[Texgreen] Global environmental collapse update

Sun, 14 Oct 2007 19:20:41 -0500

"... A year ago we thought 2017 was when greenhouse gas concentration =20=

in the atmosphere would reach the danger level of 450 ppm. But last =20
month Australian scientist Tim Flannery disclosed the upcoming IPCC =20
report will show greenhouse gas levels have already reached 455 ppm. =20
He said, =93It establishes that the amount of greenhouse gas in the =20
atmosphere is already above the threshold that could potentially =20
cause dangerous climate change. We thought we=92d be at that threshold =20=

within about a decade, that we had that much time. I mean, that=92s =20
beyond the limits of projection, beyond the worst-case scenario as we =20=

thought of it in 2001.=94 We know exactly what is damaging our planet. =20=

Everyone on the planet using coal and oil and gasoline is doing =20
it...=93Our choice now is between a damaged world and a severely =20
damaged world.=94

                     =20
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<http://www.kauaiworld.com/articles/2007/10/14/news/news09.txt>

KAUAI News

Global warming an urgent problem=09

by Jodi Rave - Lee Enterprises

Seven years ago scientists thought global warming might cause the =20
North Pole arctic ice sheet to completely melt by the end of this =20
century. But this September the Arctic summer sea ice shrank to more =20
than 20 percent below the previous record low.

=93The reason so much (of the Arctic ice) went suddenly is that it is =20=

hitting a tipping point that we have been warning about for the past =20
few years,=94 said James Hansen, director of NASA=92s Goddard Institute =20=

for Space Studies.

In the last six months estimates of when the North Pole ice cap will =20
completely melt have been revised to 2023.

At least one climate scientist, Wieslaw Maslowski of the Naval =20
Postgraduate School, projects a blue, ice-free Arctic Ocean in =20
summers by 2013, an event that has never occurred before, as long as =20
human beings have inhabited our planet.

In the last year estimates of when climate change will cause =20
widespread famine have been revised to 2020.

The September report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate =20
Change includes estimates that food production in Africa is now =20
expected to be cut in half by 2020 and that some crops, like wheat, =20
will eventually disappear there completely.

Africa has trouble producing enough food to feed its 680 million =20
people today.

It is hard to imagine how it can feed an estimated 990 million =20
Africans in 2020 when that continent=92s food production is halved.

In the last year estimates of when sea levels will rise 3 feet have =20
moved from 2200 to 2100 (some say much earlier) making 70 million =20
people in the developing world refugees.

Researchers at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in =20
Colorado concluded that if greenhouse gas emissions are not curbed =20
and we continue with =93business as usual,=94 humanity will be =
committing =20
the planet to a sea level rise as drastic as 20 feet.

Bette Otto-Bliesner from NCAR said, =93We could get 3 feet of sea level =20=

rise per century.=94 On Kaua=91i that would submerge coastal areas, =20
eliminate beaches, and make much of our harbor infrastructure unusable.

A year ago we thought 2017 was when greenhouse gas concentration in =20
the atmosphere would reach the danger level of 450 ppm.

But last month Australian scientist Tim Flannery disclosed the =20
upcoming IPCC report will show greenhouse gas levels have already =20
reached 455 ppm.

He said, =93It establishes that the amount of greenhouse gas in the =20
atmosphere is already above the threshold that could potentially =20
cause dangerous climate change. We thought we=92d be at that threshold =20=

within about a decade, that we had that much time. I mean, that=92s =20
beyond the limits of projection, beyond the worst-case scenario as we =20=

thought of it in 2001.=94

We know exactly what is damaging our planet. Everyone on the planet =20
using coal and oil and gasoline is doing it.

We=92ve loaded up our atmosphere with so much carbon dioxide that the =20=

entire planet acts like your car parked in front of Wal-Mart on a =20
sunny day with the windows rolled up.

Just like your car gets hotter inside than outside, the build-up of =20
CO2 in the air makes the entire Earth hotter and hotter.

Climate scientists see the manmade effects of global warming on 10 =20
different aspects of Earth=92s environment: surface temperatures, =20
humidity, water vapor over the oceans, barometric pressure, total =20
precipitation, wildfires, change in species of plants and animals, =20
water run-off, temperatures in the upper atmosphere, and heat content =20=

in the world=92s oceans.

=93There are now no loose ends. The message is pretty compelling,=94 =
said =20
Ben Santer, a scientist with the U.S. Department of Energy=92s Lawrence =20=

Livermore National Lab.

The greenhouse gasses from today and last year and the last 20 years =20
are going to be floating around the atmosphere for a long time =20
causing trouble.

=93It is too late to avoid all climate change impact,=94 warned Martin =20=

Parry the co-chair of the IPCC=92s Working Group on Food Security. =93Our =
=20
choice now is between a damaged world and a severely damaged world.=94

We can=92t hide from this problem. It is a global problem which will =20
affect us even here in the middle of the ocean. The sea waters will =20
creep up destroying our beaches much more quickly than nature can =20
rebuild them. Our harbors and coastal infrastructure will become =20
inoperable. Tropical diseases like malaria could become endemic on =20
Kaua=91i.

This series of articles will explore the manmade causes of global =20
warming, the almost inconceivable problems we will face if it isn=92t =20=

controlled, and focus on what we all need to do right now so our =20
children and grandchildren will have a chance to live a life as rich =20
as our own.

We will focus on what our leaders in local government right here on =20
Kaua=91i must do, what our utility must do, and what we as individuals =20=

must do.

We don=92t know if they will act on Maui and O=91ahu, if they will act =
in =20
California and Kansas.

We certainly don=92t know if they will act in Canada and China and =20
India and Italy. We must hope so, because our survival here on Kaua=91i =20=

depends on their actions.

And their survival depends on our actions.

But if we chose not to act others may use our inaction as an excuse =20
not to act, and I do not want anyone to be able to point at us as an =20
excuse for their inaction.

In upcoming articles we will explore:

=95 The science explaining the causes of climate change.

=95 Where we are headed right now; is it already too late for our =20
grandchildren?

=95 What are the global solutions we need?

=95 What county infrastructure needs to change? What does our county =20
government need to do right now?

=95 What does our electric utility need to do right now?

=95 What does each of us need to do in our own lives?

=95 What leadership is needed at the state and federal level to address =20=

this problem?

This series of articles will show you what you need to learn to =20
protect your children and grandchildren.

Act today, to help tomorrow

You can start doing something significant to help right now.

=95 Replace any light bulbs you use more than one hour a day with =20
compact fluorescent bulbs. You will save a little on your electric =20
bill; you will help save the planet. And every time you replace any =20
bulbs that burn out, replace them with CFL bulbs.

=95 Install solar hot water heating right now. By replacing your =20
electric water heater with solar you will save about a third on your =20
electric bill and you will eliminate a huge part of your personal =20
contribution to global warming. The co-op will give you a rebate or a =20=

zero-interest loan to install the system.

=95 Car pool to work. Driving back and forth to work accounts for a =20
large part of your role in global warming. You must know someone in =20
your neighborhood who works

near you. Share the ride;

spend less on gas; and have someone to talk to when

you=92re stuck in traffic.

=95 Jodi Rave, columnist, covers Native issues for Lee Enterprises. She =20=

can be reached at (800) 366-7186 or jodi.rave@lee.net.
line
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