Dangerous Stuff

The following comment was  made on Thompson Environmental Network about an educational project in an elementary school:

This sounds like deliberate indoctrination to me. How dare they recruit children for their political purposes in this shameless manner! Let it not be forgotten that there is not a shred of convincing evidence, nor even convincing theory, that the recent and projected growth of CO2 levels in the atmosphere is driving climate in any alarming manner. The idea of CO2 as a major driver of climate is not supported by the geological record over many hundreds of thousands of years (in which CO2 levels follow temperature changes, and do not precede them), nor by recent data which shows the climate displaying 'business as usual'. http://thompsonenvironmental.net/2011/03/climate-change-heroes/

The above commenter obviously has made a hither-to unheard of breakthrough in climatology.  I assume he is one of George Monbiot's astroturfers: a commenter paid to troll the internet and deny that climate change is occurring. I look forward to reading his PhD thesis on the subject as his statement is unsupported by 99 % of climatologists. All the evidence I have found indicates that manmade global warming, or climate change is happening right now - and is a serious problem. Many lines of evidence demonstrate this. From the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration site:

Based on comprehensive data from multiple sources, the report defines 10 measurable planet-wide features used to gauge global temperature changes. The relative movement of each of these indicators proves consistent with a warming world. Seven indicators are rising: air temperature over land, sea-surface temperature, air temperature over oceans, sea level, ocean heat, humidity and tropospheric temperature in the “active-weather” layer of the atmosphere closest to the Earth’s surface. Three indicators are declining: Arctic sea ice, glaciers and spring snow cover in the Northern hemisphere.

Check it our for yourself at
http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2010/20100728_stateoftheclimate.html

Why do climate change deniers live in denial of a very serious problem that requires action immediately? The World Bank pondered the same subject. In May 2009, Kari Marie Norgaard published a working paper for The World Bank entitled Cognitive and Behavioral Challenges in Responding to Climate Change. Find the araticle at:
http://www-wds.worldbank.org/servlet/main?menuPK=64187510&pagePK=64193027&piPK=64187937&theSitePK=523679&entityID=000158349_20090519142931

She found that public awareness and concern regarding climate change is not a function of scientific information alone, but psychological and sociological issues as well. Moreover, people ACTUALLY WORK TO AVOID ACKNOWLEDGING DISTURBING INFORMATION in order to avoid emotions of fear, guilt and helplessness. Mr. Commenter, you seem to be working hard at avoiding confronting the biggest, most serious problem facing us: global warming.

But, Mr Commenter, you need not cope with your terror and discomfort with denial. Hope exists: it IS POSSIBLE to solve this problem as the City of Portland has demonstrated. That city has reduced greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels without any support from the federal government of the USA.

Hope is what the BCSEA and the City of Kamloops are giving children. Hope and the knowledge that actions matter. Dangerous stuff , indeed!

Be Prepared

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/mar/31/china-announces-extreme-weather-measures

China will tomorrow start ramping up preparations for typhoons, dust storms and other extreme weather disasters as part of a 10-year plan to predict and prevent the worst impacts of climate change. Improved warning systems, new emergency drills and bolstered infrastructure will form the backbone of the new regulations, which are the country's most advanced measures yet to deal with natural disaster.   China has a long history of devastating floods and droughts, but officials said the problems were intensifying.  

"It is necessary to respond to the new situation under climate change to avoid and mitigate the losses caused by meteorological disasters," said Gao Fengtao, deputy director of the state council's legislative affairs office, as he unveiled the new policy. In recent years, he said, disasters were characterised by "sudden occurrence, wider variety, greater intensity and higher frequency in the context of global warming".   Officials warned this posed a threat to human life and a huge challenge to China's sustainable development.

China is taking climate change seriously: perhaps James Lovelock is correct when he states democracy is an impediment to reversing climate change. 

No - Mr Lovelock is not: we don't exactly luxuriate in democracy in Canada.  We get to vote in an election and then have absolutley no influence over provincial  and federal decisions. ( The Mike Harris government was even sued to prevent them from implementing their common sense revolution: the plaintiffs got absolutely nowhere.)  Moreover, we live in an electoral system where companies like Koch and Exxon pump millions of dollars into funding misinformation on climate change.  In a sense, Canada hasn't even tried democracy.....witness the Afghan detainee scandal. 

