Climate Change / Global Warming Discussion

[mspohr]

A perspective from the NY Times:
Opinion | Stopping Climate Change Is Hopeless. Let’s Do It.

Stopping Climate Change Is Hopeless. Let’s Do It.
"There should be no shortage of motivation. Solving climate change presents humanity with the opportunity to save civilization from collapse and create aspects of what the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. called “the beloved community.” The work would endow our lives with some of the oldest and most numinous aspirations of humankind: leading a good life; treating our neighbors well; imbuing our short existence with timeless ideas like grace, dignity, respect, tolerance and love. The climate struggle embodies the essence of what it means to be human, which is that we strive for the divine.

Perhaps the rewards of solving climate change are so compelling, so nurturing and so natural a piece of the human soul that we can’t help but do it."

I, too, sometimes feel it is hopeless but nevertheless, I persist.

 

[DriverOne]

IPCC report. Green peace guy says the numbers say, “Act now, idiots”. Final call to halt 'climate catastrophe'

 

[ggies07]

Another article that gives this:


IPCC: Radical Energy Transformation Needed to Avoid 1.5 Degrees Global Warming

[The report] doesn't do enough to warn world leaders about the grim consequences of reaching potential climate tipping points that could trigger conflicts over resources and mass migration.

"I was a reviewer on an earlier draft and was concerned that it left out some of the most important risks governments need to be aware of," said Bob Ward, policy and communications director for the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment.

"There was no mention of the potential for conflicts and mass displacement of people, which is of huge concern to governments. There wasn't much mention of tipping points. The IPCC has a reputation of not describing high-impact, low-probability events. There is evidence we may have already passed some key climate thresholds, including a meltdown of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, which would raise sea level several meters in the next few centuries," he said.

There's also a growing risk that warming will disrupt key ocean circulations, including currents that keep Europe mild despite its relatively high latitude, Ward said. That could have dramatic consequences, including a Scandinavian-like climate for temperate parts of Western Europe.

 

[mspohr]

US economists win Nobel prize for work on climate and growth
US economists win Nobel prize for work on climate and growth

They advocate a carbon tax.
“Once we start to try to reduce carbon emissions, we’ll be surprised that it wasn’t as hard as we anticipated. The danger with very alarming forecasts is that it will make people feel apathetic and hopeless.

“One problem today is that people think protecting the environment will be so costly and so hard that they want to ignore the problem and pretend it doesn’t exist. Humans are capable of amazing accomplishments if we set our minds to it.”

The committee that awarded the prize said he was the first person to design “simple but dynamic and quantitative models of the global economic-climate system, now called integrated assessment models (IAMs).

 

[mspohr]

Little-noticed treaty could help delay climate catastrophe
Little-noticed treaty could help delay climate catastrophe

Interesting. A little known treaty could have a big impact.
It covers HFC, methane and other gasses.

 

[DragonWatch]

Cat 5 The Trump administration has entered Stage 5 climate denial | Dana Nuccitelli

As a senior army captain around 1990, I was teaching leadership at Cal State Long Beach, California as an assistant professor of Army military science, specifically leadership and tactics. I was also the assistant scout master where my son was working on his Eagle rank. My ego did not dictate that I be in charge. One evening, the council chairperson, a woman ~ her husband was a local police detective and never showed his face; anyway, the chairperson in our casual conversation informed me in her opinion, "that Hitler was the greatest leader that ever lived." FYI ~ I was in uniform as I had come straight from work. She did not elaborate, and I did not comment. It took awhile for my head to stop spinning while my eyes ~ well one was going clockwise while the other went counter clockwise, to settle down. Sadly, I have never been able to wash my brain of that moment in time:-( Probably not even with waterboarding.

I try to present these events in my life in a humorous perspective, because they are "no BS" stories and I cannot believe that someone felt compelled to tell me these things or acted in certain ways. That is a part of why I use the call sign "MajorBS49"

Ego or not we make decisions like computers "yes" or "no"; or if you like "on" or "off."

I assume we are doomed, but I will fight for my earth, and the few good people left ~ and all living creatures.

I have been called many things throughout my life ~ not sure what was the worst.

The point I found in the statement above was "hate." It took me a long time to boil it down. Anyone can lead by hate, anyone. Leading with love is almost impossible. I know. As an enlisted chaplains assistant, I delivered a sermon on love, I think in June of 1970.

 

[mspohr]

Looks like the new IPPC report underestimates the potential impact of tipping point feedbacks
'Tipping points' could exacerbate climate crisis, scientists fear
'Tipping points' could exacerbate climate crisis, scientists fear

The full report of the IPCC reflects our lack of knowledge of the full potential of tipping points, he said: “The underlying report suggests that the other tipping points are too poorly understood, or not likely to be triggered until higher amounts of warming – but given their consequences, one would expect a more risk-based approach. That is, you don’t ignore them until you know them to be impossible.”

