Toilet Paper Rolls

Not that long ago, I read an article about the immense climate impact of millions of discarded toilet paper rolls—the cardboard cylinders.  I hadn’t thought about the waste involved or the mounds of cardboard daily.  We don’t think much about the products we use for necessary functions.  They simply are. Why have we never devised methods that aren’t as wasteful? People make money from toilet paper rolls. And there are bidets…  Where are the inventors when you need them?

This summer we’re inundated by sorrowful news of the deaths of people we use.  Some, of course, are immigrants who performed tasks we didn’t want to do—especially in this heat. Isn’t it sad that they’re mistreated—even children. We pretend losing them isn’t going to impact our productivity. Some are rescuers—pilots and fire fighters and medical personnel and soldiers. Certain rescuers hold other jobs but want to help any way they can. We care when they die, but mostly we care only about the people whose names meant something to us. Looking at a bigger picture is exhausting.

And then there’s the earth. Scientists have warned for years that we need to manage our water differently. La la la. Warnings are for other people. This week I saw a photo of people standing in the middle of ground that was once the bottom of Dillon Reservoir, an elegant destination Colorado tourists used to know. All those fancy condos and ski shops and restaurants near a big flat nothing. Dillon Reservoir isn’t the worst example. This story of no water at all isn’t unique to Colorado, of course. Even some of the locations that have suffered flooding can be perfectly dry. We used the water as suited us. We’re users. Won’t the water refill with the next rain? No? Aquifers don’t refill in our lifetimes? Well, that’s unfortunate. They should, shouldn’t they? The developments we built in spots that are vulnerable to flooding or landslides, well, that was someone’s fault, wasn’t it? Find a good lawyer to sue.

Without understanding how nature or socioeconomics or world politics work, we plod forward snatching what we want, doing what we want to do. But the fact is, not everyone is utterly oblivious to the dangers we’re creating. Scientists aren’t all myopically focused on their own advantage. Some are working desperately to mitigate the risks. Some became scientists to find honest answers, even answers people don’t like. Perhaps the time has come to stop judging people by their political parties. What are political parties but social clubs, after all? Or are they cults? And what are we but egotistical animals, as vulnerable as any other species, except animals and plants know where they stand and we think we can run the earth. With enough funds, we can purchase whatever we want. No? Well, that’s unfortunate.

Those who can spin information to make bad choices look attractive and good choices look foolish will suffer the same fates as the rest of us. The difference is, they don’t believe it. They curry votes for candidates who have no clue how to help, but they appear preferable.  Appearances win with people who don’t think for themselves. That’s unfortunate. Meanwhile, the thinkers gather. They don’t look too impressive yet, but that can change. They want to be fortunate.