Let's Prove Him Wrong!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2010/mar/29/james-lovelock-climate-change

"I don't think we're yet evolved to the point where we're clever enough to handle a complex a situation as climate change," said Lovelock in his first in-depth interview since the theft of the UEA emails last November. "The inertia of humans is so huge that you can't really do anything meaningful."  One of the main obstructions to meaningful action is "modern democracy", he added. "Even the best democracies agree that when a major war approaches, democracy must be put on hold for the time being. I have a feeling that climate change may be an issue as severe as a war. It may be necessary to put democracy on hold for a while."   He thinks only a catastrophic event would now persuade humanity to take the threat of climate change seriously enough, such as the collapse of a giant glacier in Antarctica, such as the Pine Island glacier, which would immediately push up sea level.

Gulp!  Abrogate democracy in order to deal with climate change?  I rather object to living in a totalitarian state .... but, acccording to Mr Lovelock, I may be left hoping for a catastrophic event.  Hobson's choice....

Transistion Town Totnes

Peak Oil and Climate Change

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8563985.stm

China's demand for oil jumped by an "astonishing" 28% in January compared with the same month a year earlier, the International Energy Agency (IEA) says. The body added that demand for oil in 2010 would be underpinned by rising demand from emerging markets, with half of all growth coming from Asia.

http://www.jeffrubinssmallerworld.com/2010/03/10/looking-for-oil-demand-in-all-the-wrong-places/

It’s Wednesday, and the week’s US oil inventories numbers will soon be out. I have no clue what they will say, nor much interest, either. But others do. Exactly why oil traders and speculators think the data has anything to do with the state of world oil demand is beyond me. .... It certainly wasn’t US fuel demand that took oil prices over $100 in the first place, and it won’t be US fuel demand that will push them back into that range anytime soon. US oil consumption is almost 3 million barrels per day short of its pre-recession peak.

Looks suspicioulsy like peak oil  is almost here.....Peak oil and climate change are intertwined problems: the solution to both is transitioning to a low carbon economy. Subsidising  tar sands porducer is not a lotng term solution: please let our Prime Minsiter know thaat we want Canada to invest in  clean energy and green technology. We want Canada to plan for a low carbon future - because we're going to get one whether we like it or not. 

Easy Like Water - From Al Jazeera (Original Post Jan 19, 2010 )

Floating schools, alternate energy , solar power, access to healthcare, and the empowement of  women: watch this!  Yes, it is long - but worth it. 

Bangladesh is living with climate change right now and adapting with acumen and determination.  The developed world emitted the greenhouse gases that are causing Bangladeshi  land to disappear under the waters.  Therefore, is it not up to us in the developed world to do our part by reducing greenhouse gas emissions?

Torture In Afghanistan

It is rather embarassing for the Harper government that the whistle blower about torture allegations in Afghanistan during  2006 -2007  is employed by Ottawa as a senior intelligence officer at Canada's embassy in Washington.  Being trusted by one's government with access to delicate and sensitive matters bolsters one's credibility, no?  Mr. Colvin's testimony is also corroborated by  Peter Mackay (Canada's  current defence minister.) Mr MacKay  acknowledged that a new prisoner transfer agreement was implemented in 2007  due at least in part  to Mr Colvin's warnings.    ( The new agreement with the Afghans may have also had something to do with reporting by the Globe and Mail in 2007 that the Conservatives were aware of the possiblity of torture in 2006. )  So let's see - the Conservatives are attacking the credibility of a senior intelligence officer whose reports of torture effected a better prisoner transfer agreement between the Canadians and the Afghans? Perhaps the Conservatives efforts would be better put to a consideration of the effects of the war in Afghanistan..  After all, this the effort that is supposedly winning the hearts and minds of Afghans. Mmmmnnnn  .... yes, torturing people at random always converts them to one's cause.. .......  and enhances democracy.    Morevoer,  the Afghans have run three British armies and one Soviet army out of their country - I'm not betting on Canada doing better than those previous invasions.  Perhaps Canada  should leave Afghanistan and spend the money we're pissing away on an unwinnable war on something else.  Like taking decisive  action on climate change.

