Op-Ed: Are We Overreacting to Environmental Issues?

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Don't get me wrong - when it comes to environmental issues and the looming global warming crisis, I'm usually the first to sound the alarm bell. I also have little doubts in my mind that oil shortages, inefficient agriculture methods, and droughts, pollution, and ridiculous political motivations are all contributing to the problem(s). However, since Al Gore's Inconvenient Truth, it really seems like there is a growing hysteria over the environment, to the point where some of the news stories are simply ridiculous.

After reading about the health risks of shower curtains, I'm left just scratching my head. It simply seems ridiculous to get worked up over the 'dangerous' showers we're all apparently taking.

"This study found PVC shower curtains can release as many as 108 VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) into the air. VOCs are chemicals that easily turn into gases and contaminate our air," CHEJ said.

Worrisome, no doubt. However, isn't there some more pressing issues than shower curtains? While I'll agree with the average joe that perhaps these shower curtains should be manufactured to be carbon neutral, there's absolutely no way to expect a consumer to go around knowing which shower curtains are safe and which will cause them certain death.

And then, I read that they're taking this issue to the congress. Excuse me, but this is just a gigantic waste of taxpayer's money. The congress will do one of two things: 1) Nothing. 2) Agree and do nothing. And I can't particularly blame them. With so many other, more important issues, such as how to slow down major pollutants (see: power plants), and how to keep American jobs from sliding away as the manufacturing sector slows from oil prices, shower curtains simply shouldn't be a priority.

Time and time again, I'm appalled that the environmental responsibility is being placed on the consumer. First of all, a consumer is limited to the products that are out there - the most they can do is buy the 'best' product, but at this stage in the game, that's also usually the most costly. They can refuse to purchase environmentally degrading products, but there's also a standard of living to consider. I fail to see how most people could live without a shower curtain (at least without destroying their bathroom from water damage).

The burden of environmental change is being wrongly placed right now - it should be on the manufacturers of these commodities - after all, the public has shown they're willing to buy better products if it's available. To think that there's no money in changing every product to a more carbon-neutral piece is ridiculous. After all, it's fairly realistic to assume that eventually, the majority of products will be environmentally conscious.

But to waste time bringing these issues to congress, or to fuel more hysteria about minor environmental issues is just pointless. With the change in society only just beginning, the focus needs to be on the big issues right now - and in time, the smaller issues will deserve the spotlight.