Yesterday I watched the show Extreme Ice on National Geographic and man it was an amazing show. If you think climate change is a myth, check it out and see what is happening to the world’s glaciers… Some of the pictures and video of the ice are truly breathtaking. Worth a watch if you have an hour to spare during this holiday season!
Sigh it’s Friday night and I don’t have strength to rant but don’t be fooled by the Copenhagen love in, the deal’s not that great…
The so-called Copenhagen Accord offers money to developing nations to help them fight global warming, and requires they agree to open their books to international scrutiny.
But it is not binding and it does not set new greenhouse-gas reduction targets, only a hope to limit the temperature rise to 2 degrees Celsius. Instead, countries are to set their own emission reduction commitments, which would not be bound by law.
Source: The Star
I bolded the not binding part, that alone is enough to call the summit a failure at least I think so. Tough decisions and actions are required from everyone on the planet.
On Sunday morning I was fortunate enough to catch a very interesting episode of CBC’s The Fifth Estate. Titled “The Gospel of Green“, it talks about Germany’s green transformation (it gets 15% of its energy from renewables) and shows that a green revolution does not have to come at a cost of economic growth.
Hermann Scheer is a German parliamentarian who has turned ideas into practical solutions. Because of the laws that bear his name, Germany is now a solar-paneled, windmill-building, job-producing green powerhouse of the industrialized world. Fifteen per cent of Germany’s electricity now comes from renewable energy systems. Scheer predicts that, if his country continues on this course, that number could be 100 per cent by 2030.
One thing that Hermann Scheer said in the program went something like this… Fossil fuel energy will only get more expensive while green energy will only get cheaper. Wise words to remember when talking to about renewable energy. The program also touches on other topics like micro generation (something I’ve been talking about for years), electric vehicles and the bureaucracy Ontarians face when trying to go green.
If you have some time make sure you check out the video, it’s pretty awesome and definitely very informative. Sigh why can’t Canada be as progressive as countries in Europe, we are blessed with so much potential but for now it remains unrealized…
The US with President Obama in charge is certainly moving in the right direction when it comes to climate change and the rest of the world better be ready to play ball because we need to change fast.
What is clear, though, is that even the lowest, most conservative estimates are now higher than the IPCC’s highest estimate. “Most of my community is comfortable expecting at least a metre by the end of this century,” says Bindschadler.
Source: NewScientist
Many climate scientists are saying by the year 2100 water levels will rise 1 meter at a minimum and that’s if we stop producing green house gases. That’s obviously not going to happen but we’re going to have to make severe sacrifices and the sooner the better (and easier).
It’s a good read for anyone who wants an idea at what will happen to water levels this century.
The US government has put together a report on how climate change may affect their country and it’s an interesting (though long) read. Man what a difference from when the George Bush was in charge huh, very refreshing.
My friend Daniel is running in the current BC provincial election as a candidate for the Green party and I’d like to wish him luck. He’s a man of honour and is someone I would vote for. Our views may be different at times but I know he has the best interests of Canada and the environment in mind. Good luck buddy, I wish you the best!
If you’re in the riding of North Vancouver, make sure you go out and exercise your civic duty! If you want to vote for my friend that’s even better. ;-)
Yesterday was Maggie’s birthday (no I won’t say how old she is) and we spent the day doing low key things. Had a dim sum lunch with my folks and sisters, did a bit of shopping and came home to watch a movie. Overall it was relaxing and I certainly enjoyed the time we spent together. :)
Earth Hour what a scam
Like last year I grudgingly participated in Earth Hour even though I feel it’s completely useless. So one year later since the last Earth Hour, what changes have you done to lessen your impact on the planet? I bet most people will answer “nothing”. When will people learn, token gestures amount to nothing and in fact is even worse than nothing because now people feel good about “doing something for the environment”.
I hear raising awareness used as a goal, sorry the environment has been the fad thing for the last few years. If you haven’t cut down on your consumption or changed your habits by now, it’s probably too late for you anyway.
If you really care about the planet, the absolute best thing you can do is write to your local politicians. We really need government help in tackling climate change and without its support we’ll get nowhere. In the mean time reevaluate your life and lifestyle, how can you lower your consumption and live greener each day?
Every weekday I take the subway past some pretty hardy plants and I always marvel at how life can prosper anywhere. Situated underground between St. Clair and Summerhill stations, there are about 3 or 4 colony of plants around a handful of underground spot lights. I’ve tried to take pictures but unfortunately none ever turn out properly from inside a train, too bad I can’t walk through the tunnel with my camera to get some pictures of these marvels.
Anyway I’ve always wanted to blog about the amazing plants and well now I guess I did. :) Next time you’re riding the TTC see if you can spot the miracles. ;)
Capitalism truly is evil and the thought that the world economy can grow unabated is flawed. Use a bit of logic for a second, how can the economies of countries continue to grow without limits in a world with a finite amount of resources? Economists and politicians who promise that this can happen are delusional, we cannot put anything in front of the environment it’s what provides us with everything we have and ever will have.
Renewable energies is only a small portion of what must be done, simply put we have to reduce our consumption and change our way of living completely. Status quo is simply unsustainable. NewScientist has a great series of articles on this topic if you have some time please check it out, it’s definitely worth reading. The graph is definitely an eyeopener.
In recent weeks it has become clear just how terrified governments are of anything that threatens growth, as they pour billions of public money into a failing financial system. Amid the confusion, any challenge to the growth dogma needs to be looked at very carefully. This one is built on a long-standing question: how do we square Earth’s finite resources with the fact that as the economy grows, the amount of natural resources needed to sustain that activity must grow too? It has taken all of human history for the economy to reach its current size. On current form it will take just two decades to double.
We like pride ourselves as the top predator on the planet but how important are we truly? Would the Earth or other animals care if humans vanished? Probably not but what would happen if all the plankton or trees just disappeared? The whole biosphere would collapse, that’s a bit sobering don’t you think…
Man the Govenator is awesome too bad Arnold can’t run for President. In the world of American politics some people have to be careful with what they say but he speaks his mind and hey, it’s the truth too!
“If they would have done something this year, I would have thought it was bogus anyway,” he said. “You don’t really have an effect by doing something six months before you leave office … it doesn’t sound to me believable at all. The sincerity is not there.”
Source: Reuters
He’s probably the Republican I would vote for (if I were an American that is) Can someone remind me why Mr. Schwarzenegger is a Republican in the first place? Many of his views are pretty liberal.
