring into being.

As Bill McKibben says - “Don’t they have grandchildren?” He goes on to quote Sally Weintrobe,a British Psychoanalyist, who says. “The uncaring part wants to put ourselves first; it’s the narcissistic corners of the brain that persuade each of us that we are uniquely important and deserving, and make us want to except ourselves from the rules that society or morality set so that we can have what we want. “Most people’s caring self is strong enough to hold their inner exception in check,” she notes, but, troublingly, “ours is the Golden Age of Exceptionalism.”