IPCC Emergency - Global Warming
By Phil Butler on Nov 13, 2007 in Environment, News
Today the U.N.’s climate panel is meeting in Valencia, Spain to devise an emergency action plan to combat global warming. The Nobel Prize winning team of scientists and experts had previously warned governments that time is short if we are to save the world from an ecological disaster. So, this is the unplugged news of the day – something that none of us can escape.
Not Nostradamus
I remember back in 1968, I had a geography teacher who predicted most of today’s environmental problems – and we all thought he was crazy! In retrospect, predicting that a finite resource like fossil fuels would run out – or that the world’s fresh water supply would evaporate was really simple logic. This is one of those things I tend to get on my soapbox about, I guess because naysayers piss me off so badly. In my view, people who say this is some geologic trend or pattern might just as well spit in the face of logic. If 5 people live and a house and chain smoke cigarettes – after a while the AC filters will not be able to handle it - imagine the same house with 10 people living in it! Sure, this is an oversimplification – but the logic holds true for the larger ecosphere.
Wake Up- The World Hurts
The IPCC is meeting to kick off an Intergovernmental Panel on climate change according to news from Reuters. The panel is scheduled to release a final report essentially blaming humans for climate change. The IPCC’s recent reports foretold of a catastrophic events worldwide if current trends are not held in check or reversed. According to the panel, rising temperatures will lead to mass starvation, water shortages, aggression over scarce resources and the extinction of species on a massive scale. I don’t know how much louder a wakeup call needs to be honestly.
Greener Grass
Many web sites and movements have popped up calling for “greener” thinking and more responsible use of resources. Many of these are exceptional, and I know that 1 in 10 sites I bump into on StumbleUpon have at least some environmental message. Even though public awareness is improving, most people have not grasped the enormity of this situation. A recent National Geographic News report pointed to lack of awareness as one of the major hurdles in turning the tide (pun intended) global warming. This problem is further revealed so:
“Is society aware of the seriousness of climate warning? I don’t think so,” said Marianne Douglas, a geology professor at the University of Toronto. “If we were, we’d all be leading our lives differently. We’d see a society that embraced alternative sources of energy, with less dependency on fossil fuels.”
Some scientists contend that a global temperature rise of only 5.4 degrees Fahrenheit (and it grows hotter year after year in my perception) would entirely melt Greenland’s ice sheet resulting in a sea level rise of 23 feet. If any of you have ever been to the coast, or seen a salt march – it is not difficult to imagine how disastrous this would be. Many countries like Bangladesh and many tropical Island nations could not sustain this. The barrier Islands of the East coast of the U.S. would effectively disappear. The Katrina disaster would be dwarfed by systematic flooding and infrastructure disasters no one has entertained.
Seeing Is Believing
I cannot describe how it feels to watch the world and its people be on a collision course with even more substantial problems than we have seen. Not only does the United States use essentially on fourth of all the major resources on the planet, we have exported this idiotic philosophy of “growth” to countries essentially incapable of sustaining rapid industrialization. With labor markets and resources opening up in China, India and other highly populated countries – it seems evident to me that the world cannot tolerate more U.S. type growth and expansion.
I shall pursue this track in more empirical articles later on, but somehow simple spatial vision should bear out this contention. No one can predict these things with any great degree of certainty, but it does not take rocket science to know a gas tank will run out and smoke will fill a room. Stay tuned – the soapbox will continue. In the mean time do your own investigating and take this nudge to become more aware of the big picture.
Good luck with the new site, Phil! Great start.
- Chris (moreminimal from StumbleUpon)
Chris Baskind | Nov 13, 2007 | Reply
Man is not powerful enough to have a large impact on the world. The planet goes through cycles and there have been both hotter and colder periods in the geological history BEFORE man ever stepped foot on the planet.
