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Bunny
Thank you very much. I take it you're an environmenalist?
posted by
Limey
on
June 11, 2005
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4:22 AM
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From Bunny
Great blog!
posted by
Bunny
on
June 10, 2005
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9:44 PM
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Dylan
The polar-bear situation is an indication of the state of the planet as a result of global warming: put simply, it's in dire straits.
Here's what's about to happen: first the small creatures will become extinct - like the frog I mentioned that's already gone - next it will be the larger animals such as the polar bears, and finally, man.
Now, of course, the important question is this: if those wonderful white bears have just 20 years left, how much longer has man got?
As you can see, this is no time for shilly-shallying. The US, China, India et al must get involved now.
Why not? All they have to lose is the Earth.
posted by
Limey
on
June 10, 2005
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9:19 AM
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Anthony
If it has happened before then that's surely the best reason not to let it happen again.
But somehow I don't think the Earth's previously been faced with this situation - unless you have evidence to the contrary?
Keep writing, keep well.
posted by
Limey
on
June 10, 2005
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2:46 AM
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That is some scary stuff
What does the new environmental secretary say about all this?
posted by
zoke
on
June 9, 2005
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9:56 PM
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Ohhh, not the polar bears
Just so you know, this American cares very deeply, so deeply that in fact I will adopt a family of polar bears. They can live in my bathtub. Not that it's very big, but they can also share me and my husband's bedroom.
posted by
tigerprincess
on
June 9, 2005
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9:15 PM
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Dylan,
That's a crock. Either standards apply, or they do not. The planet does not care who is developed and who is not. Either there is a way to work on the problems facing it, or there are not. Either those standards are applied, or they make no difference in the long run. Such relativism only invites people to "discover" reasons they shouldn't have to abide by the treaty.
And "far richest" has nothing to do with it, unless of course you're just being anti-capitalist. China is wealthy as the United States. It owns much of the US' national debt. The only difference is that the Chinese government hoards the riches and lets their population starve and die of simple diseases. How do I know? I have friends over there who pass along horror stories, and I read the news.
And the climate change isn't simply a man-made problem. Many environmentalists seem to forget that the planet is a closed system, and it has cycles. To say that we are causing it all is ego and folly and is irresponsible.
posted by
zenresistance
on
June 9, 2005
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6:17 PM
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Limey,
I take a stewardship approach, one which take precaution but also is guided by experience. As far as India and China go, there's a bigger challenge for Greenpeace, the WWF and others. Those two countries' records when it comes to gas emissions, pollution and so on make the US look like, well, the Greenpeace poster country. As I said before, the reason I believe no one's after them are a) they don't really care, being more interested in getting by and doing their own thing and b) they're not the US.
Lots of people who claim to be environmentalists the world over have a great lifestyle downsizing to do if they really want to hit the US in the pocketbook, and frankly, I don't see it coming. Really. All the plastic ponchos and other products I see on videos of Greenpeace and all the other organisations' protests make me think only one thing: They don't pay attention or they don't care. (The process to make all that plastic involves petroleum and its varying chemical derivations, even for clothes.)
It's one thing to yammer on into a megaphone in front of a crowd (of tv cameras) and holler about the impending doom of the planet at the hands of evil corporate America, but it's another thing entirely to actually do something about when no one is looking or listening. I am convinced most "environmentalists" are really "anti-capitalists", but they just don't quite understand it. And the biggest capitalists on the planet at the moment are the Americans. (I don't include China there.) Easy target.
What am I doing about it all? Well for one thing, I got away from a lot of it. I live in the country, and there's a lot of it over here. It's close to 80% of the national geography, in fact. I also drive a very fuel-efficient automobile. I have well water. I am content to drive into town only twice a week. Oh, and I am leaving this place as soon as I am able. I plan on moving to a country where I could walk the whole main island in a day, Malta. I also encourage other people to do more than just yell at "The Man".
And lastly, no. I am not a member of Greenpeace. They are total whack jobs. I know several of them, and I love them but they are nuts.
posted by
zenresistance
on
June 9, 2005
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6:11 PM
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Limey...
Another 20 years? Well in that case... they may be around to see the end of The War on Iraq... surely all "The Evil-doers" will be dead by then. Hey... maybe the polar bears are the evil-doers. Why that GW is a genius! He had it planned this way! Smoke the bastards with global warming!
posted by
Transcendental_Child
on
June 9, 2005
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4:49 PM
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India and China
are countries still in development. They should not presently be held to the same standards as the world's biggest and by far richest polluter, the U.S. It's the duty of the richest nations to take the lead here. Instead we are waiting to follow, and only when we absolutely have to. And having the nerve to bitch that we shouldn't have to cut back until India and China do. They will have to do so eventually, but we pollute the most and we have the greatest means to cut back on pollution. I can't say I'm distressed terribly about the polar bears, but global climate change is a huge, and manmade, problem.
posted by
Dylan24
on
June 9, 2005
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4:35 PM
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Limey
So what? You think this hasn't all happened before? They just couldn't sit down and write about it. You expect to live forever? Sorry, I am not going to lose sleep over the dinosaurs either hoss.