 

[mspohr]

Australia is in deep denial.
Australian government backs coal in defiance of IPCC climate warning
Australian government backs coal in defiance of IPCC climate warning

The deputy prime minister, Michael McCormack, said Australia should “absolutely” continue to use and exploit its coal reserves, despite the IPCC’s dire warnings the world has just 12 years to avoid climate change catastrophe.

He said the government would not change policy “just because somebody might suggest that some sort of report is the way we need to follow and everything that we should do”.

 

[Icer]

I am still skeptical.
Of everything.


What won me over, long ago
was the thought:

If true it is Not an Option
So
I act as-if
Just in case
*
This thinking achieves peace on the matter
p2p 100%

Note under-rated Americans adjusted
have already changed, plan to change
and be smart in real ways
That is why US nsuccess in CO2 reduction
blows off the world
like Our Tesla from the stoplight
Bye

We dont need no steenkin badges
.

 

[mspohr]

Shell boss says mass reforestation needed to limit temperature rises to 1.5C
Shell boss says mass reforestation needed to limit temperature rises to 1.5C

Shell Oil boss thinks we can keep burning fossil fuel if we plant more trees.

 

[Unpilot]

I get sick I go to expert in that field. I respect their opinion and if need be I seek a second..third?
My trip to New York required a expert to fly the plane and to work in all aspect's of it's travel (FAA controllers, Mechanics,dispatchers)

If I find I need legal advice I seek an expert in that field. Car break's down..same. Need help with health...consult someone who is expert in that field.

Why would I not consult the expert's in the climate area when they tell me there is a problem?

To act like one knows better that the expert's...one has to learn and study so you do in fact know what your talking about.
The current batch of clowns with their "well I'm not a scientist" nonsense HAVE to be voted out.

 

[Merrill]

All these idiots are just dancing around the real issues because they make money by screwing up the environment. By the time something catastrophic happens then some deniers might wake up, but then it will be to late.

 

[dhrivnak]

But unless we all personally make a change I do not see how we convince others to change. We just published a book "Driving to Net 0 - Stories of Hope for a Carbon Free Future". https://www.amazon.com/Driving-Net-Stories-Carbon-Future/dp/0692143831 The book follows 15 housholds across the USA and Canada who have cut their carbon usage 75% or more, with several being carbon negative. We are showing there are good alternatives to fossil fuels now. The more we adopt a low carbon lifestyle ourselves the more we create a demand, and the more progress we can make. I know I am mostly talking to the choir here, but if you are not already low carbon I hope you give the book a try.

 

[DragonWatch]

I have adopted the slogan “small footprint,” not just because I am small (short stature), but of my impacts over the years. Back in the early sixties the Knights of Dunamus (Eagle Scouts service organization) was an unincorporated element of the Boy Scouts of America. By roughly 1971, the KD became the National Eagle Scout of America or NESA thanks specifically to my father and another key figure. Again back in the mid-sixties soccer was a game played by England, or anyone but americans. Thanks to four boys in Los Angels area (Hawthorne), the Southbay Wolverines were formed with the help of an Englishman with championship (world cup) soccer standings offered to coach the team to winning by 10 points a game, against I think it was twelve other LA area teams, mostly religious and private schools. The Hawthorne High school principal refused to support and sponsor us.

Later in life, I returned both my Eagle medal and that of my deceased son in protest against the Scouting anti-gay stance. Since then, they have changed the policy to include gay boys, and later gay men. Recently they opened the program to girls also. I am grateful the leadership woke up and became more inclusive.

I could go on, but this is not about my small footprint, it is merely an example of how just being ourselves we can make an impact. Trust me there are way too many times I have gotten depressed, nothing serious, just suffer from hoof-n-mouth issues The other point is that in each case above where minds were closed to inclusiveness you will notice the “broomstick cowboy” attitude won! My wife accused me way back when of being a broomstick cowboy and it stuck in the cobwebs of my mind ~ sorry. My greatest the “good guy” won victory was finding and marrying my wife ~ a diamond in the rough

I am on a less trodden path, not one of gold, cobblestones, or pavement; just dirt. I do wear good walking shoes though Used to wear really good running shoes, but those days are long gone At each “Y” in the road I make a decision, “on” or “off,” and continue on my way like a good little computer. Life has always been like the salmon fighting up stream, or flying under the radar for me. If you follow your core (soul), you may find that your way, while not the highway more frequently traveled, was the best way through life.

