EnviroLink Forum

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/22/opini ... balwarming

CLIMATE CHANGE is staring us in the face. The science is clear, and the need to reduce planet-warming emissions has grown urgent. So why, collectively, are we doing so little about it?

_________________
With friends like Guido, you will not have enemies for long.

“Intellect is invisible to the man who has none”
Arthur Schopenhauer

"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits."
Albert Einstein

This is one of the reasons why I hate the whole "climate change" thing... it takes the blame and action away from the individual. You are being asked to change your political stance when that has nothing to do with the real issue. If you are a liberal, you can think it is the fault of the evil multinational companies when really it is the fault of the people who buy what the multinationals are selling (everyone). If you are a conservative, you blame the evil governments and their wasting of money when really it is the fault of the people who using the electrical grid and driving on the highway system (yes, everyone). I also blame electric cars and hydrogen fuel and even NASA and it's moon landing... people think that the solution is somewhere in the future... "when science catches up, I will buy in to their solution" when the real solution was practiced by humanity for centuries before we had something other then wood to burn. You can go to zero carbon emissions right now and pay for it in eliminated bills over a few years ROI. You don't need high technology (although some old technologies might be handy), you just need to quit buying stuff including energy. I just stopped cooking and using a refrigerator and brought my energy use down to lights and heat. I used electric blankets (100w for an hour on cold nights) to eliminate heating my house. When getting below freezing, I had to use jugs of water instead of running water. This was without using any of the fine building technologies to have a house stay at room temperature year-round with no HVAC system. My point is that you do not need to wait for technologies or political change... you can do something right now and still vote for your favorite political views. YOU are the problem, YOU are the solution, YOU have the power and technology to do so TODAY.

I've been around the world and seen a lot. The sad fact is that humans in general are a stupid, selfish beast. They didn't have the sense to stop breeding when the ecological niche was full enough. They are like birds that foul their own nest to the point of dying from the filth. (Seen in rotted overhangs)
What Ms. Vole says is true, also. Individual action is necessary, in addition to that of governments.
Even a collective worldwide kick in the ass will not overcome human inertia to change.
The too small percentage of us who see it coming and have taken steps to live green, educate and lead others, and try to move the stubborn ass of humanity, just have not had the power and money to do the job.
Ecocidal maniacs as a species, except for a small minority who have one or no children, and live green, on solar or wind, driving a hybrid or electric, composting and growing much of their own food, buying local, reducing, re-using, and recycling, living in eco-homes, and fully understand ecology and the exponential function.

_________________
"With every decision, think seven generations ahead of the consequences of your actions" Ute rule of life.
“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children”― Chief Seattle
“Those Who Have the Privilege to Know Have the Duty to Act”…Albert Einstein

I think we're mostly all idiots, period, present company and myself excepted.

_________________
TANG SOO!

Will you listen to yourselves. Everyone is stupid? What a convenient argument. Perhaps your message is lacking.

_________________
Potato chip enthusiast.

I don't think that people are stupid, I find the issue of climate change fascinating myself, and I think the science has convinced most knowledgeable people that bad things will happen if we fail to address this issue.

The problem is doing something about it. We depend on fossil fuels, lots of people make a living from them. Climate change is not the only problem facing the world and some other problems seem more immediate.


Having said that if the science is correct the climate has started to impact those other problems; for example the drought in America affects the whole world through food prices, this can lead to political instability in far flung corners of the world. More places at the rule of gunmen will not be good for the war on terror. I see no reason why this sort of thing should not get worse in the future.

Sorry for my bleak assessment but this the way I see it.

_________________
With friends like Guido, you will not have enemies for long.

“Intellect is invisible to the man who has none”
Arthur Schopenhauer

"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits."
Albert Einstein

_________________
TANG SOO!

_________________
"With every decision, think seven generations ahead of the consequences of your actions" Ute rule of life.
“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children”― Chief Seattle
“Those Who Have the Privilege to Know Have the Duty to Act”…Albert Einstein

_________________
With friends like Guido, you will not have enemies for long.

“Intellect is invisible to the man who has none”
Arthur Schopenhauer

"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits."
Albert Einstein

_________________
TANG SOO!