Post Comments like this:
1. Your Name
2. A Title
3. A short personal commentary what you learned from it or what made you curious about it given the week's class content. However, it doesn't have to be about the week's content, only something related to human-environmental interactions.
4. Then put a long line ('-------------------)'.
5. Then cut/paste the article or topic you found.
6. Then a small line '---'.
7. Then, finally, paste the URL (link) of the post.
Post for this week on this thread. I'll set up a new main post each week, and then we will do the same.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
11 comments:
This is a test comment of what to do.
1. Mark Whitaker
2. My Comment's Title
3. There is something about this following article that interests me, fascinates me, and/or makes me wonder what the article leaves out, etc. I can write as much as I want on this blog about my view on the article and the issues that it discusses. I can write about personal experiences that the article reminded me about. I can write about a different view of the same issues that the article mentions. I can convince people of something, express my intelligence, and express my emotion in this comment.
-----------------------------
[repost article here]
---
[URL / web location of the article]
1. Kyung-Hee, Kang
2. Critical Mass cyclists pedal on
3. I heard the news of electronic vehecle user's recent gathering in the north-west, UK, which reminded me of 'Critical Mass'. It is a monthly bicycle ride to celebrate cycling and to assert cyclists' right to the road started in September 1992 in San Francisco with 48 people. As a regular event it has loose but wide orginizational structure. There has been criticam mass events named as 'Balbari(발발이,http://bike.jinbo.net)' since 1999 in Korea. It seems that it's one of the most unique social movements with the likes such as World Naked Bike Ride, many motorbike protest rides or marching.
-------------------
By Lynn Thompson Seattle Times staff reporter
The mood was more merry prankster than bicycle hooligan as the monthly Critical Mass demonstration rolled through Seattle Friday at rush hour.
About 300 cyclists and a strong police presence marked the first ride since violence erupted last month on Capitol Hill. That encounter resulted in two bicyclists being arrested and a motorist injured. No charges have been filed, and police are still investigating.
The clash provoked angry responses in both the cycling community and among drivers, each side accusing the other of criminal behavior.
July's violence was very much on the minds of the bike riders who gathered at Westlake Center at 5:30 p.m. Friday. One woman distributed fliers with what she said were eyewitness accounts charging that the driver of the car had grown impatient with the passing parade of cyclists and revved his car into them, striking three and running over one.
The driver was hit in the head with a bike lock and needed stitches. His windshields were smashed and his tires slashed.
Seattle police officers Friday also distributed fliers, promising to protect the safety of both bicyclists and motorists. Forty-eight officers, on motorcycles, bicycles and in cars and vans accompanied the riders as they traveled north along Fourth Avenue, circled back through the Pike Place Market and headed toward Ballard along Alaskan Way. The ride ended at Gas Works Park.
Critical Mass demonstrations take place the last Friday of the month in cities around the world. The rides have no leaders and no set itineraries. Whoever is toward the front heads out onto the streets, followed by hundreds more.
"It's not about causing trouble, it's about 'Let's ride bikes,' " said Raz Barnea, 26, who said he's been participating for about three years.
The monthly ride is meant to assert cyclists' right to the road. The rolling protest moves as a group, with members stopping to block intersections as other riders pass by. On Friday the police also controlled traffic at intersections and accompanied the riders through red lights, much as they do for parades and funerals.
"For a few hours, once a month, they clog the streets like the cars do every day," said David Hiller, advocacy director for the Cascade Bicycle Club, which is critical of the tactics of the mass rides. "We don't support violating traffic laws," he said before Friday's ride.
Truck and car horns blared approval, and the bicyclists answered with whoops and dinging bike bells. Some pedestrians said they were "awe-struck" by the sight of so many bicyclists.
"It's fantastic," said Kenny Ramer, an artist with a studio near Fourth Avenue. "It's a moving expression of unity."
But some motorists weren't pleased.
Wahid Qureshi idled his SUV at an intersection near the Pike Place Market as the bicyclists blocked the road in front of him for several minutes. He said his girlfriend was diabetic and needed food.
"If this was an emergency, it would really be a problem," he said. "They're not even stopping for the red light."
