*Laughing.* Over on the GreenPeace forum, I had Ms. MaryPoppins-mod, a clappy-handies, oh-isn’t-it-wonderful-see-what-we’re-doing-to-make-the-world-green neophyte, read me a new waste portal via the reputation comments (unanswerable, by the way, so there’s no chance for dialogue) and all because I dared point out some truths, and to counter with facts from my own lifestyle a snot-sayer I’ll call NeverRight who consistently has cursed me, called me everything but cunt, and who has never been reined in for castigating me. Funny. She called me “counter-productive,” amongst other more pointedly venomous things, blaming the tone of the forum on “youth.” Um…no. Not youth. Some youth, but also some adult, some middle-aged, and some aged seem to be the demographics. This is all very interesting on a forum which is supposed to be “green,” run by one of the biggest, most “in the news” green organizations on the planet. This GreenPeace International forum called Louder Than Words, however, is anything BUT green. You can’t be green if only half of your active participants are colored that way and the other half are pro-whaling, pro-sealing, pro-development, anti-preservation, and doubt climate change.
So why am I laughing?
Because here we have people all arguing over whether the house is actually burning, and, even if it is, is this a bad thing while the house turns to ashes and its inhabitants die…all on a GREENPEACE forum!
Clap on, MaryPoppins and the rest of you, clap on. Hope you like turning into burnt marshmallows with the rest of the biosphere. Meanwhile, watch those damaged nerves. The pain you feel just might open up your minds.
ADD/EDIT: Got this from a friend over there a bit ago after I posted this: “The moderators really only want `fluffy bunny don`t rock the boat types`.”
Well, that’s NOT me. And, as far as I’ve seen, it ISN’T GreenPeace, either. Guess the mods must be employed by Chevron.
Contrary to popular belief, the willingness to toss around four letter vulgarities does not eschew sophistication.
Beyond that, although I believe the Algore crowd to be misguided, they are mostly harmless.
Misguided, because human contribution to Global Warming is much like farting in a hurricane. Did you contribute to the wind? Well, yes! Does that mean you can bring the hurricane to a stop and maybe even cause it to blow in the other direction? How about “No way!!”?
Mostly harmless because eventually mankind will need to manage and harness all manner of energy resources in order to proceed to the next evolutionary level … that being a space fareing race.
“Tootles!”
nB
Did you know that your site does not allow editing a comment after “Submit” ….. “eschew” should be “bestow”.
Now that your first comment has been approved, you should have an easier time of it. I’m not sure about editing comments. If you can’t at the present settings, I can change you to another level which will allow it. You need only ask.
It is unerringly a truism that one cannot persuade any majority and even minority opinion when such opinion is substantively assimilated by the individual or group. PLAIN SPEAK: You cannot change another’s perspective or mind. They must choose to change it themselves by making a concerted effort to be open to possibilities beyond those which they presently adhere.
I will submit to you this: Since 1990, in Idaho, where I have and can observe and document, where we had our last frost on average June 17th, and our first frost August 17th, we have now no frost until sometimes November, and no frost sometimes after March. We will have instant incursions of blizzard-like plunges in between above freezing constant temperatures. We will have winter to to hot, summer-like conditions instantly — overnight — with no intervening transiions, and vice versa. The weather has been moving in this direction since the mid-eighties, consistently warning. Avista, the power company holding sway here, demonstrates each year the rise in average temperatures month compared to month the previous year. The change in temperature is consistently now five to seven degrees upward, winter and summer.
This is not a micro-climate phenomena. This is region-wide.
Beyond observation, however, to think that man in his activities and over-whelming proliferation via population increase and domineering technological pervasion has not impacted the planet and its biosphere goes contrary to common sense.
A lady name Kat over on the GP forum shared these…which are inarguable, in my opinion. The implications inherent in the observable quanta seem to bear out my position, rather than the naysayers of global warming:
(Blue represents the lowest concentrations of ozone)
Hi Dawn, Enjoying your site and generally have great admiration for your pov on many topics. I have to agree with Norm on the GW issue however.
The earth’s average temp is always going up and down. It has been slightly higher during periods in the middle ages and also during the ‘holocene maximum’ several thousand years ago…with no SUVs anywhere in sight.
The average global temp actually dropped slightly from 1945 to 1970 thereabouts.