Global Temperatures Could Rise 6 Degrees

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/nov/17/global-temperature-rise
A commenter on the above article wrote following:

Anyway, it is hardly conceivable how the governments of the world are willing to spend billions on bailing out irresponsible and selfish bankers instead of spending it on a crash building program of covering the world's deserts with renewable energy plants as well as a massive research & development program and energy efficiency programs. Think of all the benefits of running everything on solar electricity: no local air pollution, less noise pollution, no acid rain, no global warming, no ocean acidification, no destruction of rainforests for biofuels, no heavy metal pollution, less cancer, respiratory diseases, etc. ... the list just goes on. You could add clean aquifers, rivers and oceans if we get rid off fertilizers and pesticides.


How have become so brain-washed by the fossil fuel companies that we cannot see the salvation that is so obvious? For the denialists, yes, it would take an absolutely colossal technological and financial effort to install enough renewable energy in the next 20 or so years, but is saving our pleasant way of life and the global environment in one stroke not worth it? Nothing else will do.

It is high time that at least responsibly thinking people start to entertain this option - we need to realize this is a crisis of immense proportion and then act accordingly, with equal urgency as defeating Nazi Germany, for example. Nothing but a complete mobilization of civil society will do. What our current leaders talk about is sadly inadequate and will undoubtedly lead to widespread suffering. So the choice is ours, but the hour is near.

Dr. Bruno Walther
Visiting Assistant Professor for Environmental Science
College of Public Health and Nutrition
Taipei Medical University
Taipei, Taiwan

I'm Angry

The more I think about Stephen Harper saying “Emerging economies already contribute close to half of all global emissions, and that proportion will rise to two-thirds in the future . . .If we don't control those, whatever we do in the developed world will have no impact on climate change," the more annoyed I get.  Harper sounds willing to bet the future of our children and grandchildren on defending our economy at all costs. No, he isn’t even defending the entire economy – he is defending the interests of big oil producers mining the tar sands. (Tar sand extraction is a very big reason why Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions are extremely high. Greenhouse gas emissions from tar sands production are three times those of conventional oil and gas production.)

Climate change will create all kinds of problems – and the only solution to those problems will be cooperation on a global scale. The cooperation will be accompanied  by endless boring, tedious negotiations that are also completely vital.  Our Prime Minister is exhibiting none of the characteristics required to lead us and the rest of the world  through the end of the age of oil. Let him know that we Canadians expect better.  We expect our leaders to encourage creative solutions to climate change: we do not want them to stamp their feet and yell "You go first"  at other countries.

Information for Climate Change Activists

http://cred.columbia.edu/guide/guide/principles.html
From the above website:
The Principles of Climate Change Communication
1. Know Your Audience
• Mental models represent a person’s thought process for how something works. They help shape risk perceptions, actions, and behavior; influence what people pay attention to in complicated situations; and define how people approach and solve problems. Mental models serve as the framework into which people fit new information.
• A confirmation bias makes people look for information that is consistent with what they already think, want, or feel, leading them to avoid, dismiss, or forget information that will require them to change their minds and their behavior.
• People often exhibit a strong preference for their existing mental models about climate change, making them susceptible to confirmation biases that lead them to misinterpret or even refute scientific data.
• Mental models are not static—people can update them by correcting misinformation, inserting new building blocks, and/or making new connections with existing knowledge.
• Discover what misconceptions the audience may have in their mental models about climate change. “Disconnect” the erroneous climate change information from other parts of the model and replace it with new facts.

Noranda/Falconbridge Finds Reducing CO2 Saves Money (originally posted June 20, 2009 )

I went to a workshop on corporate social responsibility last week (and hey , the words corporate and social responsiblity are not mutually exclusive in my mind anymore!) I learned really cool stuff (at least it is really cool stuff to an environmental geek like me.) Noranda/Falconbridge found that reducing greenhouse gas emissions by reducing energy consumption saved them money. How much money? Brace yourself - the discounted present value of future savings was $ 438 million dollars! Their output increased 6% while their energy costs were reduced by the same percentage - and, of interest to you corporate accountant types out there - their break even point went down by $ .19 per pound on nickel and $ .05 per pound on copper. This isn't pocket change to anyone! I came away from the workshop with renewed hope and optimism. It is obviously in everyone's financial interest to save the world by rolling back greenhouse gas emissions. Thank you, Nick Shepard of EduvisionInc http://www.eduvision.ca/ for an amazing workshop. 

