Tuesday, March 14, 2006

The Other Terrorism

There’s another danger out there, something that everyone should fear. This other terrorism is arguably more dangerous globally than any talked about in the news today. This one is already attacking in several different ways. Our country along with others are aiding and abetting this form of terrorism. This one has no heart or soul. This one is moving forward and no one seems to actually care or notice.

“US climate scientists have recorded a significant rise in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, pushing it to a new record level.”

"We don't see any sign of a decrease; in fact, we're seeing the opposite, the rate of increase is accelerating," Dr Pieter Tans told the BBC.“
(snip)

“The precise level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is of global concern because climate scientists fear certain thresholds may be "tipping points" that trigger sudden changes.”

The UK government's chief scientific adviser, Professor Sir David King, said the new data highlighted the importance of taking urgent action to limit carbon emissions.

"Today we're over 380 ppm," he said. "That's higher than we've been for over a million years, possibly 30 million years. Mankind is changing the climate."

17 Comments:

Blogger Carl said...

Mother Nature has a way of righting these things...

...and punishing those unable to adapt. We're screwed.

March 14, 2006 8:16 AM  
Blogger pissed off patricia said...

We, thinking we were some god's favored few, screwed ourselves with our greediness and carelessness.

March 14, 2006 8:23 AM  
Blogger Kathleen Callon said...

This morning I watched a video of a glacier breaking apart. Environmental change is normal, but we are increasing the rate exponentially the more we pollute the air and deforest the Earth.... so sad.

March 14, 2006 9:25 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

We're already proceeding through a tipping point now. Keep paying attention to stories about the melting of permafrost in the arctic. As those soils warm the thawing peat will decompose much more thoroughly than it's done since the last ice age. That decomposition will add quite a lot of new carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, accelerating the warming further. The only way to stop that thawing is to cool the atmosphere down by sequestering what we've been completely unwilling to sequester.

There also is a lot more methane in the atmosphere than has been the case in quite a long time, and methane is a far more effective trapper of heat than carbon dioxide is.

I don't for one minute doubt that life on Earth will continue, but I don't know whether human society will comfortably manage the changes we're causing. I also wonder if we're about to see polar bears (or other arctic or antarctic animals) go extinct.

- oddjob

March 14, 2006 9:28 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Sounds like another reason to move away from fosil fuels and burning to provide energy and another argument for improving solar, wind, water, and geothermal forms of generating power, motion, etc...
Why don't we get as much traction on this issue as the folks get for their "war on terror?" It's beyond me.

March 14, 2006 11:36 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

We're already proceeding through a tipping point now.

There's a lot of evidence that we're passed the tipping point. Strategies now need to focus on providing a stable transition to a less climate affecting energy economy and on dealing with the changes themselves.

March 14, 2006 1:31 PM  
Blogger pissed off patricia said...

Well when the leader of our country has his doubts about global warming, we are going no where as fast as possible.

It'll be three more years before we have a chance to have an adult at the wheel. Lots of damage can occur during that time.

March 14, 2006 1:35 PM  
Blogger meldonna said...

That is an excellent way to put it, nash. Bill Hicks (god rest him) once commented that we (humans) are a virus with shoes.

My mother, who is a very traditional southern Christian woman, always seemed to me a bit progressive on the idea or 're-use, re-use, re-use'. A lady who learned to recycle because she grew up dirt-poor in the '40s and had to, she finds it inexcusable to pollute the only Earth we have. To her, trashing the land is an affront to her God and His Gift to His children. She makes me proud to be her daughter.

The happy 'heathern' that I am!

So glad to find your blog, PoP! You keep having that AM martini; as an eye-opener, I've always liked a bloody - just call it a breakfast salad.

Cheers!

March 14, 2006 7:38 PM  
Blogger sumo said...

Thanks to the administration bankrupting us in Iraq...there isn't anything to to spend on alternatives or awareness...so in effect we are killing ourselves and perhaps not so slowly. Another fine mess "they" have gotten us into. Jerks!

March 14, 2006 11:35 PM  
Blogger Neil Shakespeare said...

I gotta go invest in those North Pole condominiums. Oh wait. There's no land under the North Pole is there. OK, South Pole condiminiums then...

March 14, 2006 11:55 PM  
Blogger Mr. 618 said...

Buh, buh, buh... but LordGodKing George-n-Dick say that global warming is just a myth created by Jesus-hating scientists! An' Exxon-Mobil says that IF global warming exists -- which they doubt -- it will actually be GOOD for us, 'cause we won't have to run the heaters as much next winter.

As PoP says, until we have an adult in the WH, we're scre--- umm, in trouble.

One more reason to stock up on canned tuna and powdered milk (Jesus, Health and Human Services is getting as bad as DHS).

March 15, 2006 3:30 AM  
Blogger Durward Discussion said...

It's almost enough to make you wonder if Venus used to be inhabited by some human like species.

March 15, 2006 6:17 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

We will be sloughed off, I think and go the way of all stupid species unable to use reason for good.

March 15, 2006 10:14 AM  
Blogger Carl said...

Neil Shakespeare said...
I gotta go invest in those North Pole condominiums. Oh wait. There's no land under the North Pole is there. OK, South Pole condiminiums then...


Nah. You don't want to do that! You'll be upside down!

March 15, 2006 12:05 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi Pat. You are so very right on this form of terrorism. Last time I checked, there wre NO new dinosaures dieing to make more pools of oil. We must find other forms of energy to supply our needs. So much more could be done with solar,wind, and water power. If we foul this nest of ours, where are we going next and how the hell do we get there?? We despirately need some intelligent and competence in charge. Good luck to us all. PS...I'm getting a new Toyota Highlander Hybrid to replace my beloved Jeep.

March 16, 2006 6:13 AM  
Blogger meldonna said...

We live in a country where race car drivers are considered athletes, and the skilled people doing their pit stops are simply collateral expenses. To their credit, most of the drivers have grease under their fingers working on cars since childhood.

Then we have a President, was actually in and out of the military under circumstances still vague, but we do know he was a cheerleader in school, so that would qualify as an athelete.

I don't guess anybody these days thinks the Reserves will keep you from seeing combat, huh?

What butterfly did an ancient carnation of myself step on to make me deserve to live through the Death of Reason? I'm at a loss to think of any better reason for the season of no reason.

I'm about ready to find a cave and spend the rest of my life contemplating my toes.

I don''t do that...because the pendulum has to swing back.

March 16, 2006 11:48 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

We should have been listening to people like Chief Joseph and Chief Seattle (Sealth). These visionaries warned us of the horror we cause from our own waste.
I guess I would add Crazy Horse and Black Elk to this list.

Imagine, the Sacred Mother Earth and what we do to Her. And yet, She allows us to trod upon Her daily.

Try to do one thing, at least, every day, to help honor our home.

March 18, 2006 2:51 AM  

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