I dont dispute that the rise in CO2 concentrations is caused by human industry, but that rise is only .008 percent of the total atmosphere over the last century.
But supposing idustrial CO2 IS causing a signifcant temp shift…will anything be done about it. No, of course not. Changes might be implemented in the west, but asian nations will continued to burn fossil fuels right the last drop.
Hi. That’s true. And I remember all that, too. However, the extremes I’ve been seeing and the steady changes I’ve been recording show that something significantly dramatic is happening. And we’ve not had rises in temperature this extreme and fast in the latest geological era. Likewise, the rate of extinctions is demonstrative. What say you?
Dawn, It may well be that the average temp changes are happening faster than at any time in history, and that would definitely support the anthropogenic theory.
The biosphere and its relationship with the sun, with all its wobbly variations in angle and orbit is so vast and complex that its impossible to shrink down to a lab-sized experiment that we can tweak and draw conclusions about.
There are basically three questions:
1. Is the average global temp increasing significantly?
2. Is the recent spike in CO2 levels from .03% to .038% caused by human industry?
3. Is average global temp significantly influenced by CO2 levels.
My only doubts are on the third question, and even if Im right Im still delighted that most people are convinced by the prevailing theory. Because it means we’ll get to the electron economy faster, yielding far less noise and air pollution.
There is some really astounding progress being made in battery tech, meaning that people will eventually be able to recharge their cars at night, when the electricity is cheap enough to put them into the one cent/mile range…as opposed to twelve cent/mile fossil fuel!
I like those batteries that never need to be charged, but run on a bacterial and an algae. Now there is some cool tech. Of course, they only have flashlights, now, but, hey, today flashlights, tomorrow your home, and, next year, your transport, right? Of course, that’s if we survive with our tech in tact. I’m not sure we are going to. I certainly hope so. I do doubt it, though. We’ll see, won’t we?
So Dawn, why dont you start a new vBulletin forum for environmentalists?
You could call it ‘Take Action’…and have it limited to discussion about what the members are actually doing both in their personal lives and at the political level to create a sustainable society.
Theres so much Blah Blah Blah already on the net. This would be different with a practical angle.
There are some great books you can use as source texts for ideas.
‘Natural Capitalism’ by Amory Lovins and Paul Hawken is a great example.
I should point out as well that there seems to be WAY too much emphasis on endangered species currently discussed on most environmentalist sites…???
Seriously, the attitude is one of regarding nature as a benevolent mother goddess – Gaia, who wants nothing but good things for her children.
The truth is that Gaia is also the most destructive element in the survival of species.
A good 99.9 of all species that have ever existed were wiped out by mother nature…and arent we glad!
Now, Wheldon, like I need MORE work. Not. Nope. I already got reeled into doing ClimageCAN. And you know what? There are a handful of active people, and everyone else does toodle-ooze. I also do OLA, and nobody but me is doing anything — more toodle-ooze. Most people are all talky-chatty, no walky-do.
No, there is not too much emphasis on endangered species. And no one suggested that Nature is benevolent. Don’t try lumping me in with those woozy, gauzy in the brain “earth” urchins.
And MAN is the most destructive force in our era. Period. S/he wants to control his/her environment…along with controlling all the others of his kind. …Oh, hell. Let’s not get into it. I haven’t even had my coffee yet.
“I already got reeled into doing ClimateCAN. And you know what? There are a handful of active people, and everyone else does toodle-ooze.”
See, youre perfect for the job…I knew there was something about you I liked!
What we need is a voting block of people who start with themselves. I can play Moses, coming down from the mountain with the sacred list of revelations.
Behold!
1. Thou shall not use an internal combustion vehicle for trips shorter than ten miles.
2. Thou shall not have any more than two children per lifetime.
3. Thou shall not eat meat over and above 5% of your total calories.
4. Thou shall not purchase and use incandescent light bulbs.
5. Thou shall not purchase and wear synthetic clothing…aside from certain lacy undergarments!
And so on…
Trouble is, most people can only get excited about doing something…when whats really needed is ABSTINENCE!
A group of Australian university students a few years ago put up a huge billboard in the desert, with an image of a sexy women pouting – with the slogan:
“Nothing…What you’ve been looking for!”
There was also a phone number.
Sure enough, people started calling in to find out where they could find some of this ‘nothing’!
So you see, you can make anything sexy with the right marketing…even nothing!