If you are contacting Prime Minister Stephen Harper regarding the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, please mention that reducing greenhouse gas emissions can save individuals and corporations money.

Oil and the Earth's Inalienable Rights: A Connection?

Pretty, isn't it? But one's perception alters when one realizes it is an oil slick on drinking water.

Per Amnesty International's  (2009) report on Ecuador:

The human rights situation of Indigenous peoples and environmentalists in Ecuador continues to be a serious concern for Amnesty International. For over four decades, Indigenous communities have witnessed multinational oil companies cut through the Ecuadorian Amazon and their ancestral lands in search of the country's vast petroleum resources. Testimonies by members of these communities, verified by independent health studies and reports (including "Amazon Crude" by Judith Kimerling) have described how oil companies have left dead rivers, road-scarred forests, polluted air, and daily discharges of millions of gallons of toxic waste in their wake that are affecting the daily lives of the communities in the area.

Ecuador's citizens approved a novel constitution in September 2008: it extends inalienable rights to nature.
The Utne Reader (May-June 2009) speculates that "Ecuador was almost certainly predisposed to becoming an early adopter of nature's rights on a constitutional scale" due to the large indigenous population. This view may be correct: indigenous peoples do have a different view of their place in nature than we do. However, I think that witnessing the environmental damage done to the environment and consequently to themselves by oil companies may have motivated Ecuadorians in a large degee as well.  

Ecuadorians understand that the economy is a subset of the environment - and that the equation does not work the other way around.  We all need to respect and cherish Pachamamma - for our own sakes.    While it is unlikely that we will approve a similar constitution in in the near future in Canada,  we can pressure politicians to protect the environment.  We are their employers, are we not?  For starters, please email the Right Honorable Stephen Harper and instruct  him to negotiate a fair, binding, and science based deal on greenhouse gas emissions at Copenhagen.

The Living Planet City

http://community.wwf.ca/livingplanetcity/
Click on the above link for an interactive experience.   You will find lots of information on alternate energy sources, green roofs, amd green beer!  And the site is fun!  And there is always the "Take Action." link you can click on .......
And one of the best actions to take right now is sending the Right Hon. Stephen Harper a message: tell him you want to ensure that Canada is on the right side of history.  Instruct the Prime Minister (he does work for us, the electorate) that you wish him to send our negotiators to the UN Climate Change Conference with a commitment to legally binding, science based greenhouse gas reduction targets.

You Still Have Time

You still have time to send the Prime Minister of Canada a letter before the UN Climate Change conference: please feel free to copy from the one I wrote.  And you don't need a stamp as long as you use the House of Commons address!

Right Hon. Stephen Harper
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6

Dear Prime Minister:

Anthropogenic global warming (AGW) is an indisputable fact and an enormous crisis for humanity. It is also a highly significant issue of global environmental justice: 80 % of greenhouse gas emissions are released by just seventeen countries – one of which is Canada. People are dying of starvation in the Horn of Africa and drowning in Bangladesh due to the changes caused by global warming. Canada has done little or nothing to correct this situation. We have not committed to domestic emission reduction targets nor have we capped growth in the tar sands. Therefore, and quite rightly, we are the subject of international criticism due to our failure to act in any meaningful way.

Gordon Brown, the Prime Minister of Britain, stated that “In every era there are only one or two moments when nations come together and reach agreements that make history, because they change the course of history. Copenhagen must be such a time. There are now fewer than 50 days to set the course of the next 50 years and more. If we do not reach a deal at this time, let us be in no doubt: once the damage from unchecked emissions is done, no retrospective global agreement is some future period can undo that choice. By then it will be irretrievably too late."

Please ensure that Canada is on the right side of history in this matter: send our negotiators to the UN Climate Change Conference with a commitment to legally binding, science based greenhouse gas reduction targets.

Respectfully,

Paul Hawken and Wiser Earth

WiserEarth is a free online community space connecting the people, nonprofits and businesses working toward a just and sustainable world .
http://www.wiserearth.org/  
A site created by Paul Hawken (among others)  to act as a resource for activists.