Musings

I read a report this morning published by the Telegraph UK that: “Scientists who questioned mankind's impact on climate change have received death threats and claim to have been shunned by the scientific community. They say the debate on global warming has been "hijacked" by a powerful alliance of politicians, scientists and environmentalists who have stifled all questioning about the true environmental impact of carbon dioxide emissions.”

Well, I think they may be exaggerating the facts a little by suggesting some shadowy organization within the ‘Scientific Community’ is behind it all. Often, scientists with novel views outrage someone, and individual acts of craziness in response should not be construed as an organized effort. However, if you are a scientist and Carbon Dioxide enthusiast, you get the research money.

On the other hand, I am outraged after discovering the extent to which the US Government is suppressing information and altering the specifics of scientific reports to support the political aims of the politicians running the show. The public should let it be known that we will not allow such nonsense in our culture, which is supposed to set a standard for democracies around the world. The facts, half-truths, and outright misinformation should be laid out on the table for everyone to evaluate and debate.

Last night, I again watched Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth” along with the interesting update he provided after the show. As a result, I have changed my opinion of Mr. Gore and his stumping around with his slide show. Setting aside the political slant that he injects into it, there is much truth in what he is saying. Initially, I was very skeptical, as I had independently discovered that about 30% of the Carbon Dioxide emissions increases worldwide are the result of a single volcano, and other natural phenomena, and that water vapor (driven by the solar output and cosmic rays) is by far the major greenhouse gas.

But, I think he is sincere and trying to present the best information available to him, and I’m glad he is out raising public awareness of this issue. If it isn't CO2, it could be the fact that we are creating heat sinks by paving the place over (look at the microclimates of our major cities compared to the adjacent countryside).

However, there is little doubt that humans are the main culprits for the global warming crisis facing us. For example, the burn-off of hydrocarbons at Nigeria’s refineries is responsible for fully 10% of the world’s CO2 emissions. As this is largely under control of the Shell Oil Company, it could be fixed relatively cheaply. I am sure that similar industrial operations around the world, particularly in China and India, could be modified quickly to reduce the impact on the environment.

In studying the graphs of global temperatures over the ages, I was struck by the rhythmic onset of ice ages, and it appears the onset of the next one has, in fact, been stalled by global warming. It may be that the trigger will not activate for the foreseeable future due to our mucking up the atmosphere, so there is some benefit in our present situation.

Nonetheless, I agree with Mr. Gore that we have about ten years to take substantive corrective action before our climate becomes so extreme that little can be done to stop a worldwide catastrophic collapse of natural ecosystems and the major extinction event that seems to have started in the 1970s.

Now, on an unrelated matter, US Tourism is suffering from a 17% drop in visitors from foreign countries due to the hassles of getting into the US with it’s heightened security and rude conduct of entry officials. I view this as a good thing.

Why?

Because, although much of the world’s economy depends on Industrial Tourism, this is one energy consuming (and polluting) activity that can be brought to a screeching halt. In the new era that is upon us, unnecessary travel and consumption should be the first things to be controlled. And, if we are to show that idiot socialist, Hugo Chavez, that Capitalism is the only way to go, we have to voluntarily get rid of formerly excessive consumer behaviors. It won’t be painless, but it must be done. For the USA, this will be particularly difficult as we now have a services-based economy, and depend on outsourcing to other countries for manufactured goods.

With our fantastic and seamless global communications system, much of business travel can be curtailed as well, and if we have any brains at all, we should emulate the frugal Scotsman and identify other areas where we can conserve our resources without wrenching disruptions to the functions and harmony of our societies.

In my view, the real danger we face is applying our resources for remediation to the wrong perceived problems. For example, Methane Hydrates are now starting to be released in large quantities by the melting of the tundra in the Arctic and Siberia. If this stuff fizzles into the air, the CO2 content will basically double in a few short years. In the meantime, before it degrades into CO2, it will have 50 times the effect as a greenhouse gas.

But the main problem is overpopulation. If uncontrolled breeding and consumption are not brought under control soon, all other efforts for mitigating climate change will have been for naught. And, we must quickly develop plans for humanely dealing with the displacement of hundreds of millions of people around the world, as coastal regions are flooded and local food chains collapse.

As Mr. Gore says, “We have the technology and know-how. All we need is the will.”