“Why Bother” by Michael Pollan
Summary Response
“Why Bother” by, Michael Pollan, is an article calling everyone’s attentions the fact that climate change is a by product of carbon emissions. “Have you looked into the eyes of a climate scientist recently? They look really scared.” (115) “Why Bother?” is the question that people hopefully begin to ask themselves. What type of living choices can I make to reduce my carbon footprint? Pollan presents a counter argument stating, “I could theoretically do all that, but what would be the point when I know full well that half- way around the world there lives my evil twin, some carbon-footprint doppelga?nger in Shanghai or Chongqing who has just bought his first car (Chinese car ownership is where ours was back in 1918), is eager to swallow every bite of meat I forswear and who’s positively itching to replace every last pound of CO2 I’m struggling no longer to emit. So what exactly would I have to show for all my trouble?” (114) “Why Bother?” Cheap energy has led to “specializations” in human culture. While specialization is a positive fore the human race, giving us time spare to to what we like. other things because we look to companies and individuals to sustain us