But hell, ya write a good blog
posted by
WileyJohn
on
June 9, 2005
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4:31 PM
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ZEN
You make sense..thank you~~
posted by
Offy
on
June 9, 2005
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2:58 PM
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Wonder
Now that is generous - we're coming!
posted by
Limey
on
June 9, 2005
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2:43 PM
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Hemlocker
There is concensus on the science - it's George Bush who's pretending there isn't in order to further the cause of Big Business.
George's approach was adopted many years ago, and it's been highly successful at holding the world's environmentalists at bay.
But things can't go on as they are - at least the planet can't.
posted by
Limey
on
June 9, 2005
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2:42 PM
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Limey, save Alaska, too...I will make room.
posted by
Ariala
on
June 9, 2005
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2:34 PM
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Wonder
You are, as always, highly practical. So with the weather hotting up expect us quite soon.
posted by
Limey
on
June 9, 2005
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2:32 PM
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zen
Thanks.
I must say I'm disappointed that as an environmentalist* you're not in favour of the precautionary approach.
Take a look at the increasing temperatures: they've been rising dramatically over the entire period you write about. (And, yes, these are average temperatures that take into account areas of cooling).
As the biggest emitter of carbon dioxide by far, America must be brought into the fold to make the protocol effective, together with countries like China and India.
Hit America in her pocket? A good idea. I'm already boycotting Esso (Exxon) petrol, along with millions of others.
However, much more needs to be done - especially to save the rainforests, oceans and air.
PS *Are you a member of Greenpeace?
posted by
Limey
on
June 9, 2005
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2:30 PM
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Limey, I will prepare my basement with snow and ice just for you and
the polar bears...
posted by
Ariala
on
June 9, 2005
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2:15 PM
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Tanoo
The problem is their homes are melting! Yes, really. And it's all to do with global warming.
posted by
Limey
on
June 9, 2005
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2:08 PM
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kingmi
Thanks.
Do you have frogs-crossing road signs. We do! The message is getting across - slowly.
posted by
Limey
on
June 9, 2005
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2:07 PM
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humans wiped out?
Limey-- There are people in my life who I love and wouldn't want to see wiped out. Still, I saw a cartoon I liked the other day. It was a picture of a man standing at a lectern with a dog behind it wearing wings and halo. The dog says, "I'm afraid you misunderstood. Man is the only species that
won't be allowed in heaven." I spent some time yesterday and today, surfing websites of supposedly left and right organizations and people, official and not. What's fairly clear is that each has contempt--or pity--for the other. They deal in obfuscation and slogans. Either they don't want to or can't really explore together the issues and phenomena that affect all of us on this planet--and not just humans. Really trying to deal with these threats to the survival of our planet is too hard, takes too much sacrifice, is bad for business. Besides, there's no concensus on the science, etc., etc. Hemlocker
posted by
Hemlocker
on
June 9, 2005
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1:40 PM
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I'll tkae mine with a grain of salt.
I am an environmentalist. I live out in the middle of the countryside, where there are few neighbors, fewer buildings and even fewer automobiles. That being said, I am also quite wary of the WWF and many other such orgainsations. For one thing, their information is much like the White House's. It's slanted, fixed, dressed up, edited and made to fit a message. I became interested in thge environment back in the early 80s, when I heard that all of the rain forests and America's forests would be almost totally gone by 2000 if nothing was done about logging, farming and suburban development.
Well. Suburban development proceeded apace. Farming hasn't stopped or slowed much down. Logging was increased. There are now more healthy forests, according to the WWF and the USFD, in North America and Canada because of it. It turns out the sky wasn't falling after all.
There's a lot to global warming. There's even global cooling. There are natural cycles identified that no one knew of or could take into account 20 or 30 years ago. The planet's doing its thing, the same way it's always done. Maybe I'm weird for thinking that way, not picking to jump on either side of this desperate seige, but there seems to be a lack of common sense and rationality and more panic and fear-mongering going on that I care for.
I can't imagine that if the US doesn't go along with the Protocol that the best laid plans of every other country and their environmental policies will be for naught. That certainly seems to be an avowal that everyone else is helpless, and I just don't believe that.
I wonder if Europe and everyone else is going to be able to get China on board. That's right. China's exempt. Maybe because they don't really care. And I reckon that makes a very big difference.
The US ignores some environmental realities at its peril. Maybe instead of whining and griping about it, everyone who wants the Protocols implemented might pony up and start doing something about it. If America's weakness is its wallet, hit them in it.
posted by
zenresistance
on
June 9, 2005
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1:40 PM
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I love Polar Bears, I dont want them to be extinct
posted by
Tanoolicious
on
June 9, 2005
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1:38 PM
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Limey, I've gone toady-green over your blog today. Congrats!
posted by
kingmi
on
June 9, 2005
at
1:37 PM
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