Exxon CEO acknowledges global warming link

Rex Tillerson, the CEO of ExxonMobil, acknowledged that burning fossil fuels is warming the planet, but says we’ll be able to adapt. While I agree with that statement, I’m sorry, but I don’t want to have to adapt to a changing and warming planet, I like Earth the way it is now! We currently have the technologies needed to enormously decrease CO2 emissions and decrease global warming. We do not need to depend on adapting to a changing environment, we can instead prevent it from changing in the first place!

I do agree with much or most of what Tillerson goes on to say, about how the public is illiterate in science and math, and the press is lazy. I just disagree about the idea that depending on adaptation to a warming planet is an acceptable path to follow. I live in Colorado, where we are ‘adapting’ to what climate scientists have been predicting – erratic precipitation amounts, warmer temperatures, which right now means I’m living in the path of the most destructive wildfire in Colorado’s history. Yes, we can adapt, but I’d prefer a Colorado with a more stable climate, please!

Australasia’s cookin’

According to a new report, the last 60 years have been the hottest in Australaia…for the past thousand years! Known natural causes can’t explain it entirely. In Australia, since the 1950s, each decade has been warmer than the one before it. Just another data point that supports the theory of human-caused climate change.

Coal use climbing

Bad news for our atmosphere…at a time when we should be reducing carbon emissions, consumption of the most CO2-laden fossil fuel, coal, is increasing, up by 5.4% over last year. Renewable energy solutions continue to make progress, but it’s a drop in bucket and doesn’t even offset these increases in fossil fuel usage.

While I continue to believe that we have developed the technology to afford-ably implement the type of massive change that’s needed to maintain atmospheric balance, it’s quite clear that we lack the social and political willpower to do so. What a shame.

Read more about coal usage over at Treehugger if you’re interested.

June 15, 2012

Life, liberty, and the pursuit of idiocy

Sometimes the level of stupidity in this country really surprises me. First there was Virginia, which viewed the term ‘sea level rise’ as a ‘left-wing term’ and instead mandated that the scientifically-observed rise in sea levels instead be referred to as ‘recurrent flooding’. Morons. Sea level rise is only a ‘left-wing term’ in as much as the ‘right wing’ types deny science in favor of short term gain and profit. Science is not political, it is factual, and those who deny science bring shame to this great country of ours.

The problem is not confined to Virginia though…neighboring state of North Carolina is trying to out-stupidify Virginia, with a recently passed bill that states that the state must ignore the science that is attempting to predict future sea levels based on our changing climate, and instead use only historical data to predict future sea levels. Because, you know, the Earth is in a constant state of equilibrium with absolute no changes to its atmospheric composition, you know. This means that rather than plan for a potential thirty nine inch rise in sea levels that scientists are predicting as a strong possibility by 2100, North Carolina will instead plan on a mere eight inch rise in sea levels. Coastal developers worry that planning for a thirty nine inch sea level rise will harm the coastal economy, so rather than plan for what scientists think will happen, they’re instead focusing on how they can maximize profit in the short term, and leave future generations to deal with this.

Morons.

As Steven Colbert put it, “If science gives you a result you don’t like, pass a law saying the result is illegal. Problem solved.”

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June 14, 2012

Extreme winters likely to be the new norm

If you’ve thought the past few winters in the Northern Hemisphere were a bit unusual and inconsistent, well, get used to it, for it’s probably only going to get worse as our global climate continues to change. Scientists expect more ‘unusual’ winters, and less ‘average’ winters. What scares me is that we’re already seeing this effect, when we’re so far away from the global temperatures predicted for the coming decades.

Greenhouse gas emissions hit new record high

Despite overwhelming scientific evidence pointing to the dangers of increased greenhouse gas emissions, our species still managed to hit a record for 2011 with a 3.6% increase at a time when science says we need to be decreasing that instead. Our record gas emissions have us on track for a 3.5C or higher global temperature rise. Check out the full report over at Treehugger.

We’re moving the wrong direction and let’s face it, we don’t have a political or social system that will effect the real, tangible change required to avoid high levels of global warming. This planet will continue to warm and we can expect global climate patterns to change. Sea levels will rise. Food production will be impacted (at a time when a grown global population places more demand on that system). Our children will ask us why we did this to the planet, and we won’t have a good answer…but we cannot deny that we knew what we were doing.

If this is important to you, prove it. Drive less. Vote for politicians who do not deny the science behind global warming (there are both Republicans and Democrats who believe in science here). Buy less ‘stuff’. Support truly eco-friendly businesses (not ones that are just good at greenwashing). Better yet, teach your children about the impact our choices have on this planet, and what it means for their own future.

May 24, 2012

Warmest March Ever

According to climate data from NOAA, our country just experienced its warmest March ever. The average temperature was 8.6F above the average for the last century. Precipitation was slightly above average nationwide, though concentrated in the northwest and the southern plains, with much of the rest of the country experiencing drier than average conditions and helping to contribute to ~37% of this country being in drought conditions. Alaska, not included in these results, experienced its 10th coolest winter on record (~5F below average).

What does this mean? Global warming is real, people. I don’t have complete confidence in any of the models that attempt to predict how weather patterns will change, I feel it’s still too complex a system for us to analyze, but there’s no escaping the FACT that our global climate IS changing due to global warming. In spite of that, we continue to not make serious efforts to reduce our CO2 emissions. There are those who continue to deny the link between CO2 and global warming, and I don’t see that ever changing, unfortunately. We’ll continue to march down this path and ruin this beautiful planet for future generations. They’ll adapt and survive, but will live in a much different world than what we enjoy.

What can we as individuals do? Educate those around you. Speak up. Reduce your own CO2 emissions and lead by example.

(via Treehugger)

April 10, 2012

What to expect from our changing climate

The scientific consensus is clear – humans are responsible for global warming. The political consensus is likewise clear – we’re not going to do what it takes to avoid significant climate change. So, we must face the reality of this world we’re creating. What can we expect? The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has a report summarizing what our children will have to deal with as they grow up. Things such as stronger storms, hotter and longer heat waves, higher temperatures, and more precipitation.

It’s a shame that we can see this happening around us and see where our current path will lead, yet lack the willpower to alter this course. It will be up to the scientists and engineers to help our society adapt to this changing climate.

January 25, 2012

Melting permafrost

The very name ‘permafrost’ implies permanently frozen, but thanks to global warming, that’s changing…the permafrost is melting. Why should you care? Because frozen within is a very, very large amount of greenhouse gasses (methane AND CO2). Scientists estimate that the gasses released from permafrost will eventually be about 15% of that produced by our human activities. So, not exactly mind-blowing, but when you consider that we’re already failing to reduce emissions to the levels necessary to avert catastrophic global warming, this will make it just that much harder for us to do so.

Face it. We, as a species, lack the will power, resolve, and courage to change our habits and avert the global warming that most scientists believe will happen. It’s the sad truth that I’ve become resigned to, unless we can find a source of energy that is so cheap as to make fossil fuels outrageously expensive by comparison. Greed and fear are some of the most basic human motivators; fear of a warming climate is insufficient, so we must appeal to peoples’ greed and provide a clean, renewable, zero emission energy source that is incredibly cheap. Solar and wind are interesting, but both require large capital expense up front so don’t meet the ‘cheap’ criteria (payback needs to be in a matter of months, not years!).

January 18, 2012