Seattle police said the ride was completed without incident.
Lynn Thompson: 206-464-8305 or lthompson@seattletimes.com
Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company
---
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008148018_criticalmass30m.html
1. Martine Ibsen
2. Florida Republican group to boycott Oprah
3. When searching the internet for an article, I randomly came to this one, and found it interesting in different ways. To boycott a product, or in this case a show, is a kind of a social movement (if it succeeds of course). But here I see different kinds of social movement intervene with each other, and creating a very complex situation. A lot of people know who Oprah is, and her program affects a lot of these people. In this way she becomes a person who easily can create a social movement in terms of helping poor people, making people believe in her/her shows statements, or even boycotting products. Here we have a situation were others are boycotting Oprah, because she is in this kind of powerful position. I find it interesting that mixing politic with these kinds of people like Oprah can become really problematic for them, and that other people keep an eagle eye on them because of their position.
-----------------------------------
September 6, 2008
Florida Republican group to boycott Oprah
Posted: 07:58 PM ET
From CNN's Emily Sherman
(CNN)-The Florida Federation of Republican Women made the decision to boycott the Oprah Winfrey Show Saturday, after the media mogul refused to have Gov. Sarah Palin as a guest on her show until after the election wraps up.
"Women in Florida helped build Oprah into the icon she is today," Linda Ivell, President of the FFRW said in a statement. "We are deeply disappointed in Ms. Winfrey's decision to sit out the greatest political moment in the history of women since suffrage."
The talk show host denied accusations Friday, that she was even considering the vice presidential nominee as a guest.
"At the beginning of this presidential campaign when I decided that I was going to take my first public stance in support of a candidate, I made the decision not to use my show as a plat for any of the candidates," Winfrey wrote in a statement, responding to a story from The Drudge report claiming her staff was "sharply divided" on whether they should book the Alaska Governor.
Winfrey agreed Palin would be a "fantastic interview," but wouldn't invite her on until after the November elections.
The Florida Federation of Republican Women, the "largest political organization in Florida," celebrating the groups 58 year anniversary is also encouraging members to cancel subscriptions to O Magazine, Ivell said.
"We find it to be an abuse of her power -gained on the backs of our patronage of her advertising empire - to use her program to so blatantly support Obama in the face of this historic moment. So, we are tuning out and canceling our subscriptions to O Magazine and encourage other women to do the same," Ms Ivell said.
Winfrey came under fire from some of her supporters in December after campaigning with the Democratic nominee in South Carolina.
Ivell did not say the Florida Republicans would be tuning out indefinitely, but at least until 'after the election.' Adding, she and her members respect the decision to support Obama, "as every American is entitled to their personal opinion and vote."
---------
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/09/06/florida-republican-group-to-boycott-oprah/#more-17374
1. Graciëla Nooitgedagt
2. Indefinite Bus Strike
3. I tried to find a longer article in English about the bus strike in Holland but I just found short articles. However, this is the only strike that has affected my lifestyle yet. Since, al the busses were on strike in Holland I had to find alternative ways to come aroung. Also the fact that they anounced it to be indefinite, made it even more hard to adjust. I did not agree with this strike because it hurt a lot of people. I felt that they should keep on driving but not charge money for the rides, this because it only hurts the company this way and not the "innocent" consumers. Elderly people and people that do not have a car really depend on buses to go to work and this way were really in trouble because there were no alternatives. I feel that bus drivers could have thought of more consumer friendly strikes, or should have shortened the period.
-----------------------------
Indefinite bus strike begins
Monday 02 June 2008
Regional bus drivers went on indefinite strike on Monday in support of their pay claim, bringing warnings of severe congestion on some roads.
The strike means that no buses are operating in most of the country, with the exception of Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, Utrecht and Dordrecht and parts of Gelderland, Limburg and Friesland, where drivers fall under another pay deal.
‘We have no choice,’ FNV union negotiator Janny Koppens told the NRC. ‘After three months of talks, management have not made a step in our direction. We have tried all sorts of passenger-friendly action, such as letting them travel free, but it has not helped.’
