For starters, the people who are most capable of invoking change and creating solutions often downplay the problem of climate change. Exxon Mobile has severely downplayed the effects of climate change, most likely out of fear of losing business. Larger, more developed countries with the resources for change don't see the problems that small islands and underdeveloped countries are experiencing at a devastatingly fast rate. Life in developed countries is too comfortable to sacrifice all of the luxuries the people are lucky to have, however there NEEDS to be change. Plus, the destruction we are causing to make our lives easier now is only going to make them harder in the long run for our grandchildren. (I'm sure you've probably heard that before)
Why is change so dire? The answer requires some science so bare with me, I'm about to get a little scientific. The Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) was a global warming that occurred 55 million years ago and lasted 200,000 years. The Earth warmed 4-8 degrees C over a period of 1,000-10,000 years, (remember this) affected all latitudes, caused rise in sea level, and even affected the deep ocean. The most likely reason for the PETM was a release of frozen methane (CH4) from ocean deposits called "clathrates." Clathrates are the "booby traps" that McKibben refers to on page 20. Now, in the 21st century, over the course of 100 years, we are on track to emit the same about of of methane as was emitted during the PETM and that's not including the "booby traps." This is INCREDIBLE. How have we been doing nothing about this for so long???
I could keep going, but I think you get the point. The next step is to figure out the measures we can all realistically take to help our stop our planet's destruction. Please enjoy this picture of part of the beautiful Teton mountain range.
Nice picture. I sense some irony in the way you include it.
ReplyDeleteI think it's so unfortunate that climate change is downplayed. Unfortunately so many people have money invested in things that produce greenhouse gases, just like Exxon Moblie, that of course they don't want oil mining/burning to cease.
ReplyDeleteI believe it has been pushed to a future issue as a way to move responsibility. I imagine the leaders of this world sitting back and saying, "eh, its not that bad". The problem is, by the time it is bad, it will be to late to make any significant change.
ReplyDeleteI agree completely with your post. I think that the issue with global warming/climate change has been pushed aside for too long. I don't understand how empirical evidence hasn't spooked more people into realizing that change is need now, well more like years ago. Let hope that through education that people will come to their senses that this is a real problem in our daily lives.
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing to think that global warming has been an ongoing problem for this planet. Could you imagine how life would be if people took steps into reducing global warming much earlier?
ReplyDelete