J-Dub!

the storms

We got our first thunderstorm last night complete with tornado warning for our community.  We apparently had rotation right above us.  It was cranky all night, but the winds whipped up and kind of surprised us.  When I heard a chair on the deck move, I flipped over and caught the live break-in on KOMU.  Then the sirens started.  It was one of those moments where we considered waking the kids and moving to the basement.  I kept an eye on the situation for about an hour before standing down and going to bed.  Gotta love this time of year...

The irony is just last weekend, I was reading another comment from a caller to Trib Talk about the recent cold and snow that disproves global warming.  Yet, just days later and we're already dealing with severe weather outbreaks.  Those of you who still don't get it, global warming is not just about the atmospshere getting warmer and it's broader than people looking to strike it rich by investing in green energy.  It does mean that the climate is changing, and we can expect to see more EXTREME weather - stronger storms, deeper snows, longer droughts, more hurricanes and tornadoes.  It's about adapting - to new weather patterns, different types of energy.  You can claim that the science is not definitive - but in Missouri, we have a saying for that.  It's shutting the door after the cow's already left the barn.

There's a great TV ad running now featuring the CEO of Patagonia.  In it, he says a few words about protecting the earth and he says he does it for selfish reasons - because we want it to stick around.  I enjoy a good thunderstorm, but I'll like it a whole lot less if one of those funnel clouds touches down in my neighborhood.  There's little you can do for acts of nature except prepare for the possibility and be vigilant in times of danger. I trust you would do that for your family.  We should also do that on a community level.  And if there are steps we can take to mitigate the danger and to minimize our exposure, then we should by all means move forward. 

There's a storm on the horizon.  The dying man is crying about what he's going to lose.  The selfless man is taking steps to ensure his family survives.    

what he said...

Hey, here's a pretty cool column from Bill Gates.  He says that in order to get to zero CO2 emissions, which should be the goal, we should encourage research and development, not simply push low hanging fruit like conservation.  While he acknowledges that insulation and energy-saving behavior is a good thing, we really need to transform the way we generate energy. 

I just thought it was interesting that one of the richest business people in the world recognizes the need to work on reducing carbon emissions. 

No Bud for you

Here's a great read about one of my favorite beer companies, Anheuser Busch.  Of course, since the sale, I've been supporting other Missouri brewers, and after this expose, I'm considering ending our relationship altogether.  It seems AB sits idly by, supporting the policies of the Chamber of Commerce, which invariably puts business above the needs of people.  It speaks to something that I think we need to embrace - the power of the people.  It's well past time for us to stand up and demand change, and it will only happen if each of us takes action.  One way we can do that is with our purchases, or lack thereof.  Send a message to AB that you won't support a company that doesn't support the people.  Furthermore, start looking for ways you can contribute in your local communities.  Change won't happen unless we work for it.    

Fighting climate change

I understand that global warming is a difficult subject.  Science is never completely cut and dried, and I think that's what leads people to think climate change is still open to debate.  It's not.  When you really delve into the different questions put to scientists, it becomes a little more clear.  Most agree that the world is getting warmer, and most agree that man has an impact, especially in regard to the speed which heating is increasing.  Beyond that, they remain skeptical, as to not put too much importance on their personal beliefs and take the focus away from what can be substantiated with facts.  But we know a few things that are important - arctic ice is melting, and that spells trouble.  And the oceans are becoming more acidic - a result of absorbing more CO2.  "So what.  I don't eat much seafood," you say, but much of the world does.  If you worry about terrorism, nothing will spur attacks quicker than a world full of people who can no longer feed their family.  Wouldn't you want a little payback? 

Even Bill O'Reilly admits that we should work on alternatives to burning fossil fuels - he just doesn't think we should wreck the economy to do so.  And there's the rub.  It's unlikely that we can make a major shift in policy without upsetting a few apple carts.  Just take a look at the comments following an op-ed in your local paper on the subject and you'll quickly see how worked up people can get - especially neo-cons who claim everything from it's a hoax to it's a plot to install government control over every aspect of our lives.  The truth is it will cost us something, we probably can't do as much as we need to, and we really do have to try something or face even higher costs and dangers down the road. 

While the conference in Copenhagen turned out to be a flop, it has led to some good.  For one, environmentalists understand that we have to start at home and be the change we want to be.  We have to lead and show the world how we can live with a smaller footprint.  And maybe it will be a framework for when increasing evidence provides impetus for change.  To continue to deny and work to scuttle reform is not only wrong, it's completely self-serving.  Change is hard, and fear of the unknown is a legitimate human concern.  But this issue is more than just saving a few polar bears.  Our world is changing before our eyes.  Whether or not we can stop the change doesn't matter.  Whether or not we survive it, certainly does. 