Bus drivers are campaigning for a 3.5% pay rise and longer paid breaks. Employers have offered 12% over three years and an extra month's salary. In return, drivers would no longer be paid for a 15-minute break and would lose some days off.
----
http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2008/06/indefinite_bus_strike_begins.php
1.Chenyang Wu
2.Carrefour boycott
3.Thinking about social movements, I immediately recalled the protest against Carrefour took place in China this April. As China is developing fast, the Chinese are looking for a chance to show a brand new China to the world.
The Olympic is absolutely the best opportunity. So all the Chinese people show a great expection for the success of the Olympic. It's easy to understand how the nationwide boycott came out. But the question is: is the boycott
really quite right and nessesary? I'm afraid not. The reason for boycotting Carrefour was that it donated a lot of money to the Dalai Lama. Since Carrefour didn't became the target of nationwide attacking until the disturbances regarding the torch relay happened, the excuse of the protesters seems not that proper. In my opinion, the true reason should be that a lot of patriots want to let the power of Chinese people, which is long being ignored, known by the world. Considering the boycott having aroused extensive attention, they succeeded to some degree. They
made it. That's all.
-----------------------
Yesterday, some 30 Chinese demonstrated before a Carrefour in Kunming, Yunnan Province. The organizers brought a 20-meter banner that read: "Support the Olympics; no independence for Tibet; boycott French goods; boycott Carrefour". The event lasted from 10 AM to 2 PM with police maintaining order along the avenue.
Hundreds of passers-by signed their names on the banner.
The Carrefour boycott is one of the boycott appeals that have emerged from the Internet a few days ago as Chinese people watched TV and noted disgraceful disturbances regarding the Olympic torch parade in London, Paris and San Francisco. Many young Chinese blame the chaos on mismanagement by local authorities; others blame various politicians and the media for fanning anti-China sentiments among the foreign public by distorting facts on Tibet and ignoring Chinese voices.The Paris stop was singled out because Chinese officials had to change the plan and extinguish the torch five times for security reasons. An image of the disabled female torch bearer, Jin Jing, who suffered under attacks by several Tibetan separatists who tried to grab the torch but failed at that time, triggered widespread Chinese anger that resulted in the current nationwide boycott calls circulating around the Internet, mobile phone messages and chat rooms.
"That may be why Paris lost its bid to hold the Olympics," one patriotic Chinese student quipped to China.org.cn, commenting on how Parisan authorities were unable to effectively manage the street disaster.
The Internet message accuses French enterprises such as Carrefour and Louis Vuitton of backing the Dalai Lama. Carrefour dismissed the claims. French brands such as Carrefour, Louis Vuitton, L'Oreal and some famous French cars were also included in the boycott list.
A fresh statement sent by Carrefour China this morning expressed their thorough support for the Olympics, stating that they never did in the past and will never in the future do anything "to harm Chinese people's feelings".
Carrefour said they would reserve the rights to initiate legal actions against any individuals and organizations that spread "unfounded" and "malicious" rumors against it.
Witnesses told China.org.cn that at least in Kunming and Beijing these last two days, consumers were noticeably fewer than usual.
Some 30 demonstrators protest before the Carrefour in city of Kunming, Yunnan Province, April 15, 2008.
One student surnamed Wu in Kunming said that the boycott was not meant to cause trouble, but rather to send a clear message to the outside world: "If anyone dares to challenge our sovereignty and dignity, they will witness our Chinese united power to fight back! We must stand up this time. 'Love our motherland' will no longer be simply empty words."
When asked about the French goods boycott, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu told the French side to think about and reflect upon all the Chinese people's opinions and feelings that had been expressed recently. "All these actions are by no means accidental," she said, believing "these people will abide by laws and regulations in expressing their reasonable appeals."
Whether to boycott French goods or not is being hotly debated among the Chinese public these days. Bai Yansong, a famed Chinese TV host and a torchbearer expected to hold the flame in Sanya, Hainan Province, wrote in his blog, stating that he will stay away from the boycotts.
One logo for the Carrefour boycott campaign is circulating on the Internet.
