Critical thinking still
breathing
The most recent issue of
Nature Conservancy magazine is devoted to climate change in the U.S.
One of the articles discusses the varied strategies taking place
across the United States, which often reflects the makeup of the
state be it politically, economically, socially and so forth. For
example, in Iowa more than one-quarter of greenhouse gas emissions
comes from agriculture. The focus here is educating farmers on soil
management and fertilizer reduction and working closely with the
state's “decision makers.”
In New York state the
emphasis is on overhauling the electrical grid system, decentralizing
power generation and encouraging more solar and wind energy. In
Louisiana reforestation is seen as an important goal, while in
Libertarian-inclined New Hampshire energy independence,
self-sufficiency and clean energy is attractive across the political
spectrum.
The point of all these
examples is that there are many different KNOWN strategies to
confront climate change, the overriding goal being to keep global
temperatures under 2 degrees Celsius. Something like one-third of
greenhouse gas emission reductions can be accomplished by the
protection and restoration of nature. Ultimately, the strategy for
global success is both mitigation and adaptation to climate change
and a lot of creative thinking.
What ought not to be
considered in the U.S. and across the globe is the increase of fossil
fuel production, coal in particular. In the recent vice-presidential
“debate,” nominee Mike Pence spoke about the unemployed coal
miners and that his party would restore coal production and
presumably put the miners back to work.
It's almost irrelevant
whether it is ignorance or merely electioneering blather, but coal
production needs to vanish, much, much sooner than later. Mountain
top restoration of coal mines, among other things, is a better
acknowledgment of 21st century reality.
What coal miners and others
need is the unvarnished truth about economic change, along with
programs that actually provide serious retraining, financial support
and a first world education system for their children. Once again,
the electorate has considerable responsibility in making this happen,
and not merely complaining about what is not happening. Yes, the
automobile put the buggy whip manufacturers out of business.
Cigarettes don't cause
cancer
A lot of folks remember the
iconic photograph of cigarette executives in 1994 raising their hands
before a Congressional committee promising to tell the truth about
their product. Well, that “truth” proved elusive back then, but
in the minds of many people the cigarette industry is nothing more
than a criminal enterprise, which is apparently still thriving today
in many third world countries.
In 2016 we have the fossil
fuel industry, which will potentially have a far greater impact than
the tobacco industry ever had. EXXON, in particular, has spent some
$31 million dollars funding climate denial campaigns, yet at the same
time—unlike the tobacco industry—has conducted genuine climate
change studies undertaken by real climate scientists, who clearly
state that human caused climate change is very real. It is well worth
reading, Two-Faced Exxon: the Misinformation Campaign Against its OwnScientists and Sir Robert Watson, British Climate Expert.
An existential threat is a
terrific reason to become involved and become informed about how to
make changes that matter to more than merely the comfortable.
Additional reading:
P.S.
Yes I too watched the
presidential “debate” last night. Clearly Donald Trump and
depressingly a large number of his supporters prefer the dankness of
the sewer rather than fresh air and blue skies. Hillary Clinton
managed to utter the words Climate Change at the very end of the
evening when an audience member asked a question about energy. While
my heart is well to the left of Clinton my head says more than ever
she deserves my support. That's where the organizing can take place,
in a world where climate change must take center stage.
NEXT: Does Capitalism and
“Geocide” Go Together?
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