I think Bill McKibben said, pumping a bunch of gas into a stable environment is a bad idea, but fouling an unstable one is psychotic.  We should worry less about what we're going to have to change, and worry more about how we can adapt to the changes. 

Tough talk

Well, no one wants to be like Tiger anymore. At first, when it was just a domestic dispute, advertisers and supporters were sticking by the world's greatest golfer.  But now that porn stars and baristas around the country are coming clean about their affair, Tiger has become toxic.  Infidelity is probably the most common human problem, but no one wants to aspire to that.  He's a philanderer, and it's likely his run as a role model has gone the way of Kobe.   

Living with consequences can be a tough thing - and it's hard to really admit the costs on the other side of the transaction.  Here are a couple of great articles about the true cost of our love affair with oil.  Tom Whipple points out the climate progress will be slow and probably futile, but the decline of available energy will do enough damage to our economy, so we don't have to.  JMG follows it up with his excellent analysis of why we make poor decisions, and will continue to do so. 

And here's a little longer read full of all out slams on our president (and us.)  You see, we're really good at ignoring the truth so we can do what we want.  Even when we think we're doing some good, we're really just tucking toys into closets and slapping some new paint on the old jalopy.  Hey, it's all good - until our mistress decides she's had enough.  When Gaia comes looking for us, she'll be swinging something more substantial than a golf club. 

bliss in ignorance?

It's interesting- I've thought a lot about what makes us tick.  How can we say one thing and do another?  How can we express worry and yet resist the opportunity to change the circumstances?  In the political world, you assume that all risks are calculated, which is why you get middle of the road compromises and gradual change.  Tom Whipple does a pretty good job today of illustrating why government will continue to deny peak oil.  And even though you have people in all types of industries signaling warnings on the climate, we have no measurable progress in preparing for the future. 

I still have hope that an awakening will take place, and we'll use the examples from history to guide our communities.  It's happening every day - when you choose more efficient lighting, or insulate your house, or choose a hybrid for your next vehicle, you're showing the market that you're ready for a different future - in fact, you demand it. 

Now, I'm not naive enough to believe we can save the world with lightbulbs - but we have to start somewhere.  We can no longer pretend it doesn't matter.  We need to put aside childish things - and start acting like grown ups.   

Things that make you go...

hmm?  I caught this while scanning my daily haunts.  Some interesting results from a pair researching the climate.  They put together a model that shows how a number of different things can affect global temperature - rising CO2, volcanoes, El Nino, and solar energy.  What's amazing is that despite pumping enough gas to cook us all, the planet's temperature has been regulated by other inputs, namely the lack of sun spots, yet still rising.  We're coming out of solar minimum and it's been a long and quiet, almost spooky quiet, cycle.  It's fairly predictable - which is bad news - because the upswing should be a doozy.  I wonder what happens when the sun gets going again with conditions favorable for heating...

And oh yeah.  Peak oil is real. 

downhill from here

Here is one of the most depressing takes on climate disaster that I've read from the mind of the person who named Gaia.  One of the most pessimistic of us, James Lovelock says there's nothing we can do - climate change is in full motion and we can't stop it.  A large number of us will die, and what's left will hopefully preserve some kind of culture after we're gone.  

It's a tough assessment, but one that's not deniable.  The steps mother earth will take to clean up our mess will likely not be very favorable to us.  It makes the analogy of lifeboat communities so much more meaningful.  Don't think we're already seeing the effects of climate change?  Think again.   

Stop global warming

Here's the research on CO2 emissions and rising temperatures.  They state that we're locked into to rising levels of global warming gases for years, even with a massive reduction in emissions.  It may seem fruitless to do anything, but inaction will surely lead to even more suffering.  Imagine the impact if we don't. 

No choice

I caught Glenn Beck ranting again yesterday about some report that came out quantifying the necessary goals for halting climate change.  Apparently, we'd have to take some 80% of the gas-powered vehicles off the road to prevent a one degree increase in temperature.  There were similar requirements for other nations to which Glenn threw up his hands and said this just isn't reasonable.  "Live like they do in Haiti, or accept a little warmer summer," he declared.  It's no choice.  We're not going to give up our cars. 

I understand that it seems impossible, but to simply give up because it's difficult is also not an option.  We may think it's too much to ask, but is the complete destruction of our planet an acceptable outcome?  While one degree may seem minute, it could result in the starvation of millions or billions of people.  All so we can continue to take the SUV through Mickey D's drive through?  Have we no shame? 

I think it's a better idea to at least make an effort, however uncomfortable it is for us.  There's no acceptable excuse to do anything else.