"Many may not go to the supermarket that day (May 1), but I'm sure many also will go. We should not punish ourselves for others' mistakes," he said, adding that most staff members in Carrefour China are Chinese, and goods sold in Carrefour are almost all made in China. "It's like an internal conflict."
Bai represents one of the vast numbers of people who would "love the country rationally" without enlarging the negative impact between Chinese and French people. They believe China should be wise, generous and tolerant to some anti-China actions because China should start to adopt a superpower manner because it has already holds an unshakable position inside the international community.
"What's the difference between 'boycott French goods' and 'boycott the Olympics?'" some folks wonder, asking if China should seal itself off from the world again by boycotting a certain number of foreign nations' goods. Also, pro-Tibet activists exist in every Western country.
Jin Jing comes back to her hometown Shanghai, April 13, 2008.
Even Jin Jing, now a national heroine for protecting the torch from activists in Paris, has said "no" to boycotts. "People should be careful when they hear calls for boycotts," she said. "We will hurt ourselves."
Several boycott calls have happened before: when Chinese and American jets clashed in 2001 and when the Japanese wanted to join the UN's Security Council in 2005. But all of these incidents caused little impact on either side because globalization represents the merging of international manufacturing and sales.
----
http://www.china.org.cn/china/Lhasa_Unrest/2008-04/16/content_14966297.htm
1. Hojin Yoo
2. effective ways of constructing network in movements
3. Why this article drew my attention is that it says the slow food movement is launching sustainable schoolyard gardens as means of their network which I think is a really effective and also a fresh idea of gaining attention of the people and encouraging to join their movement.
4. Slow Food movement could finally be picking up speed in the United States
Aug 25, 2008
BOLINAS, Calif. — Trailing Alice Waters through a Marin County garden, watching her gather fragrant pea blossoms and lemon verbena, it is easy to believe the tide is turning against America's mac-and-cheese culture.
In this wealthy rural enclave, there are no Starbucks or Wal-Marts. It is home to uber-eco rancher Bill Niman; small farms are nestled into hillsides; the shelves of the co-op are stocked with local organic greens.
Yet Waters knows that to the east lies a nation starved for time, bloated with fast food and mostly ignorant of her effort to make people think more about where, how and by whom their food is produced.
Still, the grand dame of the so-called "slow food" movement sees evidence of progress across the United States: Bustling farmers markets. Bans on trans fats. Greater awareness of food sources, albeit driven by waves of food contamination scares.
"All kinds of things are going on that are pushing people into this slow food place," she says.
Even, perhaps, slow food itself. After years of lurking, barely a shadow of its European counterpart, Slow Food USA is about to make its first major foray into the U.S. cultural and political scenes. Tens of thousands of people are expected to attend Slow Food Nation over Labour Day weekend in San Francisco, a Woodstock-like festival and symposium meant to underscore the connection between planet and plate.
It's the first serious test of whether Slow Food - a philosophy born in Europe and often hobbled by a snob factor - can evolve into a movement capable of altering the appetite of the average American.
"We don't want (the slow food movement) to be about celebrity chefs and fancy restaurants," Waters says.
To that end, organizers have worked hard to mainstream their message, offering forums highlighting everyday and heirloom foods from the South and Southwest, as well as discussions about eating well on a budget.
There even is a partnership with the Food Network, which is planting a mini-garden for children within a larger "victory garden" on display at San Francisco City Hall for the festival.
The network is using the garden - and the Slow Food event as a whole - to announce the launch of a series of sustainable schoolyard gardens it will build around the nation, an effort first hatched by Waters 14 years ago and carried on today by her Chez Panisse Foundation.
Slow food is terra nova for the network, and much of the nation, says Carrie Welch, a spokeswoman for the network, which caters to those seeking the fun, fast and entertaining side of food. "This is something very new for a lot of people in the mainstream."
If Slow Food remains just the fascination of the well-to-do gourmet set, it will fail to get the social traction enjoyed by its European counterpart, which was born during the late 1980s out of despair over the fast fooding of Italy.
