OK- Two things about Global warming on my mind today.
1) everyone complains that it is so cold, how can global warming be happening? We are in the midst of quite a cold winter, I will admit. Then I remember how air conditioning works- you blow air over a melting chunk of ice and the air gets cold and cools other stuff off. So, as the north polar ice cap melts, the air over it gets cold and then blows on us. I know the north polar ice cap is melting. Last year for example, was the first year in centuries (or ever?) that the Northwest passage- up over Canada to Alaska- was open and navigable- no ice floes in the way. Now, the air that was over that melting ice has congregated and migrated to the lower 48, as well as Europe I might add. So, voila- Global air conditioning.
2) The whole environmental movement seems to play on this idea of "Save the earth" or "Be kind to the planet" as if what we're doing as the human race is seriously endangering the ability of the planet to exist. Now, what is very true is that currently Earth meets several very picky requirements concerning temperature, sunlight, rotation, etc. that are needed to the amazing diversity of life. Far as we know, only place in our solar system, or even our galaxy. But, I am reminded of how old the earth is, and how many different configurations it has had, and how many millions of years it has supported life. There have been periods of complete iced surface of the planet, complete watery surface and even an early molten lava phase. But the estimates of the earth are 4.5 Billion years old. All of human memory and existence is a small blip of that expanse of time. So, I think that despite our protestations to the contrary, Earth can take whatever we can dish out- and apart from an asteroid pummeling it, sending it into the sun, or the sun expanding and swallowing it, the Earth will continue for quite a very long time. It may take a few hundred or maybe even thousand years to get rid of the evidence of our being here, but the earth is pretty good at recycling and reinventing itself. Even the radioactivity can disappear within a thousand years or so.
What is in danger, however, is OUR existence. By our continued pollution and carbon buildup, we run the risk of destroying those fragile conditions needed for humans to survive. We have the capacity to make this planet really unlivable for ourselves (and a host of other life forms who
have no say in the matter.) So, really the environmentalist movement needs to stop appealing to our altruistic sides to be nice to mother earth and instead remind us of our basal instict to survive- our own self interest is what will motivate far greater than appealing to our angels. Not even "what world will our grandchildren inherit?" works as well as "humans will cease to exist." Instead of "Save the Earth" I like the old 80's punk jean jacket button: "Save the Humans".
1) everyone complains that it is so cold, how can global warming be happening? We are in the midst of quite a cold winter, I will admit. Then I remember how air conditioning works- you blow air over a melting chunk of ice and the air gets cold and cools other stuff off. So, as the north polar ice cap melts, the air over it gets cold and then blows on us. I know the north polar ice cap is melting. Last year for example, was the first year in centuries (or ever?) that the Northwest passage- up over Canada to Alaska- was open and navigable- no ice floes in the way. Now, the air that was over that melting ice has congregated and migrated to the lower 48, as well as Europe I might add. So, voila- Global air conditioning.
2) The whole environmental movement seems to play on this idea of "Save the earth" or "Be kind to the planet" as if what we're doing as the human race is seriously endangering the ability of the planet to exist. Now, what is very true is that currently Earth meets several very picky requirements concerning temperature, sunlight, rotation, etc. that are needed to the amazing diversity of life. Far as we know, only place in our solar system, or even our galaxy. But, I am reminded of how old the earth is, and how many different configurations it has had, and how many millions of years it has supported life. There have been periods of complete iced surface of the planet, complete watery surface and even an early molten lava phase. But the estimates of the earth are 4.5 Billion years old. All of human memory and existence is a small blip of that expanse of time. So, I think that despite our protestations to the contrary, Earth can take whatever we can dish out- and apart from an asteroid pummeling it, sending it into the sun, or the sun expanding and swallowing it, the Earth will continue for quite a very long time. It may take a few hundred or maybe even thousand years to get rid of the evidence of our being here, but the earth is pretty good at recycling and reinventing itself. Even the radioactivity can disappear within a thousand years or so.
What is in danger, however, is OUR existence. By our continued pollution and carbon buildup, we run the risk of destroying those fragile conditions needed for humans to survive. We have the capacity to make this planet really unlivable for ourselves (and a host of other life forms who
have no say in the matter.) So, really the environmentalist movement needs to stop appealing to our altruistic sides to be nice to mother earth and instead remind us of our basal instict to survive- our own self interest is what will motivate far greater than appealing to our angels. Not even "what world will our grandchildren inherit?" works as well as "humans will cease to exist." Instead of "Save the Earth" I like the old 80's punk jean jacket button: "Save the Humans".
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