HMTKSteve | Nov 13, 2007 | Reply
Thank you Chris - I appreciate your comment and the visit - I hope I can provide some interesting topics for you and other readers. Cheers - Phil
Phil Butler | Nov 13, 2007 | Reply
SteveO! So what you are saying is that the laws of physics have been suspended for humans? The issue is not whether thermal expansion or cyclical atmospheric fluctuations have ever occurred before. It is however whether or not we as humans are willing to admit that 50 million SUV’s belching hydrocarbons into the atmosphere - while carrying one soccer mom for a nail appointment.
A larger issue would be the exportation of an ideal that does not work to places that - buying into this lunacy - would geometrically affect environmental and human degradation. Old farts like me (if they pay attention) can remember the trees having slightly more color and the air having a slightly sweeter taste to it. This says little about some of the images I will post here in the next weeks.
Many of the changes happening right now on Earth are unequivocally the result of mankind’s irrevocable ignorance, greed and irreconcilable stupidity. In the world you speak of “the Dust Bowl” never occurred and periodic flooding of the Mississippi River does not happen because of our wonderful interaction with planetary systems. For ever action there is an opposite yet equal reaction.
I love ya SteveO - I cannot agree with your hypothesis however.
Always,
Phil
Phil Butler | Nov 13, 2007 | Reply
Phil… the 1968 issue… life has its rhythm, things do change. Those who didn’t believe such a common sense observation show intellectual limitation in my eyes. It’s like saying that there are no other life forms in the Universe. Do these people have any idea how vast this Universe is after all? Thinking that we are alone is plain stupid. (sorry!)
It’s also like not believing in angels. Do you?
The World has an end. Period. What’s really sad is that instead of trying to heal the world and make its last moments better, we poison it. That brings to my mind a very sad, and personal analogy.
Mig | Nov 13, 2007 | Reply
I have a little something for you at Maryannaville waiting for you to pick up. I just want you to know that I appreciate you, kiddo.
Pick up is here at your convenience, Sir. ~:o)
Saboma | Nov 13, 2007 | Reply
Darling MIG,
You always know don’t you?
This is exactly the point - we are sent here clinging to dear life from the start. Later, we hope to cling to it for our loved ones and future generations - and still so many believe that one more drop of fuel or another pair of shoes will somehow make the world (and them) better. We have limitless potential - but the end of it is a spiritual journey I expect.
BTW - Yes I do believe in angels - I have seen their faces - the ones I know personally. So, we have to do everything in our power to do as you suggest - make the last fleeting moments of this last until the paradigm shift into some other realm.
A very real and absolute necessity in my mind is that given the limitations of time - we do not need to tolerate idiocy or stupidity in regard to what we do with these seconds in the twilight.
Yours Always,
Phil
Phil Butler | Nov 13, 2007 | Reply
A nice take on global warming, nothing will stop the environmental craze that has seemingly snowballed into a massive movement over the years, and its a good thing, people are finally waking up and realizing that they are selfish and greedy. Its about time.
JT | Nov 18, 2007 | Reply
Humans are not causing global warming. If you still think that people are causing global warming, then you can get an easy $100,000. Go to http://junkscience.com/ and take their challenge. So far the challenge has gone unanswered for a few months.
Cheers…
Greensky | Nov 21, 2007 | Reply
Hi Greensky!
I cannot prove this unequivocally but I wonder if they offer the same prize for proving we do not?
I think I can prove that throwing dirt into the air cleaner of your car will cause engine failure though! Ahh - so if we extrapolate that analogy - we have humans clogging the filters of Earth.
What are the negative consequences of too much conservation? Conversely, what are the potential consequences of not enough (I think we are there). Much of what we do and say is about motivation - what motivates people to poo poo the concept that we may actually be wrong as human organisms?
Let’s look back at how we have improved on Mother Nature - ahh - too long a commentary for comments but I will get there.
I appreciate your comment as there are two sides to every discussion. Maybe you can prove to me we do not cause at least part of the global warming problem.
Thanks - Phil
Phil Butler | Nov 21, 2007 | Reply
JT - Thank you - I agree that as things get more and more dreadful, it will be very difficult to impede people who care and are aware.
Thanks - Phil
Phil Butler | Nov 21, 2007 | Reply