But if Waters and other organizers can persuade the home cooks who hang on Rachael Ray's every EVOO to care about where and how their food is produced before it becomes a 30-minute meal, the changes could be seismic.
Waters knows it's a mountainous if. Americans resent paying more for food, even for higher quality, she says.
"This food gets lumped into, 'It's only for the people who want to pay the price,"' Waters says. "But you know, people are willing to pay it on Nike shoes and cellphones and God knows what else they'll pay it on.
"They don't see that if you don't pay up front, you pay out back: You're going to pay in your health, and in the loss of your culture and in the pleasure of your life."
At its core, Slow Food is a pushback against fast food, a response to the industrialization of eating and an effort to refocus on local, artisanal and heritage foods. It is meant to foster concern about where food comes from, how it is produced, who is producing it and how they are treated while doing so.
"For me it means really bringing people to those difficult ideas of biodiversity and sustainability through the pleasure of the table," Waters says.
In the garden, Waters had picked a bouquet of flowers and herbs and had pressed them, one by one, into a reporter's hands, then arranged them in a drinking glass borrowed from her celebrated restaurant, Chez Panisse in Berkeley.
"You smell these flowers and lemon verbena and basil - it's intoxicating," she says, with a wave to the bouquet now on the table of a cottage she is borrowing for a vacation. "You don't need the rhetoric. You just need the plate of food."
Waters makes it sound easy, but the space to contemplate these ideals is a rare commodity for most people. Who has time to hunt down heirloom tomatoes grown within a day's drive? And can this movement break out of the Bolinas-to-Berkeley belt? Slow Food International is booming in Europe, but just 16,000 people have signed on in the U.S.
"It can't really be defined by the number of people giving their money," Waters says. "But there are many, many people engaged in this kind of thinking, and that's what really counts."
-------------
http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5ib93juS9pw8U3ryhL6kFmw-qEidw
1. Martine Ibsen
2. Autonomous Youth House fights back
3. This is an article about a huge violent demonstration that took place in 2007 from March 1.-3., which is uncommon in Denmark. It is about an ongoing dispute between young people who has trouble in finding the right place for them in the society, and the Danish government. It has recently been settled. But this group of autonomous young people has been fighting for there right to own a special house in Copenhagen, the capital city in Denmark. Today, after demonstrating every Thursday in more than a year they have been given a new youth house. But the road to settle the conflict has been long and costly. During the demonstration period there have been several groups supporting them, but they haven’t been supported by the same groups of people all the way, and the young people have over time lost some of their supporters. Also the government was rather split in this conflict, which contributed to make the conflict go on for a long time.
------------------------------
News from around the world
Denmark
Autonomous Youth House fights back
Aage Skovrind
Controversy about the future of an autonomous cultural centre in Copenhagen, known as the Youth House (or "Ungeren"), escalated on December 16 with fierce street fighting between police and users of the House. Two hundred and seventy three peoples were arrested: most of them, however, were released the following day. Users of the House declare that they have nothing to loose and no intention of leaving "their" house.
The Red-Green Alliance is calling for a political solution which allows the users to keep the House as a self-managed cultural centre. However, this outcome appears more unlikely after the violent clashes, as the popular support for the users of the House is diminishing.
The violence broke out following a march by users of the House and supporters, including several foreigners who had come to Denmark in the days up to December 14th. December 14th was set as the date when the young users of the House were ordered to leave and transfer the keys to the legal owners. However, the users from the beginning made it clear that they have no intention to leave the House. Eviction date has been postponed by the police and is expected to provoke new violent clashes.
The controversy about the ownership and access to the House dates many years back.
Several houses in Copenhagen were occupied in the 1980s by the squatters’ movement. Among them was a big empty building in the old workers district of Noerrebro, formerly one of the traditional "Peoples Houses" of the workers movement.
In 1982, the Municipality of Copenhagen legalized the occupied House which developed into a centre of music concerts and other activities. However, in 1999 the municipality council took a fatal decision to sell the House. In 2000, it was bought by a small Christian sect. Following a series of legal battles, the Christians won the legal right to the House in August 2006. The users were ordered to leave the House by December 14th.
