I think it is time people faced up to the stark reality that, at this time, the planet is indeed becoming a warmer place and that the effects of that warming are affecting weather and our environment.
Let”s face it, the warming or cooling, for that matter, is a planet-wide phenomenon, with uneven cycles, and is based on planet time, not the very short time periods based on man”s lifetime.
The last major ice age ended a relatively short time ago and because ice used up so much water, there were land bridges between Siberia and Alaska, Britain and France, and in Indonesia that allowed the modern human race to reach places previously denied.
When things warmed up sea level rose dramatically and quickly enough that we are now dredging artifacts from the Dogger Bank off western Europe that show a relatively advanced culture occupying what was then dry land.
On the other hand the little ice age ended just a bit more than 150 years ago.
There is good documentation of the life and changes that resulted.
One example is that the British and other north Europeans now drink ale and beer because it got too cold to grow grapes after the 13th century.
In the case of this current cyclical change, people probably have had a minor role.
But I suspect the biggest reason is that we have allowed too many people, rather than the acts of the people themselves.
To some extent we know that we humans have found ways to fill the atmosphere with some amazing stuff as we have “progressed”. For example, some of the CO2 from the crude foundries of classic Greece can still be found in the atmosphere.
Although there is much discussion about emissions and footprints and that is here that is the only way people can help climate change.
We also have to acknowledge that what we do now may affect things for future (many) generations, but they are not going to alter conditions in our lifetimes.
What people must learn to do is manage the effects of rising temperatures and sea levels.
Learn to build dikes, don”t invest in polar bears or Bangladesh, adapt to the changing weather patterns and demands of unusual dry/unusual wet conditions and be prepared for increasing short term variations.
Based on what little I know of both warming and economics and the consideration of the importance of time, I suspect the U.S. should worry less about emissions and more about making production easier and less costly.
Work on reducing the world”s dependency on coal and oil is absolutely necessary if we are to succeed over time and become sustainable, but the emphasis should be on reducing dependency on finite resources and in finding ways to face two of the country”s basic problems?reducing the waste we produce and finding renewable sources for non-coal/oil petrochemicals.
We have the basic technology to do both at the same time.
Guthrie “Guff ” Worth
Lakeport
