What has Bill Gates done for the environment?

Question

Living on Earth, many of us are conscious that it is a paradise; not a gift from our fathers but something we borrow from our children. In order to preserve the planet we love, we make changes and sacrifices... We do as much as we can. But when I think about the people who can probably have the biggest impact, such as the billionaires of the world (Bill Gates, in this example), I wonder what they have done for our planet in terms of conservation.

Answer 1

Bill & Melinda Gates plan on giving away a majority of their money, before they die.

Here's a link to their foundation:

http://www.gatesfoundation.org/default.h...

One of the things they are doing is spending more money on malaria prevention in Africa, than ANY COUNTRY!

That's quiet a shocker, if you think about the money that wealthy countries, like the U.S. have.  

Foundations like the Gates Foundation are a good news, bad news situation.  If the Government gets into funding some cause the Government will just keep ploddin away at it, whether the funding is doing any actual good, or not.

A private foundation (like the Gates Foundation) can simply pull the pug and direct monies elsewhere if a program is not working.  That's great.

Bad thing is, because it is private, they get to decide where the monies are being spent.  They could choose to spend all of their money on people with two different colored eyes, and hamsters dyed pink if they wanted too.

Some of their money is being spent to equip rural and/or poor schools with computers for children here in the U.S.A.

The vast majority of their money will be spent overseas in Africa for healthcare needs.  Namely fighting AIDS, and malaria.

I think that cause is noble, and their hearts are in the right spot.  Unfortunatly, without addressing even bigger issues that abound in Africa, I believe they are going to make things worse over there.

Their programs are going to allow more adults to live longer (with AIDS) and more children to survive things like malaria.  It is very cruel to say, but the world does not need an increase in population.  Unless issues like how this increased African population is going to feed itself, and provide fresh water for itself, the end result will be civil war in Africa, and even more wretched things, like Darfur happening over there.

The Gates have been joined in their venture by another billionare.  I want to say Warren Buffet, but I may well be wrong on the name.

Their cause is noble....who doesn't wish to help children in need who might die from things we could cure so very simply.  I only hope the increase in population this will bring will not backfire in horrid ways.

~Garnet

Homesteading/Farming over 20 years

Answer 2

I agree with all of the answers

Answer 3

Agreed on the fact that possession of over a certain (often ridiculous) amount of money should be illegal.

Nevertheless, i think Bill Gates specifically derserves more slack. He made his own fortune from scratch. He did/does participate in many-a-lame practices, but its not like he makes money by using child labor to stitch sneakers, or start wars over oil. Moreover, he is one of the biggest philantropist out there.

"...pledged over $7 billion to its various causes..." from wikipedia.

Answer 4

He gives away billions of his own money. A philantropist.

There's far more important things to sort out than environmental conservation. Not like throwing money at the problem will do any good.

I think conservation is a personal choice. Some want to do it, others don't. Just do your own things, and it'll work out.

Answer 5

he donates a c**p load of money i think it's around 500 million or so for different things, it's said he's leaving more to charities in his will then he is leaving to his own kids gotta love that.....

Answer 6

nothing.

Answer 7

Before you slam a person like Bill Gates for not being as "responsible for the worlds condition" as you seem to be, what conservation contribution have you actually made to correct the worlds problems?  It's easy to cast a stone!  Do you feel that because you chose not to wear a garmet made from some animal skin, that you saved the animal world from extention?  People who complain about what someone else does or dosen't do, are usually running their mouths just to hear their own voice.  People like Gates, has made it possible for people like you to voice the contents of your little minds.  His products permit me to chide you for your insecurities.  His world has made our world a bigger place to live.  Without his contributions, in computer accessabillity, little minds like yours who spend their time finding faults with others, would have nothing to do.  Instead of proclaiming the injustices of life are due to someone elses lack of effort to correct lifes problems, why dont you make the effort to solve the worlds problems?  I've never heard of you before, what have you done to make my life better?   Or, what have you done to make anyones life better?  Before you cast any stone, look in your own mirror!  Little people who make no contribution of their own should not decry someone elses responsibilities to the world.