Several attempts have been made to convince the Christian sect that they should sell back the House. Particularly, a Foundation set up by trade union leaders, lawyers and former users offered to buy the house for 13 million (plus 2 million for renovation) Danish kroner (apr. 2 million euros). However, the Christian sect refused even this favourable offer, declaring it a "matter of principle".
The Red Green Alliance has condemned the use of political violence, while insisting that the responsibility for a peaceful solution is a political matter, particularly by the city council which sold the House in 1999. Red-Green members of the city council as well of the national Parliament have submitted several proposals, including implementation of a district or a national development plan, which ties the use of the House to the present activities. However, proposals like these have been rejected by a majority of political parties so far.
"Consequently, police will be used as garbage collectors for the mess created by the politicians", says MP Line Barfod of the Red-Green Alliance, adding that there is an immediate risk of more violence, more destruction and more casualties.
"However, even at the 11th hour, time hasn’t run out for a political solution yet. The Red-Green Alliance is working for this and urges all responsible politicians to do so as well", she adds.
Website of the Youth House
In English: http://ungdomshuset.info/en.php3?id_rubrique=4
In German: http://ungdomshuset.info/article.php3?id_article=44
Aage Skovrind is press secretary of the Red-Green Alliance.
--------
http://www.internationalviewpoint.org/spip.php?article1178
1. Graciela Nooitgedagt
2. World Black Out
3. This article is about a very recent movement. Trying to get attention for the environment. I think it is a very good initiative because the barrier for people to join is very low. Everybody can live for 30 minutes in the dark, and experience what life would be like if we wouldn't have electricity.
However, I do remember this movement before, and the Minister-President of the Netherlands was against this movement because it could harm the electricity companies. This because they might not handle the sudden turn-off or turn-on again.
-------------------------
Time and Place Date: Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Time: 9:50pm - 10:00pm
Location: All the World, any place you are at September 17
Street: People all over the world in their home
City/Town: Buenos Aires
"So that everyone can join an event of great importance as we are proposing, I dedided to remove the adaptation to the time location of each country. I recall, that apart from "the fact of turning off the lights," it is important to raise awareness among the population of Global Warming and pressuring world leaders to act effectively against this problem that concerns to all of us, because it is our world. According to my understanding the "joint action" of the participants is not greatly lost, because the event will be conducted throughout the country and also throughout their time zone at the same time.
Therefore, the blackout will take place in stages, performing a similar effect to the races with posts, like this, each time zone will be delegating its responsibility to the others through the day.
If the event had been realised through joint action across the globe (all at the same time), entire regions hadn’t been able to do this.
It is important that the blackout can be performed throughout the world, because the reason for the event, which I have make explicit before, has to be done by many people as possible. Another cause of the blackout format is that some environmentalists informed me, that the impact around the world of being reconnected would be detrimental to the environment. It is important the realisation of the blackout in a safe environment. Hence, I don’t promote darkening streets, public areas, hospitals, emergency services, and traffic lights lamps or lighting road.
Therefore, the format of the blackout will be to 9:50 PM to 10 PM in the local time of each country.
PS: I suggest the progressive reconnection of the electric machines, to avoid what some experts tell as an overload. I Support people who will prefer to turn off lights not only the time expected(10 minutes), turning it off even 30 minutes o 1 hour.
Thank you four your time, Andres Schelp
Worldwide darkness: On September 17th 2008, from 21:50 hours to 22:00 hours in the local time of your country.The proposal is to turn off all lights and as many electrical appliances as possible, to give our planet a "breather".If participation is overwhelming, the energy saving may be huge. Just shut everything down for ten minutes, to see what happens.Ten minutes of darkness. Light a candle, look at the flame and breath, together with the planet.Remember: unity is power. The internet can thus be enormously powerful - and even more than that.Spread the word, if you have friends abroad, please forward this message to them.
