writeaboutwarming

April 26 – I have some catching up to do, inasmuch as I failed to write an article last week, but the truth is, I couldn’t have picked a better time to skip a week. How did that happy coincidence occur? I discovered that the World People’s Conference on Climate Change (WPCCC) and the Rights of Mother Earth was transpiring this past week. Having stumbled upon it online, it became quickly apparent that this was not just an event – it was a phenomenon. This is a gathering of people who have been pushed as far as they intend to be pushed. They have chosen this moment to inform the world that from this point forward, their ways of doing things must be taken into account. I’ll do my best to acquaint you with the origin and purpose of the WPCCC, with what will most likely be a longer-than-usual piece. I cannot possibly cover all that was said and done, but will attempt to bring to your attention the primary thrust of this four day convention. Think of the WPCCC as the Southern Hemisphe...

April 12 – Lots of people are wondering about the number of severe earthquakes experienced recently. Our perception that there has been an increase in the number of earthquakes of significant magnitude is difficult to verify. The little bit of hard data available, courtesy of the U.S. Geological Survey, does not indicate an increase, though it does depend upon what magnitude you’re researching, and which years. Are the media giving earthquakes more coverage than they used to? That possibility certainly cannot be discounted. I’ve heard an interesting theory that’s been offered to explain an increase, and I thought I’d share it with you. It is highly theoretical, and, as I say, the numbers pro or con are difficult to verify. Figures lie, and liars figure. Slicing and dicing numbers can lead in many different directions. This theory is, in my opinion, worth pondering, so – for whatever it’s worth – here it is: we know that an enormous amount of Arctic ice has melted. The water t...

April 5 – Does anyone remember this? WORLD SCIENTISTS' WARNING TO HUMANITY Human beings and the natural world are on a collisioncourse. Human activities inflict harsh and oftenirreversible damage on the environment and on criticalresources. If not checked, many of our current practicesput at serious risk the future that we wish for humansociety and the plant and animal kingdoms, and may so alterthe living world that it will be unable to sustain life inthe manner that we know. Fundamental changes are urgent ifwe are to avoid the collision our present course will bringabout…. Much of this damage is irreversible on a scale ofcenturies or permanent. Other processes appear to poseadditional threats. Increasing levels of gases in theatmosphere from human activities, including carbon dioxidereleased from fossil fuel burning and from deforestation,may alter climate on a global scale. Predictions of globalwarming are still uncertain -- with projected effectsranging from...