WARNING: Science is not sufficient at high altitudes of thought

If natural systems were well understood and behaved in a predictable
way, it might be possible to calculate what would be a “safe” amount of pressure to inflict on them without endangering the basic services they provide to humankind.
Unfortunately, however, the living machinery of Earth has a tendency to move from gradual to catastrophic change with little warning. Such is the complexity of the relationships between plants, animals, and microorganisms that these “tipping points” cannot be forecast by existing science.

The millenium assessment is sobering. But so was the Warning to Humanity from 1992 by many of the worlds leading scientists and majority of the world's Nobel Laureates.

It seems Rachel Carson inspired a generation of scientists to speak out on the truth they have uncovered.

The Precautionary Principle would be exercised so well here, on planet earth.

We are lacking time as we tamper.

But I am not tampering. I am looking for answers, while I still buy burgers, cheap clothes from China, and drive my car to the grocery store.

Ironically, I feel that if I slow down enough to make these changes, I will fall out of engagement with trying to find those leverage points to help make those huge policy shifts. Though, Rex Wyler said at a talk I heard once before: All the legislation that Green Peace made 20 years before is being reversed.

This leads me to think that the policy changes are not the major leverage points, What we need is a culture shift. Take this case for example:

Women have rights! Sure, look at all your rights, your fine and quit your complaining. Now choose between working or child rearing. Because unless you make as much as your husband (which most of you don't), one of you will have to sacrifice a career (seniority, perceived experience)so you can manage. Daycare's are full - 2 year waiting list!

Unless more Curitiba's show up, we are doomed. To transition, we need people as well that are willing to listen to the fears, and respond with kindness to nurture ideas and model the possibilities. I see the value in that role more than before. Pulling the rug out from people's feel will be tough, and someone will need to help people back up. If there is a carbon tax - lets offer creative way to ammend the adverse effects on the pocket book.

It is that tipping point that we cannot be too sure with in nature, or with culture shifts. If what Blessed Unrest offers is any indication - it may be faster than we think.

Idle Free

I just wanted to show you this in case you ever wanted to make a snazzy type video presentation easily, in very short time. Took me 20 minutes to whip this lil diddy up.


http://animoto.com

You've captured my...carbon?

The Framing of Climate Change in Canadian, American, and International Newspapers: A Media Propoganda Model Analysis, by Jennifer Ellen Good, is way cooler than the title sounds. In fact, if I was a free agent in my life, I would love to jump on board to compare these findings with the framing of climate change during both lead up and after Copenhagen.

It comforts me to know that someone is paying attention to the writing on the wall. Because at the end of the day, while we are all busy trying to decide which light bulb to buy, our government (bless their wee hearts), is investing most heavily in storing carbon. Where?? I have no clue. In the Feds plan for Turning the corner: A Framework to Expedite the Suffering and Demise of Humanity, Harper and his loyal gang of subjects offer carbon capture as a solution to the large scale operations such as, (you guessed it), The Tar Sands. The comforting notion of carbon capture can captivate your imagination with such references captured from our expert devised regulatory framework as, "The stream of carbon dioxide is also sometimes injected into older oil wells to help extract further reserves of oil." And my personal favorite, "It is a technology that is most cost-effective when it involves large volumes of carbon dioxide, such as those produced at oil sands and electricity generation facilities, and when it is built into new facilities, although it can also be applied to existing facilities."




Yes, they have figured out how to turn this climate crisis into an oilportunity.
As featured in World Environment News, courtesey of Reuters, "Natural Resources Minister Lisa Raitt said in a statement C$650 million has been earmarked to help pay for large-scale carbon capture and storage demonstration projects as the government looks to follow through on agreements made during U.S. President Barack Obama's February visit to Canada.

The remaining cash will be directed to paying for smaller-scale renewable and alternative energy projects and a C$150 million fund for researching clean energy technologies." - May 20, 2009.

But to get back to the article mentioned at the beginning. What is startling from Good's research is that the international community in reporting about Kyoto, tended not to highlight the US opposition to Kyoto. It seems a no brainer to me that to mention an international agreement without discussing major obstacles to its successes is a moot point. Rather than questioning if the citizens of your country can ride their bikes one day a week to work, how about a little reference to the fact that the super power of the world, and top emitter, is not getting on board?

I hope that Copenhagen can expose all the dirty secrets that countries are "capturing". But we know we can't rely on the mass media alone. It will most likely have to be the chirps and tweets of the blessed unrest. (cross fingers)