Impact of Global Warming:
* An increase in the number and size of fires, resulting in the loss of thousands of hectares per year
* Increased melting of Glaciers and consequently of sea level
* Reduction of the ozone layer
* An increase in average temperatures
* Loss of productivity of crops
* Increased Mortality
* Extinction of species
* Increased virulence of natural phenomena "
----------------------
http://www.science-parliament.eu/en/node/380
1. Graciëla Nooitgedagt
2. Stop Global Warming
3. I was searching about an evironmental movement because I would like to do my case C about the evironment. And I found stopglobalwarming.org. This website is trying to make an environmental movement online. They want people to march against global warming. I always find interesting about these movements that everybody knows its better for the world and they they should really be more careful with the environment but that almost nobody takes real action. I think that untill something drastic happens all people on the world will not take drastic measures to help the environment.
----------------------
Stop Global Warming
May 5, 2008 in earthkeeping by admin | No comments - Leave a Comment!
In the spirit of Earthkeeping, we would like to share the following overview developed from Stop Global Warming.org that highlights the realities of global warming. StopGlobalWarming.org aptly communicates that the most important step towards reversing the current trend is to first understand we are all contributors to global warming and therefore, we all need to be part of the solution.
The results are in and the reality of global warming is beyond dispute or debate. It’s not just an environmental issue. It affects our public health and national security. It’s an urgent matter of survival for everyone on the planet — the most urgent threat facing humanity today.
Global warming isn’t opinion. It’s a scientific reality. And the science tells us that human activity has made enormous impacts to our planet that affect our well-being and even our survival as a species.
The world’s leading science journals report that glaciers are melting ten times faster than previously thought, that atmospheric greenhouse gases have reached levels not seen for millions of years, and that species are vanishing as a result of climate change. They also report of extreme weather events, long-term droughts, and rising sea levels.
Fortunately, the science also tells us how we can begin to make significant repairs to try and reverse those impacts.
What is Global Warming?
The Earth as an ecosystem is changing, attributable in great part to the effects of globalization and man. More carbon dioxide is now in the atmosphere than has been in the past 650,000 years. This carbon stays in the atmosphere, acts like a warm blanket, and holds in the heat — hence the name ‘global warming.’
The reason we exist on this planet is because the earth naturally traps just enough heat in the atmosphere to keep the temperature within a very narrow range - this creates the conditions that give us breathable air, clean water, and the weather we depend on to survive. Human beings have begun to tip that balance. We’ve overloaded the atmosphere with heat-trapping gasses from our cars and factories and power plants. If we don’t start fixing the problem now, we’re in for devastating changes to our environment. We will experience extreme temperatures, rises in sea levels, and storms of unimaginable destructive fury. Recently, alarming events that are consistent with scientific predictions about the effects of climate change have become more and more commonplace.
Environmental Destruction
The massive ice sheets in the Arctic are melting at alarming rates. This is causing the oceans to rise. That’s how big these ice sheets are! Most of the world’s population lives on or near the coasts. Rising ocean levels, an estimated six feet over the next 100 years or sooner, will cause massive devastation and economic catastrophe to population centers worldwide.
The United States, with only four percent of the world’s population, is responsible for 22% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. A rapid transition to energy efficiency and renewable energy sources will combat global warming, protect human health, create new jobs, protect habitat and wildlife, and ensure a secure, affordable energy future.
Health Risks
Malaria. Dengue Fever. Encephalitis. These names are not usually heard in emergency rooms and doctors’ offices in the United States. But if we don’t act to curb global warming, they will be. As temperatures rise, disease-carrying mosquitoes and rodents spread, infecting people in their wake. Doctors at the Harvard Medical School have linked recent U.S. outbreaks of dengue fever, malaria, hantavirus and other diseases directly to climate change.
Catastrophic Weather
Super powerful hurricanes, fueled by warmer ocean temperatures are the “smoking gun” of global warming. Since 1970, the number of category 4 and 5 events has jumped sharply. Human activities are adding an alarming amount of pollution to the earth’s atmosphere causing catastrophic shifts in weather patterns. These shifts are causing severe heat, floods and worse.
To learn more about Global Warming and the steps you can take to reduce your impact as well as encourage others to reduce theirs, visit www.stopglobalwarming.org.
---------------------------
http://earthkeeper.com/blog/earthkeeping/overview-of-global-warming/#more-24
Post a Comment