Thank you for the well written sobering reminder. Shameful we cannot muster up 3.5% of active participation by US citizens to collectively save our Earth, Humanity, Democracy. EVERYONE must do their part EVERYDAY (I am).
Especially shameful a small handful of Congressional Republicans can save our world, yet they remain deaf & silently disgraced in their privileged seats of all-mighty power.
Take a look at the current drought map: https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/. This is just astounding. And what about the effects climate change is having on wildlife? This always seems to be an afterthought but for me it's always top of mind.
All the more ironic to see our entire regime and their money-grubbing "friends" being so corrupt and working so hard on becoming richer and richer by the minute. Do they think they can buy another planet to escape the harm they have done so much to contribute to the problem?
We currently have a rain deficiency in the American South. When it’s dry for this long then it does rain some of the trees due to stress just start to fall over posing hazards to passing cars and people on foot.
The onus needs to be on corporations and billionaires. The reality is they're the ones who are producing everything we use...all of the petroleum products on the market...including all the plastic containers that hold all the goods on our supermarket shelves. We can make demands, we can write to them, we can protest and boycott, but it's up to those with the money and power to make the significant changes that we really need. Here's the secret: it's not profitable enough for them to make the necessary changes. Want more EVs on the road? Make them cheaper than what's out there now. Make them cheaper than used vehicles. It could be done, but it would mean sacrificing the bottom line. That's why it won't happen. Just like the change from plastic containers to more sustainable containers in stores could happen, but it won't. Profit matters more than the environment, our lives, their kids' lives, the planet. Nothing matters more than their greed. That greed is a black hole.
I sit looking at the sun rising over the Wasatch Mountains. It looks more like June or July right now. To the west is our dying Great Salt Lake. Every week it seems there are requests coming in for the state to relax a rule or three for large data centers. Last week it was for the largest power station in the nation. I can't remember the numbers, but it was jaw dropping. They want to build a huge data (they called it a power station but it was a data center) in a non-attainment area (i.e. an area where there's already high air pollution, likely from mining) in one of the driest states in the country. And the Utah state legislature is pretty enthusiastic about taking their money...because, like corporations and billionaires, their greed is a black hole. My suggestion for everyone is to plan on boycotting the 2034 Winter Games...if they're even held unless Utah takes a dramatic left turn in the next five years.
Jeff, I had a hard time with your essay today about the urgency of the climate crisis. I totally agree with you, but why did you not say the words: "We must get off of our massive dependency on fossil fuels"? Why did you not say--"Make solar happen all over your house and town. Throw out your gas appliances. Go electric. Stop driving gas cars. Ride a bike or buy an EV or take public transportation. Why did you not give people the assignment to withdraw their bank accounts and credit card accounts from JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Citi, Bank of America, US Bank because those biggest banks provide financing and insurance to the oil industry corporations." In other words, it's important in my mind to cry "Crisis!" loud and clear, AND even more important to tell us what we can and must do individually and collectively right now in many arenas. That's what I additionally need and want to hear from a climate commentator. And also, thank you for writing what you did write so powerfully!
And I just heard Trump belittle climate change in a speech as being another hoax. Here we have a leader who reads nothing, listens to nothing and, really, does nothing except in reverse. As he was saying these words the faces of my grandchildren flashed before eyes quickly followed by dystopian visions of how nature is going to look and feel like for them. Trump obviously cares nothing about the future or the people who will inhabit it, unless having his name plastered everywhere in order to insure some kind of glorious memory of him counts. He desperately needs a visit from Xmas future, but I'm under no illusion he'd pay any attention to it. His mind, such as it is, is focussed only upon himself and his need to feed his ego.
He will be remembered, for sure. For bringing on what may be society level destruction. Ours and everyone elses.
Fossil fuel companies have known about climate change/global warming since at least the 1970's - their own scientists were observing it. They had been warned about the greenhouse gas issue in the 1950's. Leaders at Exxon and their industry associations deliberately chose to obfuscate the issue and smear their own scientists - with the media lending a big hand by treating global warming as 'controversial' in the scientific community. With their Billion $ support of Trump's campaign, they gutted every meaningful government action on climate. ...Just in case you're wondering who should maybe pay for the ongoing damages.
I've been fighting this battle for over 50 years. I've been laughed at, ridiculed, even threatened. If the world were REALLY serious about the imminent collapse of the polar icecaps and the consequences, half of the politicians playing roulette with our future would be dead... executed in the name of planet Earth, and any blowback would be a bargain.
Jeff Nesbit's article is a flashing red alarm light to us all. Unfortunately, our President doesn't believe climate change is real. Here's my take on the issue, for a local paper in Westchester, NY:
Thank you for the well written sobering reminder. Shameful we cannot muster up 3.5% of active participation by US citizens to collectively save our Earth, Humanity, Democracy. EVERYONE must do their part EVERYDAY (I am).
Especially shameful a small handful of Congressional Republicans can save our world, yet they remain deaf & silently disgraced in their privileged seats of all-mighty power.
The Cascades and Olympics are so bare right now. It is not good. I fear summer fire season will be horrific for trees, animals, and humans.
