tpfkaf / Re: Arctic ice melting faster than feared...
in response to
by
posted on
Feb 05, 2010 06:10PM
It always strikes me as ironically interesting when we here these studies that say the results are happening even quicker than their models expected. Inherent in that claim, though seemingly not recognized, is that their model is flawed. And presumably, their model is based on fairly easily quantifiable HUMAN impacts. A reasonable person might then ask, perhaps HUMAN impacts are not the key factor, or even A factor or statistical merit, or perhaps you're just wrong in your conclusions.
I don't agree with that as I think we do have an impact. However, implicit in these studies is that we SHOULD be affecting the environment in a way to change the climate. To change it for the "better" of mankind or for the worse, seems quite arrogant. The climate will inevitably change whether we help it forward or hold it back, if we could even do such a thing. Our focus should be more on how do we continue to adapt.
In the State of the Union address Obama, IMO, finally articulated the right message....sort of. While not missing the opportunity to belittle those who don't agree with him, he finally managed to frame the possible actions in the right light. Simply saying that being cleaner, and more "green" is the RIGHT thing to do. Most people would agree with that, I"m pretty sure. Rather than the strategy that has been pursued MAKING this a political issue, (which is what has been done so that votes can be crystallized one way or the other to continue the power struggle), and copetiting interanational powers can gain controls, governments need to positively incentivize change, not negatively incentivize. Lord knows they waste trillions being lobbied and funding programs that countermand their stated goals anyway. Why not cut that BS, and provide positive financial incentives that are consistent with enacting change.
Again it's odd to me that in the name of "green" politicians will ban fossil fuel options here in the US (offshore drilling, ANWAR, etc.), yet force us to have tankers travel halfway across the globe to deliver those fuels to us, spewing the very gasses that they warn us against from those tankers in that long journey. That happens largely because of political power and corruption of our government by various groups like big oil companies, environmental organizations, labor unions, etc.