I doubt that I will ever know if Mother Earth or animals, fish, birds and insects survived beyond my last day; no I can only hope my GrandPups get to live out their life knowing/experiencing something close to what I have had the luxury to smell, touch or feel from life. My experience in the KD was to give back to scouting what I had gained. That is my philosophy of life. . . To give back what I have learned, gained and enjoyed from my life. As much as my wife and I enjoy/love our Model X, Xena, we cannot take her with us; but her zero emissions may help us all breath a bit easier, thanks to Elon and the fantastic employees at Tesla.

 

[mspohr]

Huge reduction in meat-eating ‘essential’ to avoid climate breakdown
Huge reduction in meat-eating ‘essential’ to avoid climate breakdown

 

[DragonWatch]

Ever wonder what the end of the world as humans know it would look like? Here's a glimpse, though it has been around us for as long as the day is long. ‘Hyperalarming’ study shows massive insect loss

If you know how to convince my neighbor that firing fireworks each fourth off over our lake/puddle is harmful then we might all have a chance. The lake is spring fed, not stream or river. Each summer a foot or two evaporate in the natural cycle of things. Each late fall the lake fills again from the rains here in the northwest. But what if the rains are fewer and farther apart? New homes built out around the inner circle. What happens looking down the road?

Both of us are military types. I enlisted while others claimed bone spurs and gained the political stage. My neighbor a glimpse into the air academy currently on active duty. During one of his last assignments he wrote and told me of Italy where he was stationed and need for bottled water since the sources were polluted. Yet, his patriotic voice is louder than mine; as I clean out fireworks debri floating above and below the water on the fifth. How long before our water is too contaminated to drink or swim in? Will they still stock the lake with six thousand trout for opening day? At what point will the Eagles and Osprey stop entertaining us opening day and the month or two that follow with their aerobatic competitive displays.

Do you know the secret of how to help my neighbor face reality and help me with communication? Agreeing to disagree only kicks the can down the road and most certainly is not a win ~ win solution. I feel like I am back in high school listening to the kids joke about, "why is their air."

 

[WannabeOwner]

he wrote and told me of Italy

Well that's something ... my wife says that we never get any dinner invitations because I'm always haranguing my hosts for using a Range Rover to do the School Run ...

But I have a new tack. Here in UK we can buy electricity from any supplier - someone else owns the Grid that the electricity travels over. Plenty of green suppliers ... so now I am arm twisting my friends with "Change to Green electricity supplier", doesn't need to be any more expensive, but the additional demand will cause more supply to be created, and put pressure on the non-Green suppliers. Pretty hard for them to think of any reason NOT to do that

Change one Beef meal a week (or a month ... start somewhere) to Chicken. Either now, or once comfortable with that, try a vegetarian meal once in a while. IME that leads to a reduction in meat, and an increase no vegetables / salad on the plate.

 

[AZ Desert Driver]

Well that's something ... my wife says that we never get any dinner invitations because I'm always haranguing my hosts for using a Range Rover to do the School Run ...

But I have a new tack. Here in UK we can buy electricity from any supplier - someone else owns the Grid that the electricity travels over. Plenty of green suppliers ... so now I am arm twisting my friends with "Change to Green electricity supplier", doesn't need to be any more expensive, but the additional demand will cause more supply to be created, and put pressure on the non-Green suppliers. Pretty hard for them to think of any reason NOT to do that

Change one Beef meal a week (or a month ... start somewhere) to Chicken. Either now, or once comfortable with that, try a vegetarian meal once in a while. IME that leads to a reduction in meat, and an increase no vegetables / salad on the plate.

What? The power company that makes the power does NOT own the distribution system? The grid guys can buy from whatever supplier they wish? including small producers like ranches/farms and even private homes? Blasphemy!!! oh- the grid guys dont even buy the power, you do?

I'm so used to having my power company tell me they must keep their coal plants running, tell me I must not produce more solar power than my prior years purchase...and I have accepted that what they say is the final word.

I'm not sure how to take advantage of this new ahh-haa, but new it is!! Thanks

 

[WannabeOwner]

I'm not sure how to take advantage of this new ahh-haa

I'm not sure that telling your local power guys that you net a nice chap from the UK on the internet and you want to buy all your power from his roof PV is going to work!!

The power company that makes the power does NOT own the distribution system?

Used to be like that - "Monopoly" ... but then we had some deregulation stuff. Now there is a Grid (I suppose I pay some sort of flat-fee for that) and I can buy my power from any supplier. Although not exactly a Mom & Pop Rancher, but I can buy from the cheapest ... or the greenest Downside in a cheapest-wins race is that the race is to the bottom, in terms of service. Although I'm not sure that Monopoly was incentivised for good service either.

We have a political party over here called "The Monster Raving Loony Party" - they have some great policies, like "Why is there only one Monopolies and Mergers Commission"

 

[mspohr]

The US Department of Defense Is One of the World's Biggest Polluters

In more ways than one.