Take a look at the current drought map: https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/. This is just astounding. And what about the effects climate change is having on wildlife? This always seems to be an afterthought but for me it's always top of mind.
All the more ironic to see our entire regime and their money-grubbing "friends" being so corrupt and working so hard on becoming richer and richer by the minute. Do they think they can buy another planet to escape the harm they have done so much to contribute to the problem?
We currently have a rain deficiency in the American South. When it’s dry for this long then it does rain some of the trees due to stress just start to fall over posing hazards to passing cars and people on foot.
Those who need to read this call this "a hoax".
I know this doesn't help much, but if we had elected Kamala Harris we would be enacting meaningful climate change legislation right now.
This horrible disaster-in-process can and WILL be addressed once we sweep out the trash that is the entire Trump administration.
We must start this fall. The hour is late.
Most of the world is eager to join us.
The onus needs to be on corporations and billionaires. The reality is they're the ones who are producing everything we use...all of the petroleum products on the market...including all the plastic containers that hold all the goods on our supermarket shelves. We can make demands, we can write to them, we can protest and boycott, but it's up to those with the money and power to make the significant changes that we really need. Here's the secret: it's not profitable enough for them to make the necessary changes. Want more EVs on the road? Make them cheaper than what's out there now. Make them cheaper than used vehicles. It could be done, but it would mean sacrificing the bottom line. That's why it won't happen. Just like the change from plastic containers to more sustainable containers in stores could happen, but it won't. Profit matters more than the environment, our lives, their kids' lives, the planet. Nothing matters more than their greed. That greed is a black hole.
I sit looking at the sun rising over the Wasatch Mountains. It looks more like June or July right now. To the west is our dying Great Salt Lake. Every week it seems there are requests coming in for the state to relax a rule or three for large data centers. Last week it was for the largest power station in the nation. I can't remember the numbers, but it was jaw dropping. They want to build a huge data (they called it a power station but it was a data center) in a non-attainment area (i.e. an area where there's already high air pollution, likely from mining) in one of the driest states in the country. And the Utah state legislature is pretty enthusiastic about taking their money...because, like corporations and billionaires, their greed is a black hole. My suggestion for everyone is to plan on boycotting the 2034 Winter Games...if they're even held unless Utah takes a dramatic left turn in the next five years.
Jeff, I had a hard time with your essay today about the urgency of the climate crisis. I totally agree with you, but why did you not say the words: "We must get off of our massive dependency on fossil fuels"? Why did you not say--"Make solar happen all over your house and town. Throw out your gas appliances. Go electric. Stop driving gas cars. Ride a bike or buy an EV or take public transportation. Why did you not give people the assignment to withdraw their bank accounts and credit card accounts from JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Citi, Bank of America, US Bank because those biggest banks provide financing and insurance to the oil industry corporations." In other words, it's important in my mind to cry "Crisis!" loud and clear, AND even more important to tell us what we can and must do individually and collectively right now in many arenas. That's what I additionally need and want to hear from a climate commentator. And also, thank you for writing what you did write so powerfully!
I do not have the money to stop driving a gas powered car(actually two cars, both not energy efficient.).
I need a government that recognizes the situation we are in and arrange for a trade that I can afford.
As the article said, We may have waited too long.
JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Citi, Bank of America, US Bank are all a big (very big) part of the problem.
And I just heard Trump belittle climate change in a speech as being another hoax. Here we have a leader who reads nothing, listens to nothing and, really, does nothing except in reverse. As he was saying these words the faces of my grandchildren flashed before eyes quickly followed by dystopian visions of how nature is going to look and feel like for them. Trump obviously cares nothing about the future or the people who will inhabit it, unless having his name plastered everywhere in order to insure some kind of glorious memory of him counts. He desperately needs a visit from Xmas future, but I'm under no illusion he'd pay any attention to it. His mind, such as it is, is focussed only upon himself and his need to feed his ego.
He will be remembered, for sure. For bringing on what may be society level destruction. Ours and everyone elses.
Fossil fuel companies have known about climate change/global warming since at least the 1970's - their own scientists were observing it. They had been warned about the greenhouse gas issue in the 1950's. Leaders at Exxon and their industry associations deliberately chose to obfuscate the issue and smear their own scientists - with the media lending a big hand by treating global warming as 'controversial' in the scientific community. With their Billion $ support of Trump's campaign, they gutted every meaningful government action on climate. ...Just in case you're wondering who should maybe pay for the ongoing damages.
Remember this ad from 1962?
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2014/feb/26/bizarre-1962-oil-advertisement-boasts-about-meltin/
I've been fighting this battle for over 50 years. I've been laughed at, ridiculed, even threatened. If the world were REALLY serious about the imminent collapse of the polar icecaps and the consequences, half of the politicians playing roulette with our future would be dead... executed in the name of planet Earth, and any blowback would be a bargain.
And dry, no April showers!
It never had to be this hard.
Jeff Nesbit's article is a flashing red alarm light to us all. Unfortunately, our President doesn't believe climate change is real. Here's my take on the issue, for a local paper in Westchester, NY:
https://yonkerstimes.com/how-to-do-more-to-help-save-the-climate-we-all-share/