N.L. Oil Rig Damaged
A significant oil spill of the coast of Newfoundland is only a matter of time. Rough seas and harsh weather are no match for the “precautions” of oil companies.
The Anthropocene
Human activity is the main force acting on the planet. From the radioactive signature of nuclear testing to the sedimentation of plastic particles - we will have left our mark on the planet.
The most telltale sign of the anthropocene: a massive increase in atmospheric CO2 concentration. We are essentially undoing past geological processes that trapped plant and bacteria biomass underground to lower the carbon in the atmosphere.
Shale gas worse than coal
I’m posting this again because the first post got corrupted when I tried to use the “insert/edit image” feature to link to a video…never going to try that again.
This bit of news has bounced back and forth in the last week because its such a big deal. Shale gas, it appears, releases more CO2 (through the extraction process) than coal. Free-flowing natural gas is often considered the cleanest of the fossil fuels but not when its extracted from shale.
Fracking for natural gas is extremely dangerous and should probably be stopped. I would not be happy if this happened to me.
The forests of northern Canada now play a larger role in reducing carbon emissions that the rainforests of the Amazon
-Steve Kallick, Pew Environment Group
Fewer Americans worry about climate change
Only half of Americans (51%) are worried about global warming according to the latest polling - the same level of concern as in 1998.
When you think of it, it’s surprising that concern for global warming has only gone down by something like 15% from its peak in 2008. Consider what has happened since that year: housing bubble burst, financial crisis, recession and unemployment.
There is also the issue of trust and quality of information. The news of scientists playing around with data didn’t help; the way some media still refer to global warming as a debate - like the debate about Obama’s birth certificate - doesn’t help either.
Even the people that believe in global warming may not be “worried” about it, because it is hard to worry about all things all the time.
The reality is that Americans have a lot of things to worry about right now besides global warming.
Force-feeding GM foods
If GM foods have all the benefits that biotech companies claim, is it really necessary for US diplomats to lobby foreign governments to allow them?
Who’s going to do something about climate change?
Climate change is a contentious issue as we have seen in the UN climate conferences in Copenhagen and Cancun. This is because national contribution to greenhouse gases is unequal and climate change will also not affect all countries equally. Some of the countries with the lowest per capita CO2 will be worst hit, Somalia is a good example. Equatorial countries in Africa, Asia, and South/Central America will also be affected more than the higher latitudes.
This creates two levels of inequality and a lot of headaches for the people working to bring countries together to tackle the issue.
No wonder those climate conferences have ended up with weak agreements that do not really address the issue with the urgency it deserves.
I would like to believe that another accord is possible, but I know it won’t happen as long as the price of fossil fuels is lower than the price of renewable energy. I know this because of a comment in the G&M:
I’m 65 and have no car.
When I see people driving alone in their big SUVs I have to wonder.
Most of them live in the suburbs in houses big enough for ten people. I’ve seen them drive for a block or two to get a carton of milk.
I try to conserve, recycle and so on but if they don’t give a damn for the sake of future generations, should I?
The majority of people share this view on the issue. Climate change is worth doing something about only if others are willing take action as well. People feel entitled to consume stuff, and if they don’t, well then they’re choosing to make a personal sacrifice. But that choice can easily be unmade.
