With our self-inflicted short attention span, we all forget certain things. Whether it be a birthday, anniversary, phone payment, or even a stroll to the kitchen (what did I want?), memory loss seems to afflict even the best of us.

In the big picture, that birthday or anniversary or payment are insignificant. Imagine the points of view of the children as we continue our journey of forgetfulness over the truly significant issues. Thankfully, they are there to remind us. Unfortunately, we refuse to listen.

The following video shows just how often we have failed, over those really important issues, to listen to our children. The speaker, her voice echoing in a half-filled auditorium, asks us why. In disbelief she points out the obvious. A plead for help is ignored. Adverse environmental effects are of little importance. Our failure to listen assures her demise.

Not only do we extend the favor of not listening to our children, as she so clearly points out, we have also failed to listen to the voice of her home as well. It’s not as if our children can’t see. Some of them see quite clearly. In fact, as the speaker suggests, some are more aware than most of the adult population.

That, in and of itself, is a scary thought. Not in the fact that a child could see, but simply that yesterday’s and today’s leaders and adults in general cannot. The handful, small that it is, who do speak out about environmental impacts and who do try to lead are met with scorn and ridicule every step of the way by the ignorance of naysayers and knuckle draggers who have their feet firmly entrenched in concrete and their heads parked in smelly darkness. Environmental destruction is more myth than legend.

Many suggest there is nothing to worry about, that the planet is too big to fail. Today, thanks to the pharmaceutical industry, drug related chemicals are beginning to show up in our drinking water. Is it any coincidence that this relatively new phenomenon occurs most frequently in North America? We fail to listen.

Today, glaciers across the planet are in retreat, shrinking and melting away to the tune of 150 meters per year. Polar ice caps are disappearing. We fail to listen.

In Latin America, home to one of the world’s largest cities, native vegetation is being choked to death, thanks to foul air. We fail to listen.

Rain forests, old growth forests, trees any and everywhere are all being destroyed in the name of progress or agriculture or economic growth. These acts are not environmental solutions. While we fail to see, we fail to listen.

Global warming has been given a more cutesy name, a politically correct version now known as climate change. As in seasonal change. There’s no need to be alarmed. It’s perfectly acceptable to use phrases such as abortion, socialized medicine and global cooling. Carbon based energy is referred to as environmental energy. We do not care, therefore we do not listen.

As the speaker points out, extinction of species is an almost daily event. We still fail to listen.

There’s a certain school of thought that says we, as adults, should give the children hope. Looking at the glass half full is a positive attribute that goes without saying. However, as the irresponsible adults that we so self-righteously are, we owe it to those same children to speak the truth, to show them that the glass is half-empty, with the remaining content quite murky, cloudy at best.

How do we give them hope if we as adults, so-called leaders and knuckle draggers alike, refuse to acknowledge environmental destruction? How do we give them hope if our environmental economy revolves around consumption, waste and non-sustainability?

The speech was made in 1992. The speaker was 12 years old. As she so clearly and eloquently points out, we weren’t listening then, and we’re still not listening today.